RF toolbox | Splitter-8 antenna splitter

Splitter 8 antenna splitter

The RF Toolbox Splitter-8 is an antenna splitter with some basically indispensable extras when it comes to stable and interference-free reception of wireless microphone signals. The Splitter-8 is an addition to existing wireless receiver systems and can therefore be used as an extension to sets of receivers from the well-known brands.

Amplify, attenuate, filter

The Splitter-8 has two inputs and two times eight outputs implemented as BNC. In that sense, it functions as a regular antenna splitter. However, the input card has functions that allow the signal to be optimised. Essential in that process are the gain control, the auto-gain option and the bandpass filter. These allow the antennas' signal to be attenuated and amplified as well as made more selective. Attenuate to avoid intermodulation and bring down the noise floor. Amplify to cover greater distances and obstacles. Selectify to suppress signals from other sources. Known interfering signals for wireless microphone systems are Wi-Fi and 4G networks in the immediate vicinity and the digital video signal DVB-T distributed over the airwaves.

Communication

In addition, the RF-toolbox Splitter-8 provides communication with the RF-toolbox Preamp and also supplies the power supply for this. The RF-toolbox Preamp is an antenna pre-amplifier that can control the level of individual antennas within a system and thus, for example, compensate the cable lengths for each antenna separately. With the RF-toolbox Splitter-8, the level of the antenna signals can be closely monitored and optimally adjusted remotely via the RF-toolbox Preamp. An RF-toolbox Splitter-8 can communicate with up to 32 RF-toolbox Preamps.

The OLED window provides the following information and settings:

• Booster power supply (antenna input): +13V max. 1,200mA power supply for the RF toolbox Preamp (LED indication of available voltage). Real-time indication of power consumption per input. Automatic reset (max. 10x) in case of excessive current draw. Manual reset is possible after fault detection and recovery.
• RF input: Both inputs are equipped with a bandpass filter with a bandwidth of 470 to 694MHz. Digitally and individually controllable attenuators from 0 to -31.5dB (in 0.5dB steps). Signal measurement between -70 and+10dBm, adjustable threshold for the automatic attenuators to reduce intermodulation products.
• RF output: The A-antenna output features the ability to feed e.g. Sennheiser EW receivers via the coax line. It can be enabled per 4 outputs with an adjustable delay.
• Remote control RF-toolbox Preamp: bidirectional data communication via coaxial cable between RF-toolbox XL or RF-toolbox Splitter-8 and RF-toolbox Preamp for setting the gain and status (on/off) of the Preamp. Up to 32 RF-toolbox Preams can be individually controlled using the RF-toolbox Splitter-8 or RF-toolbox XL. Automatic control for connected Preamps.