Another gadget for the shack! This channel is proving to be expensive! But I really enjoy your videos! Decided to order one since it will be an excellent device to use for direct comparisons across several different loop antenna designs. Bias T voltage available across all ports AND selectable means it enables passive antennas to be compared as well. Happy New Year for 2023 and good DX!
It's amazing how often I think, "I need a Radio Thing, I wonder which one is good," only to find Tech Minds either already has a video on the Radio Thing or releases one within 12 hours. :P Just bought one of these so I can pair an actual 2m/70cm receive antenna with my YouLoop on an HF+ Discovery. Want to make sure I'm not missing the latest news from the random grumpy old guys I keep picking up on 2m. :P
What A Great product Review Video, Subscribed, By The Way Its Always A Good Idea To Put One Round Toroid On To The DC Wire With Two Loops Around It , That Will Not Hurt. 10/10
This looks a great bit of kit but I'm looking for an antenna splitter that is able to split to 3 scanners but goes up to say 450 MHz. Does such a thing exist?
You can use TV antenna splitters with the correct adapters which are fairly inexpensive, but often lack the needed isolation between ports. Have a look at Stridsburg Engineering out of the U.S. for designs that are meant for use with communications receivers. But they are not cheap.
The radio connector is kind of curious. The PCB clearly has a spot marked there for a right angle SMA connector, yet they put in a bulkhead connector. I wonder why.
I wonder why so many inline products for SDR is only topping out at like 30ish megs. Why not just build the circuit to allow a clean path up to 3gigs or even 2 gigs. or even 900megs. It would seem to me that the higher freq arena would be component picky as far as tolorancers and quality, and thus drive the price up but i would pay 120 bucks for this kind of a switcher that was topping out at 1.2 and was as well switchable via a small AP on mac/pc. would any other readers pay 120m for such a hearty switch?
And I'm back. I got this a while ago, but I'm only just now getting a chance to play with it. I've looked at the instructions and the device itself, but I can't figure out what the specs are for the DC in jack (Amps, Volts, Center positive/negative, etc.). I'm also now sure about the inner/outer diameter of the jack itself. After watching the video again, I think I should be looking for an adapter that should do at least 6.5V (1.5V + 5V Bias-T), 0.7A? So ... 4.55 watts? What should I use to power it?
Nice.. Too bad Range is 300KHz to 150Mhz (Just above 2 meter) nice it worked @ 740MHz.. Can you try this Antenna switch with ADS-B if it works decently at 1090 MHz.. (how bad will it be)
interesting LED placement. Ant4 LED is placed near Radio, and Ant3 LED is between ant4 and ant3. With a bit of planning, this could have been perfect.
Another gadget for the shack!
This channel is proving to be expensive! But I really enjoy your videos!
Decided to order one since it will be an excellent device to use for direct comparisons across several different loop antenna designs. Bias T voltage available across all ports AND selectable means it enables passive antennas to be compared as well.
Happy New Year for 2023 and good DX!
It would be amazing if there was a similar antenna switch that was also controllable from a computer (via USB or Ethernet). 🙂
you could use a smart switch via a raspberry pi or alexa, just solder to the swtich contacts on the antenna switch box.
@@Jonnyweareten That sounds like a good idea, thanks! :-)
It's amazing how often I think, "I need a Radio Thing, I wonder which one is good," only to find Tech Minds either already has a video on the Radio Thing or releases one within 12 hours. :P
Just bought one of these so I can pair an actual 2m/70cm receive antenna with my YouLoop on an HF+ Discovery. Want to make sure I'm not missing the latest news from the random grumpy old guys I keep picking up on 2m. :P
another gem, 2 ordered thanks matt👍👍👍👍
Go to Minikits South Australia and purchase a real top of the line inexpensive RX TX antenna switch to go with it.
I couldn’t find one on their website
Love Minikits!
Have bought many of Marks products and you really cannot go wrong.
His loop antenna amplifier is excellent.
It's shame it is rx only but I recon it would be triple the price with tx on it. Anyway great tool and video!
Interesting. Bravo for your videos and Happy New Year !!!
Happy new year!
@@TechMindsOfficial Thank you.
What A Great product Review Video, Subscribed, By The Way Its Always A Good Idea To Put One Round Toroid On To The DC Wire With Two Loops Around It , That Will Not Hurt. 10/10
This looks a great bit of kit but I'm looking for an antenna splitter that is able to split to 3 scanners but goes up to say 450 MHz. Does such a thing exist?
You can use TV antenna splitters with the correct adapters which are fairly inexpensive, but often lack the needed isolation between ports.
Have a look at Stridsburg Engineering out of the U.S. for designs that are meant for use with communications receivers. But they are not cheap.
The radio connector is kind of curious. The PCB clearly has a spot marked there for a right angle SMA connector, yet they put in a bulkhead connector. I wonder why.
It would be difficult to fit the board into the box if PCB mounted connectors were fitted on two sides.
@@dogastus Ah, of course. Given the PCB has it on the layout, I'd guess the designer didn't think of that to begin with either 🙂
I wonder why so many inline products for SDR is only topping out at like 30ish megs. Why not just build the circuit to allow a clean path up to 3gigs or even 2 gigs. or even 900megs. It would seem to me that the higher freq arena would be component picky as far as tolorancers and quality, and thus drive the price up but i would pay 120 bucks for this kind of a switcher that was topping out at 1.2 and was as well switchable via a small AP on mac/pc. would any other readers pay 120m for such a hearty switch?
@johnjames8594: I would really love to integrate the switch into Home Assistant. Do you have more technical information about the pin headers?
And I'm back. I got this a while ago, but I'm only just now getting a chance to play with it.
I've looked at the instructions and the device itself, but I can't figure out what the specs are for the DC in jack (Amps, Volts, Center positive/negative, etc.). I'm also now sure about the inner/outer diameter of the jack itself.
After watching the video again, I think I should be looking for an adapter that should do at least 6.5V (1.5V + 5V Bias-T), 0.7A? So ... 4.55 watts?
What should I use to power it?
What voltage does it run on? You said the bias T was showing 10v, so does it work with 12v DC IN then?
Not the right place to ask, but I'm wondering what a signal is on 8.440khz LSB.
Like morse, but machine generated and fast.
I think you're in the UK, did you have to pay VAT and customs?
Awesome, love it... the wife doesn't like you!😆👍
lol I know what you mean! :)
Nice.. Too bad Range is 300KHz to 150Mhz (Just above 2 meter) nice it worked @ 740MHz.. Can you try this Antenna switch with ADS-B if it works decently at 1090 MHz.. (how bad will it be)
Can it be used as a 4 way splitter?
Thanks for an interesting vid mate!
Great video thanks 73 kb2uew
Glad you enjoyed it