Testing Chameleon CHA MPAS Military Portable Ham Radio QRP Antenna
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ย. 2024
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I test the Chameleon CHA MPAS Military Portable HF Ham Radio Antenna on a pretty spring day in the park. I use also the ALLPOWERS 60W Foldable Sunpower Solar Panel to keep the portable ham radio power going.
This antenna is designed for portable, on the go.
I show you how to setup the chameleon military antenna using solar power.. It's easy.
It's a great camping antenna, or on the road, or traveling or vacation for an easy to setup ham amateur radio antenna.
You can compare this to the Alpha Military Antenna by using this visual video if you like.
These are rugged, and more importantly, easy to set up. It's a great QRP setup. In fact, it's the best QRP setup you can get in my humble opinion.
Of course it does handle more wattage than QRP. You can sent up to 50 watts CW or 100 Watts Side band.
I'd also consider this the best portable ham radio antenna as well.
CHA MPAS (MODULAR PORTABLE ANTENNA SYSTEM)
For quite awhile now Survival Tech Nord has been talking about radio COMMS and electronics gear from the “LEGO BLOCK” perspective: Well, Chameleon Antenna is proud to offer to the Survival Tech Nord viewers, the MPAS Kit.
About the MPAS
The Modular Portable Antenna System is a concept allowing the radio operator to configure and deploy the antenna system in a variety of configurations. Some of the possible deployment configurations:
• Vertical
• Horizontal
• Sloper
• Inverted “V”
• Inverted “L”
• NVIS
• Balcony
• Vehicle (Stationary)
• Man-Pack
Specifications:
1 X CHA MIL
1 X CHA HYBRID-MICRO
1 X CHA JAWMOUNT
From the ARRL web site:
Choosing an Antenna
A major failing of both experienced and novice QRPers is the antenna system. Unfortunately, most hams think low power equates with poor antennas. Many QRP operators seem to delight in using their rig with a 50-foot piece of wire thrown out the nearest window.
The basic rule of QRP antennas is that nothing beats a beam; and nothing beats a beam on a tall tower. Put up the best beam/tower combination you can afford. A good 3-element beam and 40foot tower will put you on a more-than-equal footing with those running 200 W to a vertical.
A good full-size dipole is the next best choice. On 20, 15 and 10 meters, a high dipole exhibits directivity, so place it broad-side to the desired direction of radiation.
Related to the dipole, and almost as easy to construct, is the single-quad loop. This antenna is more directive, has wide bandwidth and can exhibit up to 2-dB gain over a dipole.
Congrats on you MPAS set-up. I've recently bought the same, but added the MIL Whip extension and the capacity hat. This makes an 18' vertical. I've mounted it on a tripod, on the roof rail of my Land Rover. Results have been fabulous. Have worked QRP into US, Canada, Australia, the Middle East and right across Europe from the UK with the system. Keep up the good work; I enjoy your videos. 73s.
Thanks a lot...yah, I think this Chameleon is kind of a hidden gem. There are so many configurations with it it will take a lot of testing to fully understand it. Make a video of your setup and I would love to see it. 73
AnythingWithWheels I will. the build quality is exceptional. I worked mobile on the North Yorkshire moors last weekend with the 18 foot whip mounted on the roof rails. Wind speed was about 40 knots and it stood up just fine. I did record it. Will post it when get home from work. Thanks for your response.
I'll definitely do that. I was working 'static' mobile (portable, really) from t he North Yorkshire moors. The wind was getting 30-40 knots but the MPAS/whips stood up to it nicely. I recorded a short clip. I'll upload it when I get home from work. You can see a still here: www.qrz.com/db/M6VIE
Awesome Pics!!! I LOVE portable. I bet there was no "noise" out there.
AnythingWithWheels the noise floor was zero! it was a joy. Those pics are just from my iPad. I shot some proper ones on my camera which upload when I get time.
hey sir, wish you would have read the manual for this first. that bracket you are using is the optional Dipole bracket for use with two mil whips. the wire you are calling the counterpoise is actually designed to be the other driven element. when using the vertical mil whip, you can use it as a counter poise, but you would normally screw the hybrid micro directly to the jaw mount.
Nosey guy walks around to your car to see what you are doing with the only car in the lot in the middle of nowhere. Welcome to my world. Glad to have you aboard.
Ha! Yep, you get it.
I was being half sarcastic. But mostly serious. This happens to me all the time as a black man. I go somewhere sit in a park or walk through a parking lot and here are several curious white people that all of a sudden take and interest in me. I have just come to accept it as a fact of life. I just deal with is and expect it and move on.
