Hi Matt .. had mine up now in Scotland for about 9 months and also did the upper guy mod but using loops of para cord on a clamp above the top spreader. Apart from 'severe' gales (when lowered to the ground) and having observed the top parallel to ground on a number of occasions priot to that mod, I am getting great results even though bands have been pretty poor. Just for info .. I have made an oak 'socket' plate with the radial plate fixed with stainless screws for the pole to rest in (without the screw cap), and burried the radials to prevent tge dogs from entanglement! In this way I can quickly lower the antenna as required but also with an additional radial plate and wires can still work portable in the hills. Looking forward to your next solutions ... cheers for now ... Keith (gm4jkz)
Thanks, Matt. Nice to see a ham related video from you for a change! I only took up woodworking after moving to France some 20 years ago (F4WCM - near Versailles) but have been in the ham community for going on 56 years (W2RSB - originally from WNY). Since you like hose clamps so much I guess you wouldn’t be impressed by adding some protective rubber tubing and then using them as compression clamps at the fiberglass pole sections like I’ve seen done. Like all your video offerings. Please keep them coming! Cheers.
Nice video - can't wait to see the on-air tests! Having just returned from Dayton, it's scary to imagine how many of these would sell there.....a nice, well-engineered, cost-effective antenna.
I'm new to the hobby and I've noticed there seems to be a very strong love affair with the UK and wire antennas. Brilliant. Great for us that have tower constraints.
They aren't resonant radials. The long ones I cut for 80m are about a quarter wave but that was just an easy length to calculate in my head. More radials won't "greatly" increase efficiency at this point though. I have 32 of them down, and the best I could do if I went to an infinite radial field is another 1dB (1/6 of an S-unit). The law of diminishing returns kicks in fast with radials.
Matt that was an awesome, hold on one more time, Awesome video. Only word is concise. You sir are an excellent elmer. you put everything right up front and don't doddle with the stuff that's not important. If you have a ham license you should already know the basics. Thank you very much for the video, great job. N2QKK.
I have been using the DX Commander for a few months now and I love it. I have the 80m inverted L with only 32 11' 6" radials and my SWR and performance is outstanding everywhere. I'm even getting a good match on 6 meters. Working DX with a 7300 at 100 watts and there is no problems in a pileup. I am using the top spreader for guiding. They go almost out straight with a little play. Maybe meet you on the bands someday if we are not to close (WPA also). I'm on 3.836 sometimes at nights. 73's de KA3OAZ
Mods I’ve made to mine is the addition of more disks to space the vertical wires a little better. My original kit had just the two and I believe Callum has increased the thickness of these as part of his evolution of the kit. We are currently in Lockdown over here so now is a good time to dust off the DX Commander for a little/p working at the bottom of my garden. I also want to add the 80 meter inverted L component, I’m assuming our club will be out and about at some stage of the year. If not I have a decent vertical to compare with my fixed set of antennas. All good fun at this worrying time. 73 M0AZE Mike.
Matt, I could have it wrong but I think Callum had the Jubilee Clips / hose clamps below the round plastic spacers but just above where the two fiberglass poles came together.
Just only one suggestion, before you put your ends on the radiating elements at their feed points tune them, that way you don't take the pole down to do it. Only after they are correctly determined for the needed lengths, then put the ends on. I am so surprised this has not been mentioned by some one before?
How do you see the radials being grouped for that powerpole pigtail? Honestly, this is the part of this antenna that I dread the most because I am physically unable to kneel or bend to connect them to the ground plate. I was searching for inspiration and your powerpole variation hit an harmonious note within me. I think it the majestic 3rd harmonic. So either I will hear a reply to this post or I will blunder forward with the best science I can muster and concoct my own arrangement! LOL😉 How big a powerpole would you need? for (5) #14AWG stranded I'm thinking about a 10mm diameter or the PowerPole 120 connector. That would only be on the bundled radial side. The side to the ground plate could be a single #14 or whatever you have on hand to an appropriate sized powerpole. They will still connect and you could color code your radial lengths by the color of the connection.
Hi Alvin. I have 6 radials connected to each of my spade terminals which in turn screw down to the ground plate. Mine is a permanent install, so the effort required to attach the bundles to the plate was not really a factor. You could easily insert a powerpole into this chain to make the work required on the ground very minimal.
Hi Matt. I am planning to acquire one of these “fan verticals” myself. I wanted it to be a permanent installation. So I am thinking about using conductive grease on the spade-lugs for the vertical elements as well as the ground radials in order to keep water out. What do you think? I like the spike idea. I am also thinking of burying the feed line inside PVC irrigation pipe to allow yard mowing. Would you suggest drilled holes….1 foot apart to drain moisture? Thank you for your time in reviewing my questions! (de…Rob Wd4ift)
I don't see a need for the grease Rob. The hardware is all stainless and the moisture makes no difference to the antenna. Your best bet for the coax is to get coax rated for direct bury and just bury it. Even with holes, the pipe will mostly just trap water and cause the cable to fail sooner.
Matt can one simply use a large alligator clip with bundled radials ( like 8 ea. @ 20 ft) and skip all the nut connection business attaching radials to the ground plate? Thanks.....Terry NL7BI
Hi.. Turn the butterfly screw the head down and you have a wing nut to connect the so239.. the collar can be replaced by a piece of 10 cm of sanitary tube (40mm), split and slipped on the bottom of the mast which will block the whole system. 73 Jean louis (a Call's antenna maniac..)
