question 2 antennas

[vonsmalhausen]

hy, is there a way to connect 2 antennas to 1 RB box ?
i ask this 'cause for the moment i have to choose between placing my aerial facing north, ore south, resulting in complete different coverage.
if there would be a way to conect a second antenna to my RB, this would help me a lot.

[Fenris]

hy, is there a way to connect 2 antennas to 1 RB box ?
i ask this 'cause for the moment i have to choose between placing my aerial facing north, ore south, resulting in complete different coverage.
if there would be a way to conect a second antenna to my RB, this would help me a lot.

Unless the two antennas have perfect hemispherical patterns, however you combined them together you would get cancellation between signals received on both simultaneously at certain positions. I suspect you would lose more than you gain this way.

[vonsmalhausen]

thanks for this very quick answer :)
well, looks like i'll have to make the best of it as it is, till i'll install a external antenna

[CoastGuardJon]

hy, is there a way to connect 2 antennas to 1 RB box ?
i ask this 'cause for the moment i have to choose between placing my aerial facing north, ore south, resulting in complete different coverage.
if there would be a way to conect a second antenna to my RB, this would help me a lot.

Unless the two antennas have perfect hemispherical patterns, however you combined them together you would get cancellation between signals received on both simultaneously at certain positions. I suspect you would lose more than you gain this way.

If you've got 2 antennas available (I wouldn't buy another just to try it!), it's got to be worth trying a T-piece adapter - suck it and see! - and see what shows on the polar diagram, provided they're more than the wavelength apart (27/28mm), you may be able to avoid the out of phase signal cancellation effect.   Just for the fun of it tonight, I tried using a Cadbury Roses tin lid as the ground plane for the standard twig, instead of the CD size one provided - did it make any difference, no, but it's fun trying.    Sometimes a bit of experimentation can pay dividends and contradict the laws of physics.........let us know what you find out.

Afterthought, Watson are introducing some co-axial splitter switch boxes, with 2, 3 or 4 connections - no idea of how much they will be though, in-line BNC or N-type connectors would enable quick and easy connect/disconnect with a patch lead going to an SMA plug for the RB, without putting unnecessary strain on the RB ae socket.

[bratters]

I've had a crack at this but the results were not up to much. I certainly got better reception from the "blind" side of my house (north) with the second aerial but there was a reduction in the overall number of signals. ie a loss of some signals from the south.
As south for me is where most of the action happens and north is to a large degree limited by the peak district and the Penines, I have shelved the project. A roof aerial is the answer - soon I hope.

One new trick I tried is mounting the RB aerial on the outside of my double-glazed upstairs windows. This really increases signals and is simply achieved by sticking a twin suction cup soap dish on to the glass pane as high as possible. (99p from Ebay).
I take the aerial in when it rains but otherwise it works a treat.

[Fenris]

I take the aerial in when it rains but otherwise it works a treat.

A clear plastic bag over the whole assembly should avoid any problems from rain.

[vonsmalhausen]

many thanks for all these answers to my question :)