I'm the same way, I find what I think is a remote area and someone always is around being nosy, they always find you! Same as in restaurants, you get a table away from everyone then they seat new people coming in right around you. But I digress, good video and will be looking to emulate your set up. Good stuff!
Thanks! I am always doing things that "seem" weird like this, and I am always getting stared at. People think you are doing something terrorist or something because most people don't understand anything out of the ordinary. It's kind of hard to find a good spot to, 1. has a table. 2. isn't around anyone else. I want to keep making videos like this, I am going to try to find different spots each time. This entire weekend has been a torrential rain washout in my area so I couldnt get out. Good luck on your setup and if you make a video I will certainly watch.
I am very interested in portable operations. I want to do some biking/hiking/camping type portable ops. But I need to get the weight down first. I will be documenting that journey here on mychannel. Thanks for watching.
Great video, and killer set up! Chameleon antennas are outstanding! I wish I had bought an FT-897D when they were available. Subscribed!
Hey there WJ6F, thanks for the nice comment. Yeah this is an older video now I have since made many more. That park I was in is now complete soccer fields. I did have fun that day though.
He is loud but his hum is superb…
I just noticed that your counterpoise wasn't grounded properly to the jawmount. You need to remove the white washer under the PL-259 stud and make sure you've a nice conductivity between the MICRO 3/8-stud ground screw and the jawmount.
I was actually a little concerned about that. I was wondering if the counterpoise needed to be under the Base part...It still tuned up very well as it is. I will try that, thank you!
Thanks for your efforts. I really enjoy your videos and I'm getting a lot of good ideas on how to better use my brand spanking new IC-7300. Yes, lightning is no joke...stay safe. Take care.....
Last I checked 14.143 would be out of band for US amateurs on 20M ssb.
raccoonnyc .....I noticed that,too.The U.S.Phone spectrum begins at 14.150 for 20 meters.
I have similar setup , my antenna is PAC-12 from AliExpress , have 12 wire ground adapter plate and antenna base has a ground spike, radio is a DIY TruSDX , Modded DIY ATU100 if i wanna work 80m but antenna will tune from 40m upwards by adjusting telescopic rod/ moving coil connection or removing sections , i plan on adding another coil and larger 5m telescopic section for 160m.
I lone to see peoples set up experiments. Good job Dude.
Thanks, that video was so long ago that that area I was in doesn't exist anymore. It's not 100% soccer fields.
Congrats on your Chameleon antenna, many good things to say about them. Their gear is Mil-Spec rated which I like. Noticed your solar panel setup and battery. I have my own business and if you need anything like that, just let me know. I sell Goal Zero (pricey, but good stuff) and I can help you out cost wise. Just got my vanity callsign this weekend, W7DAZ. I'll be installing a conduit box this week and getting the coax ran into the office. Ordering the IC-7300 probably next week and I should be on the HF airwaves once it arrives.
Derek Baker all of that is awesome. I love the 7300 I don't want to carry it in my car I'm afraid I'll damage it... that's how much I like it. make videos of your setup and gear and solar stufd and i watch them
The bands are dead!! I've people running 500 W SSB and they can't even hear each other:
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I think you are right... Will keep trying though!
There is a QRP contest this Saturday, I will probably make it out and make another video.
Alien Ant Farm opening tune, nice. I really like your channel. I also like this stealth antenna, getting ideas for the summer.
Take a small 3-4' ladder for such occasions. That will help you reach the top of the metal sign post. Or carry a "painter pole" that extends to get you up in the air. It will also help absorb a few feet of that mile long radial. Lol
Yup
you are using the 73 ft antenna wire. the counterpoise is much shorter, read the manual, good antenna but rtfm
If your battery says that it has a 7 amp capacity, and if it provides 12 volts (in a round number) that is 7 x12 = 84 watts of input, so while you could run more than this for short periods of time, setting the rig for about 40 watts output should last a while. And provide a nice run-on sentence. Congrats on all your videos.Tim K0PG
A good video demonstrating setup and configuration of the antenna. Although a single contact on 20 meters with someone two miles away is not much of a review of the antenna's capability. Almost a negative endorsement, which may not be fair. Love your power package. I'm assembling a LiPo kit very similar, but hadn't given much thought to the solar power aspect. Thanks for the video!
