This seems similar in concept to ham sticks. Admittedly I'm a wire antenna guy. Just this past weekend I strung up 1/2 wave dipole for 80 meters inside my attic. Of course my house isn't a mansion, so had to run in a zig-zag. It worked well enough for a Winmor connection to an RMS station 200 miles away. Next project for me is NVIS. Keep these videos coming. Thanks
Looks good, Hank! I've been playing with the Alpha EZMilitary whip and haven't been all that impressed so far; but the band conditions weren't all that good. Maybe I'll get to play with it more this weekend.
+Richard Slusher I typically don't use whips because of their low take-off angle. As you know I am a data guy and work stations that are closer in vice DX. This said, the whip can be tipped to create a NVIS effect (I have not done this yet). All of this said, I am extremely impressed with the construction quality of all the Chameleon products! Far batter than any Amateur products commanding similar prices.
Outstanding Hank! I was wondering if you knew about the LDG z817 tuner? That tuner would make your life much simpler and reduce your equipment weight/size. As always, another amazing video. I'll get back to a HF soon :) Thanks for sharing
+Commsprepper I have to agree with you on this one. My Z817 just crapped out on me. I picked up the same MFJ "qrp tuner" (though I believe it can take up to 125 watts) solely for that reason. They both will tune, but in a more "emergency" scenario one would be able to troubleshoot and/or salvage for parts!
It's about 2.5 or 3 years or so. It had been sitting in a box for over a year. I don't have the transaction receipt otherwise i'd attempt to send it back. All in all, it's a tad over 100 bucks, which isn't too bad.
+Logic Bob what does a subway sandwich have to do with......im guessing subscribers as its the only thing close to 10k i see any where on this entire page as i have searched it from top to bottom but still dont get it. please elaborate
On a side note, I still don't get the whole "bug-out-bag" concept. Are they expecting someone to come after them so they have to flee and hide? If there is some area-wide threat, do you really want to be on the rode stuck in bumper to bumper traffic all day long? I'm from the Gulf Coast area and normally I stay put when a hurricane is coming, but one time I decided to use the opportunity to take a vacation instead of enduring the usual week long power outage afterwards. Even though I got an early start, and they made both sides of the Interstate one-way outbound, it still took several hours of bumper to bumper to travel only some 100 miles where I stopped to grab some fast food, and of course every place was overflowing with fellow travelers. Then I got on I-20 West and spent another several hours in even more bumper to bumper traffic. A normal 4-5 hour trip to Dallas turned into an all day traffic jam. You haven't lived until you've spent an entire day behind the wheel with your foot on the brake.
To bugout or bugin - the million dollar prepper questions that can't be answered. I can say I have four routes to our retreat printed in each car that do not include any interstates. This said, I sleep better knowing that I have some comms equipment I can grab and take with me.
Yeah, I suppose it depends on where you live and where you want to go. Ideally, living by the coast and having your own boat would make for a fast getaway from whatever. It would certainly beat sitting in traffic all day long.
Question. I recently purchased the Chameleon Loop antenna. I am new to amateur radio. Could you please explain the differences between the two models? Is one better than the other for certain applications? My gut interpretation says the Whip HF might be a better choice as an antennae mounted to a mobile vehicle? Is that the advantage? Second question, is there a distance advantage for one over the other?
Thanks for the video ! I use the Emtech ZM-2 tuner which is tiny with an 80m doublet fed with ladder line. The tuner is touchy compared to my Dentron but for its size is worth checking out. I tested my MP-1 whip from www.newsuperantenna .com which works great without a tuner ( sliding coil). Im glad you found your interference from your inverter !
+SurvivalComms I'm glad I found the inverter issue but not happy that I have an inverter issue. That presents a new retreat challenge. Power vs. comms. I would prefer to have both.
You may try to shield it and see if it helps. Try tying your inverter chassis to ground if you haven't done so already. Another test would be to light up your inverter with it disconnected from your AC wiring indoors and see if it attenuates the QRM. If that is the case you may need to run your wiring through shielded conduit . Interference sucks for certain and can be caused by so many things. Be happy no one has an electric fence close to you - that can really give you kittens.
I'm torn between ordering one of these or sticking with my superantennas MP-1 for when I get my gear sent to me in iraq... I just see this being more convenient since I won't have to leave my CHU and manual tune the antenna whenever I change bands.
+Commsprepper I'm aware, but I'm referring to the mp-1 being a manually tuned screwdriver antenna so I'd have to pull it down and adjust it for every band change versus using my tuner with an antenna such as this.
+SuperGreatObserver still in a holding pattern since I've yet to get ahold of anyone to get my reciprocal license. I've actually been thinking about just going with the MFJ1979 telescopic whip and using the mount from my MP-1 and the coil for the lower bands.
Can you do some performance testing on 80m? I would love to have a good portable antenna, but I need to be able to operate on 40 and 80m. Thanks for another excellent video.
