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Reviews For: Stridsberg MCA204M MultiCoupler

Category: Receive Accessories

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Review Summary For : Stridsberg MCA204M MultiCoupler
Reviews: 6MSRP: 185
Description:
MCA204M is an active multicoupler designed to distribute VHF/UHF antenna signals to four receivers without loss and with high isolation between ports. It is specifically suited for signal intercept stations, both fixed or mobile platforms. It can be used in any VHF/UHF monitoring post using receivers, scanners or spectrum analyzers. The MCA204M has a mechanical and electrical design construction that will meet any government, military or commercial specification. This unit is designed to give high performance results in any radio monitoring post using multiple intercept receivers. Rugged die-cast aluminum enclosure with a black powder coat finish is standard, olive-drab green (MIl-841OD) is also available on request.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.stridsberg.com/prod01.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0065
N1BEC Rating: 2021-03-21
Great performer and built like a brick outhouse! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bottom line: No reservations on owning or using this model multicoupler!
Great performer and built like a brick outhouse…

I had an opportunity recently to put a couple of Stridsberg model MCA204M VHF/UHF 4 port receiver multicouplers through their paces.
Build quality is great! Nice, heavy duty cast Aluminum case.
What I found was that both units performed very well from the rated 25 MHz to somewhere North of 800 MHz, and then the performance slowly but definitely rolled off.
Port outputs were absolutely flat between each other!
I would highly recommend getting 50 Ohm terminations for any unused ports.
All of my testing was done with an AR-5000 receiver, and a HP 8656B signal generator, with the entire cable set being zeroed out to 12 dB quieting on the receiver at each frequency for a reference level (receiver at 15 kc BW FM, sig generator 1000 Hz tone at 3.0 kc deviation), and unused ports terminated in proper 50 Ohm loads.

Here’s Stridsberg’s specs:

Frequency Range: 25 MHz to 1 GHz 4-Ports
Nominal Impedance: 50 ohm
Port-To-Port isolation (min): 22 dB
Return Loss (all ports): > 20 dB
P1dB = 17 dBm (output) 3OIP = 32 dBm (output
Coupler Gain/Loss: +2 dB to -1 dB (max) over frequency range
RF Connectors: BNC (standard)
Mechanical: 4.375 X 2.375 X 1.250 inches (L.W.H)
Case: Die cast Aluminum, Black powder coating (standard)
DC Power Connector: 2.1/5.5mm coaxial (standard)
DC Power Requirements: +12VDC (nominal) @ 85 ma.

Here’s how the two units performed for me:

(S/N 115150US)

Frequency Gain or Loss
25 MHz +0.8 dB
50 +0.8
101 -1.5
201 -1.7
301 -0.2
401 -0.2
495 -0.5
601 -2.1
701 -0.9
801 0.0
901 -1.8
990 MHz -2.4 dB


(No S/N:)

Frequency Gain or Loss
25 MHz +1.1 db
50 +0.6
101 +1.6
201 +0.5
301 +1.1
401 +0.9
501 +0.4
601 +0.4
701 -0.2
801 -0.2
901 -1.7
990 MHz -2.8 dB

Enjoy!


-Tom Herman, PhD., CETma, RGA, AJP N1BEC/7
KC7YRA Rating: 2021-01-14
Absolutely worth the price if you have multiple scanners Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I run multiple scanners off of a single antenna. It is impractical/impossible for me to erect enough efficient antennas for the number of scanners I'm running. I had been using TV signal splitters since they are cheap and I wasn't too concerned about signal loss.

I then started to branch out my receiving and found that I wanted to wring every last dB out of my equipment. Enter the Stridsberg unit. Well made, okay price, comes ready to go out of the box with a power supply. I hooked it up and WOW! Towers I had been receiving at -80 to -100dBm with my previous setup are now -40/-50 dBm. Same antenna, same scanners, only difference is the multicoupler.

If you have a lot of receivers but only one antenna, this will open a whole new world to your scanning.
ZL3XD Rating: 2018-12-05
Expensive, but well worth buying!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having mucked around with various F-type TV splitters over the years, with my 4 scanners, I figured it was time to get something decent to interface them to my one antenna.
I'd had really bad experiences with buying stuff from overseas and getting it shipped to New Zealand, but I bit the bullet and ordered one of these units, the guy from Stridsberg contacted me and assured me it would be at my house within a week.
6 days later, it arrived, I screwed it to the wall in my shack and hooked it up......
I was floored, to think that I had been suffering with such poor RF levels to the 4 scanners for so long.
Personally, I fully recommend these multi-couplers, they are the ONLY way to go if you have multiple receivers that need to run off one antenna.
Sure they are pricey, but you only have to buy something like this once and they are well worth the investment.
K1ERP Rating: 2017-01-16
Five Stars! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Well built, provides lots of port to port isolation & enough amplification to overcome coax loss. I've had mine for about 15 years & its been back to them twice. One was a close in lightning strike, the other time I was running 1500 watts of AM on 75 meters. My scanner antenna is only about 20 feet away from the dipole. Both times the unit was repaired no charge. The last time I asked that it be returned to me via USPS Priority Mail & enclosed a check to cover shipping. I had it back from them in 3 days AND they returned my check to me! These guys REALLY stand behind what they sell!
TURBO68 Rating: 2012-11-10
Excellent Product Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I been using 2 of the Stridsberg-204M active multicoplers for a long time have also connected up to 8 receivers with no loss of signal there not cheap but you get what you pay for in this hobby plenty people buy tv couplers to use with there radios but i have compared 4 different brands and you do get a lots of signal loss and hiss which is annoying well done stridsberg..
N5TWB Rating: 2012-11-09
A solid performer! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'd had the unit for a while but had not been able to place it in my SUV. I was blown away by how well it improved the signals into my BCD996T and RS Pro95. The signal bars on the Uniden jumped from 1 to 4 at a range of at least 15 miles from the TRS site. Users, especially mobile, of multiple receivers/scanners will get their money's worth with this solid performer. It certainly reduced my frustration of losing signals in hilly areas that are some distance from the main site.