Radio mics and RF distribution amps

[bruce]

There seems to have been a number of threads on radio mics today. I thought I'd start another one, rather than hijack someone elses...

 

I'm thinking about racking up half a dozen radio mic receivers. At present, all have separate quarter-wave antennae, separate PSUs, and look untidy. I'll need some sort of RF distribution amp. This would also allow me to have a single antenna near the stage, with a single coax run back to the mixer.

 

Now, I know you can get RF DAs which are specifically designed for radio mics, but....

 

VHF radio mics operate above FM radio frequencies but below TV. UHF mics (ch 69) sit at the top of the TV frequencies. So I'd guess that a DA which is designed to handle TV and FM radio would also handle most radio mic frequencies?

 

Has anyone tried using a TV/FM DA to drive radio mics? Either the domestic type or the "commercial" ones used for blocks of flats etc?

 

Bruce.

[Jivemaster]

I used an Antiference domestic antenna amp to get better range with dereg VHF mic, Used a simple dipole cut down from a broadcast band one by Antiference.

 

Only prob was getting the odd cables TV coax to P259 in my case.

[Lamplighter]

I used an Antiference domestic antenna amp to get better range with dereg VHF mic, Used a simple dipole cut down from a broadcast band one by Antiference.

 

Only prob was getting the odd cables TV coax to P259 in my case.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The problem with all of the simple preamp solutions is that they are wide open to all the other users of that part of spectrum. They can also increase the interaction between your own transmitters unless very carefully used. I have an 8 pole filter in front of the preamp for each aerial and the low noise preamps are designed to handle up to -20dBm before intermodulation becomes a serious issue. Even then a taxi outside the venue might still be a problem on the VHF channels.

 

Brian