+Gene B Depending on the band conditions, the CHA MIL whip will probably be too short to be efficient on 80M. So you'll probably going to need to use the HYBRID-MICRO 60' long wire that comes with the MICRO. The MIL is faster but the 60' long wire will always be more efficient but longer to install.
+Navyguy0023 My plan is to complete the solar power grounding project but I don't think it will do much. Consumer grade inverters make noise. I suspect I will have to turn off the inverter when running HF ops.
The April 2016 edition of ARRL's QST Magazine had an ... extensive... article on Solar Power vs Comms. You may find some pointers there, though by now I suspect you've already addressed the issue. PS: Love your channel and I've picked up a lot of awesome tips and tricks. 73 K5GBX
This seems similar in concept to ham sticks. Admittedly I'm a wire antenna guy. Just this past weekend I strung up 1/2 wave dipole for 80 meters inside my attic. Of course my house isn't a mansion, so had to run in a zig-zag. It worked well enough for a Winmor connection to an RMS station 200 miles away.
Next project for me is NVIS. Keep these videos coming.
Thanks
Great stuff Sir! Lord willing I'm planning to finally take my Technicians exam on the 11th. About 40 years later than I should have!
Did you take the test?
Great Video. I really like the simple tech approach you take and the level of detail is perfect in your discussions. Keep up the great videos.
Looks good, Hank! I've been playing with the Alpha EZMilitary whip and haven't been all that impressed so far; but the band conditions weren't all that good. Maybe I'll get to play with it more this weekend.
+Richard Slusher I typically don't use whips because of their low take-off angle. As you know I am a data guy and work stations that are closer in vice DX. This said, the whip can be tipped to create a NVIS effect (I have not done this yet). All of this said, I am extremely impressed with the construction quality of all the Chameleon products! Far batter than any Amateur products commanding similar prices.
Yeah, I've got the NVIS add-on for my EZMilitary whip. I just need some decent band conditions when I able to be on the air. :)
Informational, to the point and enjoyable as always. Great video!
Glad you liked it.
Outstanding Hank!
I was wondering if you knew about the LDG z817 tuner? That tuner would make your life much simpler and reduce your equipment weight/size.
As always, another amazing video. I'll get back to a HF soon :)
Thanks for sharing
+SurvivalTech Nord I do know about the LDG product line but prefer the old-school manual method. Less moving parts and things to go wrong.
Commsprepper great point!
+Commsprepper I have to agree with you on this one. My Z817 just crapped out on me. I picked up the same MFJ "qrp tuner" (though I believe it can take up to 125 watts) solely for that reason. They both will tune, but in a more "emergency" scenario one would be able to troubleshoot and/or salvage for parts!
Radninja88 how old was it and what was the problem with it? Usually they only crap out of you put too much RF through them.
It's about 2.5 or 3 years or so. It had been sitting in a box for over a year. I don't have the transaction receipt otherwise i'd attempt to send it back. All in all, it's a tad over 100 bucks, which isn't too bad.
I love Chameleon! Well done Commsprepper!
Thanks.
Two subs away from 10k! Congrats man! I really enjoy your videos!
+Logic Bob At 10K today! Time for a contest or give-away. I will have to think of something to do.
two subs?
ww5rm Meatball, tuna, ham and cheese, etc
+Logic Bob what does a subway sandwich have to do with......im guessing subscribers as its the only thing close to 10k i see any where on this entire page as i have searched it from top to bottom but still dont get it. please elaborate
Quick note.... would be nice to view which Band your on... The frequency in the display on the Yeasu is unreadable....
Hey I use the at-271 with my Chameleon as well. The 12 foot length is ideal but the Chameleon is more rugged
Very interesting antenna!
Those's whips can be found on ebay,prob prc-8,9,10 on 20-50mhz
+rpcomms1 Yes, I think I found mine on eBay.
Dean Foods milk crate lol, Mayfield or Pet ??? Good video, keep 'em coming. Lots of good ideas from your channel.
Thanks. Not sure where the crate came from. I got it at a yard sale.
On a side note, I still don't get the whole "bug-out-bag" concept. Are they expecting someone to come after them so they have to flee and hide?
If there is some area-wide threat, do you really want to be on the rode stuck in bumper to bumper traffic all day long? I'm from the Gulf Coast area and normally I stay put when a hurricane is coming, but one time I decided to use the opportunity to take a vacation instead of enduring the usual week long power outage afterwards.
Even though I got an early start, and they made both sides of the Interstate one-way outbound, it still took several hours of bumper to bumper to travel only some 100 miles where I stopped to grab some fast food, and of course every place was overflowing with fellow travelers. Then I got on I-20 West and spent another several hours in even more bumper to bumper traffic. A normal 4-5 hour trip to Dallas turned into an all day traffic jam. You haven't lived until you've spent an entire day behind the wheel with your foot on the brake.
To bugout or bugin - the million dollar prepper questions that can't be answered. I can say I have four routes to our retreat printed in each car that do not include any interstates. This said, I sleep better knowing that I have some comms equipment I can grab and take with me.
