Batboard

I have a Stridsberg antenna multicoupler....

http://www.stridsberg.com/mca804.htm

....that fried on me.....this of course meant I lost all reception on my 4 mobile radios.....ugh, while working no less.

Fortunately, they have a 3 year warranty, so I am sending the unit in. I am in the process of installing 3 Astro Spectra 15 watt mobiles in my vehicle, which will be programmed on an auto affiliating SmartZone system. I was going to have to drill a few new holes in my roof for dedicated antennas for each one, so they can blast their stupid affiliating burst at the towers. Stridsberg tells me that they can harden the MCA804 to some extent, to handle this affiliation burst, so that it will not pass through the multicoupler into my scanners and fry them.

My question is, if I can program the SmartZone system at the low power setting, what will the output wattage be? I need this information so I can pass it on to the techs at Stridsberg, so they can tell me if they can modify the unit to handle the specific power levels involved.

On a side note, if they cannot modify the multicoupler, what would happen during affiliation if I ran three Astro Spectras off the same antenna, with simple splitters and cables? Would the transmissions (simple affiliation bursts) from one of them hurt the other Motorolas, or would they shake it off??????

Thanks!

Paul

This equipment malfunction gave me a chance to re-evaluate my options......I already have the NMO mounts ready to go, just waiting to drill or split pending the programming of my radios.

Paul

Hint: On multiple message boards most are saying the same thing all the time... Might want to heed the advice of everyone instead of trying to make something that really is suboptimal that you know is suboptimal but trying to keep it working.

Just a little friendly advice

@Josh: Nice.

Set the low power to 3 watts. When the radio tries to affiliate it usually uses the low power setting.

Anderegg wrote:..I already have the NMO mounts ready to go, just waiting to drill or split pending the programming of my radios..

Didn't you say something in the other thread about your radios being officially programmed by RCS to affiliate and them not taking too kindly to the end users fiddling with the programming? I think that would be a pretty clear-cut case of take what you've got and just drill the holes.

BTW, those Stridsberg multicouplers are crap. They have internal preamps whose gain is cranked up way higher than they need to be, and no internal adjustment point.

Are you authorized on the TRS system?. Have the system admin do the programming. Please be careful!!