RF Splitter/Combiner Comprehensive Test - The Results

In this video, we will be testing a Mini-Circuits RF Splitter / Combiner to see how it performs in various scenarios. We will provide a comprehensive review of its features, functionality, and overall effectiveness in splitting and combining RF signals. Whether you're a DIY enthusiast or a professional looking for the best RF equipment, this video is for you. Stay tuned for an in-depth analysis and demonstration of this RF Splitter / Combiner in action!
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[@davisjohnson3621]

Mini-Circuits Labs components are top of the line, have used them for years in commercial applications. But, you really need to work on dB vs dBm, loss or gain has no fixed reference, it's always in dB not dBm. The insertion loss you were measuring was 4.2dB, no sign, no reference. A -4.2dB insertion loss would be a gain of signal (double negatives). My first mentor at work drilled that into me.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks Davis 👍

[@digitalradiohacker]

It's basically just a low power -3dB splitter. The numbers are a litte off, and this is always the case, even on much larger and more expensive units. -3dB (50%) goes one way, and -3dB (50%) goes the other way with a bit of insertion loss on top. It has a pretty decent 20dB (99%) isolation between the two ports. It's main limitation is the 1W power handling. Generally, the higher power versions are used on distributed antenna systems where a single antenna can't provide coverage throughout a building. Add a splitter like this and you can run a pair of coax cables in opposite directions with an antenna at each end. Usually, a "combiner" is a 2U or 3U rack cabinet with a lot of filtering and active recieve pre-amplifiers to allow a stack of repeaters to be fed from a single antenna.

[@TheSmokinApe]

I'd agree with all of that, thank you for the comment and for watching!

[@bassangler73]

Cool vid! Thanks Ape!

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thanks BA 👍

[@temporarilyoffline]

Interesting, I want to see more

[@TheSmokinApe]

More to come 👍

[@button-puncher]

Their ZFDC directional couplers are also really handy. You can use two to make a wideband SWR meter using two TinySA's. The ZFDC has a low insertion loss. I think less than 0.3dB. You can get models with different tap values but 20 or 30dB are pretty common. They can handle a couple/three watts.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Hey BP. Yeah, these are pretty handy for sure. Thanks for the comment 👍

[@wb7ond]

Using the nanoVNA has one decided advantage, in that you can easily see the frequency response across the specified range... Its mini-circuits, so its usually in spec. Dayton used to have a Mini-Circuits booth where you could pick up quality components at a pretty good price... Thanks for this video, very interesting.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Yeah, the Nano is probably the better tool for the job, I just like showing different ways so folks can use what they have on hand 👍

[@robertmeyer4744]

that is a 50 ohm version of the 75 ohm splitter used on CATV lines. many uses. back in 1980's was using a high power version on CB to co phase 2 antenna's to 1 radio. use 50 ohm coax the outher way was 75 ohm coax. them splitters used inside radios and RF amps so several transistors can be used. splitter/combiner is same thing. direction of RF . that one QRP only. maybe 1 watt at best . 73's

[@TheSmokinApe]

Hey Robert. It's a pretty slick little device...

[@technishn]

Interesting.. That top common port appears to have a big solder land, on the inner, which would act as a capacitor to ground, which may help with the match on the higher frequencies. The split losses you measured, were in the midband frequency range which allows up to 1.4 dB extra loss (above the 3dB split loss). An additional tool is a coupler in your kit, either resistive or transformer type, allows one to sample or insert signals. One can measure your real world sensitivity (due to antenna noise or site noise )

[@TheSmokinApe]

That's a good point about the coupler. I just got this for a specfic test I want to conduct so I really only need to know loss @ 146.520 👍

[@OmarMekkawy]

Thank you for the video. How did you make both the power reading and the frequency bigger on the TinySA like @6:44?

[@TheSmokinApe]

In the menu under DISPLAY I think its called BIG TEXT 👍

[@haxwithaxe]

Inductors shaped like that are usually light green rather than light blue aren't they?