Well,... it *is* fair... I have done calculations (and fieldstrength-tests) of such antennas. While I would not go so far saying that this type of antennas is completely useless, such antennas performance-wise are so handicapped (and the commercially available solutions are totally overpriced, too), that I would avoid them by all means.
If you want something similar with (much!) better performance: Use a "upper'n'outer" on a cheap "squidpole". And avoid placing the radial directly on the ground. Put the radial *at* *least* 0,5m up.
I like watching your videos
sana yag thanks I appreciate the c9mment. I will be making a lot more
I am here to thank you for your work
So the antenna as you know wasn't put up correctly. The wire element 100' would be used in a different configuration not with the whip. Also probably would have wanted to use the mil whip extension. The setup is faster than a packtenna or other end fed if put up correctly..and you don't need trees and rope etc. Should be 25'-30- radial for the base not 100'.
I just looked closely at you installation and in order to have the counterpoise connected to your CHA-MICRO, you need to remove the white washer between the HEX nut and the JAWMOUNT!
Probably true, very old video.
Better bring a copy of the bandplan with you next time. Hams in the US are not allowed to operate phone(SSB) below 14.150 on 20M.
good catch thats probably why he wasn't getting any responses......
@@SkillfulHacking he was so excited, he totally missed that at first. Gotta love it when someone loves portable.
need more videos to watch 😀 keep them coming.lol
Nicely done! Love Chameleon! sub'd
You can find something like this on the Avasva page. Full step-by-step instructions right on your desk.
Put the Battry in a Drawer for easy carrying
Thank you for the video. Have you considered elevating your counterpoise?
Drill a hole in the tool and attach an orange tag so that you can find your tool
Enjoyed this video
tye a bootlace the same colour as the paint on the tool so that you can find it
Have you got a bike mobile rig setup?
I did 1 video where I rode my bike and did a QRP contact. th-cam.com/users/edit?o=U&video_id=2TCAgH8lKGg
That was almost a year ago, what's your take on chameleon antennae now? I just sold mine, always found it deaf and not radiating much compared to a smaller resonant antenna that I have. Just wondering if you're still using it?
Jonathan Adam I have set this antenna aside as I found a long wire (packtenna) is easier to setup and works very well. I am about to test this Chameleon again soon however.
These antennas are dummy-loads compared to nearly every other solution. The reason is the matching-unit in the base and the radiator being by far to short for most bands. Such antennas none-the-less have their usage as rapid-deployment-antenna, though... and you of course will make contacts with it. So, manly it all depends on your needs and expectations.
DO I NEED AN ANTENNA TUNER FOR 11 METERS, 27 MHZ ?
Looking at another antenna, but my question is on the radial wire... Why just one; and why is it so long? Is this a band thing? I am new to this non-G5RV antenna communication. Also, what is the part number on your radial? I was looking at the MFJ-1932 with a 20M whip. But I have no brain science. Any suggestions? 73s KJ4MFW
Scott Anderson good questions I don't know really
Say...just listen n drop u r call sign ... U only ask on a repeater ... that's if u want. Just listen n call. There you go.
Why the NASA sticker? 73s
Nice video, well done. What's the 26.2 sticker?
73 de Jim ZS6JMB, Johannesburg, South Africa
There's a thing here where people that have run marathons (26.2) put the sticker on the car. It's a fun way to let other people that are into running know what you've done.
Ah ok... longest I ever did has a half, 21.2km but that was 20y ago. Now I'm into parkruns, although I walk. I did my 92nd yesterday, so almost at my 100th free t-shirt. www.parkrun.com/
Hey, you were thin ! 😜
Yeah as you go back in time I get thinner
What’s the name of the battery ?
Stealth Cam 12V Battery Box = Amazon
How does it perform against the Super Antenna?
Mikemix I'd say it's beter. it's simply bigger longer. the chameleon has many many configurations. Checkout my other videos as I prefer the Packtenna
AnythingWithWheels is this the antenna you're using at home? I have a pretty small area in my backyard. What would you choose for the best DX ?
Mikemix I actually don't operate at home much as you see in my videos. I prefer long wires for good conatacts. inverted vee is my favorite but that Packtenna is real easy to setup. I don't get much dx I'm just happy to make any contacts
Nice setup.... last thing I'd think if I saw a white guy driving a Honda doing something would be terrorism but I'd be nosey. Hey you're doing something outta the norm out in public, my curiosity have to be fed....
gmctech I hear what you are saying but I've had many suspicious episodes my whole life. Long story
More weirdos walking by. Lol.