Yeah, I suppose it depends on where you live and where you want to go. Ideally, living by the coast and having your own boat would make for a fast getaway from whatever.
It would certainly beat sitting in traffic all day long.
Just in case your looking for a small tuner that will fit in your AMP3 bag try Elecraft T1.
+AZ PREPPER412 Thanks but I like manual tuners. Less power and things to go wrong.
So the whip is rated at 1500 watts however the Hybrid base is only rated at 100 Watts SSB Correct?
Thank you
Where can I buy one of those "Property of Dean Foods" milk crates ?
Yard sale. Is Dean Foods something special?
Question. I recently purchased the Chameleon Loop antenna. I am new to amateur radio. Could you please explain the differences between the two models? Is one better than the other for certain applications? My gut interpretation says the Whip HF might be a better choice as an antennae mounted to a mobile vehicle? Is that the advantage? Second question, is there a distance advantage for one over the other?
Waiting for my Hybrid Micro this week :) 73's
Cool!
i like it i have the CHAMELEON ANTENNA for on the truck when parked and the rt 857d . DALE n3reb.
+Dale Schleicher They are a great antenna
Thanks !! Nice ! Is there a cable trap inside the foot ?
Thanks for the video ! I use the Emtech ZM-2 tuner which is tiny with an 80m doublet fed with ladder line. The tuner is touchy compared to my Dentron but for its size is worth checking out. I tested my MP-1 whip from www.newsuperantenna .com which works great without a tuner ( sliding coil). Im glad you found your interference from your inverter !
+SurvivalComms I'm glad I found the inverter issue but not happy that I have an inverter issue. That presents a new retreat challenge. Power vs. comms. I would prefer to have both.
You may try to shield it and see if it helps. Try tying your inverter chassis to ground if you haven't done so already. Another test would be to light up your inverter with it disconnected from your AC wiring indoors and see if it attenuates the QRM. If that is the case you may need to run your wiring through shielded conduit . Interference sucks for certain and can be caused by so many things. Be happy no one has an electric fence close to you - that can
really give you kittens.
I'm torn between ordering one of these or sticking with my superantennas MP-1 for when I get my gear sent to me in iraq...
I just see this being more convenient since I won't have to leave my CHU and manual tune the antenna whenever I change bands.
+Mykal Anstrom This antenna still needs to be tuned. It's not broadband.
+Commsprepper I'm aware, but I'm referring to the mp-1 being a manually tuned screwdriver antenna so I'd have to pull it down and adjust it for every band change versus using my tuner with an antenna such as this.
+Mykal Anstrom ahhh... I understand now.
+SuperGreatObserver still in a holding pattern since I've yet to get ahold of anyone to get my reciprocal license.
I've actually been thinking about just going with the MFJ1979 telescopic whip and using the mount from my MP-1 and the coil for the lower bands.
Thanks for all your videos, good insight. Question, where did you get those bracket mounts that are attached to your atv? Chameleon?
Ham radio outlet (ham radio dot com)
Mirror mount for CB antenna, any truck stop, CB shop etc... Maybe Walmart
Do you have a video on how to setup email using ham radio? You mentioned sending email and did not think you could setup something like that. Thanks
I have a about a dozen in my radio email playlist.
Can you tell us about your SCS modem?
Can you do some performance testing on 80m? I would love to have a good portable antenna, but I need to be able to operate on 40 and 80m. Thanks for another excellent video.
+Gene B Depending on the band conditions, the CHA MIL whip will probably be too short to be efficient on 80M. So you'll probably going to need to use the HYBRID-MICRO 60' long wire that comes with the MICRO. The MIL is faster but the 60' long wire will always be more efficient but longer to install.
+ChameleonWalker Thanks for the info. Will the CHA MIL fit in both the Mini and Micro?
+Gene B Yes! The CHA MIL can be used by the HYBRID, MINI and the MICRO.
The one I saw was 350$, for that it should cook dinner. Seems to me it is a vertical with a coil at the bottom, ???
nothing new here.
What's here is quality.
Great video, are you going to do anything about the interference from the inverter? Would it help to shield it somehow?
+Navyguy0023 My plan is to complete the solar power grounding project but I don't think it will do much. Consumer grade inverters make noise. I suspect I will have to turn off the inverter when running HF ops.
The April 2016 edition of ARRL's QST Magazine had an ... extensive... article on Solar Power vs Comms. You may find some pointers there, though by now I suspect you've already addressed the issue. PS: Love your channel and I've picked up a lot of awesome tips and tricks. 73 K5GBX
Good stuff, Thanks
What were you using for power that day?
Channel?
You’re missing a lot by only doing digital. I’m the opposite only voice for me. Too much work to getting the digital stuff to work in my opinion.
Great video! Thanks for sharing it! KD9JEO
Thanks for the channel support.
Links are dead
It happens after a few years.
Chameleon redeisgned their website at least 2 times.
Solar Panels & Invertors leak RF big time
Yes they do.