[@TheSmokinApe]

Thant's what I thought

[@KS0JD]

Interesting to see if it consistent across a range of frequencies. 73

[@TheSmokinApe]

Yeah, pretty excited about it 👍

[@dperv27]

How can I contact you? I need some assistance/advice on some LoRa modules.

[@TheSmokinApe]

Sorry man, I’ve never messed with LoRa

[@mikesradiorepair]

Not sure who told you it was a 2GHz to 10GHz device, it's not. It's 10MHz to 2500MHz. 15542 is not the part number. The part number is zfsc-2-2500-4. Honestly if your going to do test like this you should really consider buying some real instruments not hobbyist toys.

[@TheSmokinApe]

First, thanks for watching and for the comment Mike. I do have other test equipment but do videos with stuff that is generally available to more hams and is affordable so they can do the same, not everyone has a full bench and can perform these tests. I prefer to make videos showing how people can explore that part of the hobby without being intimidated at the cost of entry... I think we can both agree that folks testing equipment vs not testing is a good thing, I'm not trying to gatekeep and show off. Thanks for the feedback.

[@mikesradiorepair]

@@TheSmokinApe I see your point. Just so people know that the accuracy of such instruments can be questionable at best.

[@digitalradiohacker]

@@mikesradiorepair In my experience, cheap Chinese tat usually turns out to be dissapointingly accurate. I'll NEVER sell my Anritsu / Marconi gear, and I'm glad I have it for verification, but I also have a TinySA and a NanoVNA. They've turned out to be alright for the price.

[@mikesradiorepair]

@@digitalradiohacker I personally don't own any because I don't need them. I did however get to test close to 2 dozen of them at a presentation I did for a local amateur radio club last year. It was a day long class on the proper use of spectrum analyzers, 2 and 4 port vector network analyzers, splitter/combiners, directional couplers, duplexer types/operation/tuning, circulators and proper coax connector use and maintenance. In addition to hardware for the presentation I brought R&S 4 port VNA, SA, communication test set and power meter with frequency selective sensor head. All are current production models and had been calibrated within the last 3 to 4 months. I had told the attendees to bring whatever they had if they liked to compare them against my lab grade equipment and so I could show them how to properly use them. A lot of them did and it quickly turned into a friendly competition to see who's Chinese VNA was the most accurate. My results showed that none of them were accurate over their full frequency range, some better than others with some of them being rather horrible at the top end. One of the tiny VNA's was off by 3dB at it's upper frequency limit. Really, 3dB error... Inject a 0dBm signal and it read fluttering between -2.9 and 3.0 dBm. That's half the signal that was being applied to it! The takeaway for me was that some were not bad at the frequencies most amateur radio operators work at. Most had poor to horrible accuracy at their upper frequency limit and all of them have a dynamic range that greatly limit their practical use. Used as a quick check or as a antenna analyzer they are probably fine.

[@BusDriverRFI]

Thats a 243 ohm surface mount resistor. The other looks like a 10.5k ohm resistor. Lots of flux left on the board. Poor workmanship. I'm not seeing a tank circuit there. No capacitor.

[@TheSmokinApe]

There's been a decent amount or debate on the through hole component, I guess I need to yank it out an put it on a meter. Thank for watching BD 👍

[@BusDriverRFI]

@@TheSmokinApe what do you think it should be and why?

[@TheSmokinApe]

I expected it to be a 50ohm resistor, that's what I have seen in resistor power splitters in the past. I believe it's used to balance load between the two "output" ports.

[@BusDriverRFI]

@@TheSmokinApe you had a ~20dB of separation between the ports. I wouldn't believe it would be so small of a value connecting those ports.

[@TheSmokinApe]

@@BusDriverRFI I opened it before I did the isolation test, that’s when I expected it to be the 50ohm resistor