TV/FM antenna splitter

[adammthompson]

I want to use the same antenna (in my attic) for TV and FM. I know the standard way to do it is with a splitter. But given that I'm never going to want to watch TV and listen to the radio at the same time, wouldn't a switch make more sense? It wouldn't have the 3.5 dB dropoff. There are coaxial switches for TV, but they all have 2 ins and one out. There are ham radio switches with one in and 2 outs, but they're much more expensive than the TV switches. Can I use one of the TV switches backwards (i.e., connect the antenna to the out, connect the TV to one of the ins, and connect the FM receiver to the other in)?

 

[razel]

It's been ages since I used a TV/FM splitter. I wouldn't worry too much about singal loss these days ever since we went HD. HD is mostly in UHF (channels 14+) while FM is somewhere in channel 6.

 

[mdram]

[QUOTE="razel, post: 39242434, member: 87945" HD is mostly in UHF (channels 14+).[/QUOTE]

repack could change this a bit

 

[NutBucket]

unless you're really in a fringe area, 3.5dB isn't anything to worry about. Yes, I know it's half the power but usually there's plenty of signal.

 

[adammthompson]

I live in Southern Oregon. The whole southern half of the state is pretty much a fringe area. The channel that I care most about is VHF (RF channel 12).