Firestik AR-1A AM/FM/CB Splitter

The "Match-Maker" is the perfect accessory for people who want to use their standard ground plane dependent Firestik, Firestik II or Firefly CB antenna for CB and AM/FM radio. Unlike the "receive only" antenna that is needed by the AM/FM radio, a CB radio requires an antenna that is resonant (on frequncy) within the CB band. If you only want one antenna, then the only wise and/or safe choice is to use a CB antenna and the Match-Maker CB/AM/FM splitter. Installation is easy too! Simply disconnect the antenna coax from the CB and screw it to the Match-Maker. Then, screw the Match-Makers PL-259 lead to the CB and put the pin-plug into the AM/FM radio's antenna input socket. Both coaxial leads are 18" (46cm)long. The two circuits are seperated with frequency specific filters which allows the CB to be heard and used even while the AM/FM radio is operating. The Match-Maker has seperate tuning pots (adjustable capacitors) for both the CB as well as the AM/FM radio. An adjustment tool and instructions are provided to help the user optimize the performance of both the CB and the AM/FM radio.

Related Information

The AR-1A does not allow you to use your AM/FM antenna for CB. There are some devices on the market that claim you can use your AM/FM antenna for CB operation but be forewarned that your CB performance will be, at best, very poor. Tuners that allow an AM/FM antenna to be used for CB must bleed off considerable amounts of power to prevent the CB's output circuits from being damaged.

The maximum input power rating of the AR-1A is 30 watts.

The adjustment pots on the AR-1A are not a replacement for proper antenna tuning. Inasmuch as the CB requires a tuned antenna, we recommend tuning the antenna to acquire the best SWR match before installing the AR-1A. If necessary, the adjustment pot can be adjusted afterwards. The AR-1A is not meant to compensate for high SWR conditions caused by one or more installation problem.

When connecting the screw-on PL-259 connectors to the AR-1A or the CB radio, do not use tools. Lightly hand tighten only.

When used with a no-ground-plane (NGP) antenna system, performance issues may arise on the AM frequencies.