Using A "Combiner" For A SDR

Hi,

Just an elderly sw listener from the old days.
Not very sharp with antenna theory, frankly.

Anyway, would be most grateful for any thoughts on the following, please:

Have 2 scanners working off of a single Scantenna antenna.
I now switch the Scanners via a good quality pushbutton switch which
supposedly is suited for the vhf/uhf range.
Seems to work fine.

Also have a hardware hf receiver, with its own antenna.

Thinking of getting a new "toy," perhaps a WinRadio SDR receiver.

Here's where the fun starts:

It only has a single antenna input, even though it has vhf/uhf capabilities.

They want you, apparently, to buy one of their Combiners for $ 200.
Ugh.

Take a look at: http://www.winradio.com/home/acd-1800.htm

Question 1:
Anything "better," or cheaper ?

I guess I will be forced to set up some kind of switch matrix, even if I do
use their Combiner.

Question 2:
But, the following problem arises, no matter how I do it.

The HF input, as well as the UHF/VHF input will at all times be "seeing" the
turned off hardware HF receiver (when using the SDR PC receiver) as well as
the turned off hardware scanner input (when using the SDR PC receiver)

In other words, each input to the combiner would be fed by a "T" where the
run to the hardware HF Receiver is tapped off to the Combiner. And the run
to the hardware Scanner is also tapped off via a "T" to the vhf/uhf input
of the Combiner.

From looking at the link above for the Combiner, and its specs, do you think
there will be any "meaningful" loss at the SDR PC receiver if I use it, and
it sees these not-in-use inputs also ?

And the other way around, I guess. If I am not using the PC SDR, will my
regular Scanner or hardware HF receiver suffer any from having the Combiner
in place ?

Tried to explain this as clearly as I could, but if confusing, will try
harder if you ask for any clarifications.

Any other way(s) of doing all of this, that would be too complicated or
expensive, perhaps ?

Thanks,
Bob


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