I am sure by now you are aware of the plastic clamps that DXC moved to from the "jubilee" and tubing clamps? The ones for the Expedition have wing nuts and hex head.
hey mate how much did you pay for the kit mate because i have two of his poles and wire and it will save me a few quid great video matt de M7BYF in liverpool eng
I don't have the room for it. But it does look interesting. I'd like to come down and check it out. And transporting on the bike? We'll see. Mother Goose
Transporting on a bike is a breeze, just order the EXPEDITION model which is the same height as the DX-Commander (+/- a few mm) but is only HALF the packed down length of the DX-Commander. It will fit into a back pack no problems. 73, Roly - ZL1BQD
It was Amazon, but in the mean time I've found a much better solution. The speaker wire doesn't hold up outdoors, so get something with a silicone insultation for the elements. For radials you can't beat the wire they sell for invisible electric dog fences. It's designed to be burred, and you get big spools of it for cheap. It's a pain to work with, but you only have to do it once.
@@MattHeere Thanks Matt. I was going to order some of Callum's wire but the shipping costs and conversation rate kills it. It would be like $135 USD for a spool.
Thanks for sharing. I just bought the DX Commander all vertical kit from Callum. I do have a few questions. Are you running the 40 meter element all the way to the tip of the pole and through the eyelet? If you are can you not put a loop in the end of the wire and attach it to the upper round spreader with a piece of shock cord going up to the loop from the spreader? Also are you going to run the 80 meter wire off of the top spreader plate using the inverted L? Thanks again for sharing. I hope my antenna turns out as good as yours did. KE0RPU
The 40M element does go all the way up and then back down a bit. I ended up putting a small loop of shock cord through the eyelet on top of the pole to run the wire through. It's easier to work with and gentler on the element. 40 is attached as you suggest, with shock cord running up to the end of the element from the top spreader. See part 2 for more details, especially about the 80M inverted L :)
My neighbor a few houses down has a 100 ft antenna in his backyard. Everyone who sees it is like wtf is that? The owner likes to communicate with aliens and is one of those strange people who has call letters on his vanity license plate. lol I could live next door to you Matt, no prob. haha
Thank you for the best test i had see abt vertical radial and the Real results i follow callum for many times and i both poll from him to delivery in my frend in uk but is a list more tham one year he dosent bring he sayd to have to bring will be charge to bring um air plane problem here we only have fiber glass with carbono fiber is conductivyty but like way you say abt rose clamps and pre fix plats thats good idea by the way im subscrible i need to bring for português information because we dont have a lot of info thats was i try to bring in my channel as well i Will kiping touch um your Channel traslate for portugues ali ways tell were info come from tks 73 PY1AX tony Brasil saquarema
I am disappointed that he didn't acknowledge that he basically copied Cal's multipart videos re setup and erecting the Dx Commander. In many parts of the vid, he talked as though it was 'All Him' with no attribution to Cal. Very un-nice......
Hi Matt .. had mine up now in Scotland for about 9 months and also did the upper guy mod but using loops of para cord on a clamp above the top spreader. Apart from 'severe' gales (when lowered to the ground) and having observed the top parallel to ground on a number of occasions priot to that mod, I am getting great results even though bands have been pretty poor.
Just for info .. I have made an oak 'socket' plate with the radial plate fixed with stainless screws for the pole to rest in (without the screw cap), and burried the radials to prevent tge dogs from entanglement! In this way I can quickly lower the antenna as required but also with an additional radial plate and wires can still work portable in the hills.
Looking forward to your next solutions ... cheers for now ...
Keith (gm4jkz)
Great video! My DXC from DXE will all be here by Mon next. This was/is very helpful. Thank you.
lol "he is a bit cracked but a good egg" poor Callum tell them that's how we are in the UK is :D
Thanks, Matt. Nice to see a ham related video from you for a change! I only took up woodworking after moving to France some 20 years ago (F4WCM - near Versailles) but have been in the ham community for going on 56 years (W2RSB - originally from WNY). Since you like hose clamps so much I guess you wouldn’t be impressed by adding some protective rubber tubing and then using them as compression clamps at the fiberglass pole sections like I’ve seen done. Like all your video offerings. Please keep them coming! Cheers.
Nice video - can't wait to see the on-air tests! Having just returned from Dayton, it's scary to imagine how many of these would sell there.....a nice, well-engineered, cost-effective antenna.
KG5PP here … keep up the antenna work. I’m partial to folded dipole for 17 meter.
Awesome! Can’t wait to see part 2!!
Nice job Matt. Love Callum's channel and your video is up to Callum's quality. Thanks for sharing! 73, George K2WO
This antenna is fabulous!
I'm new to the hobby and I've noticed there seems to be a very strong love affair with the UK and wire antennas. Brilliant. Great for us that have tower constraints.
You don't need resonant radials if they are placed on the ground. Adding more, even shorter radials will greatly increase antenna efficiency.
They aren't resonant radials. The long ones I cut for 80m are about a quarter wave but that was just an easy length to calculate in my head. More radials won't "greatly" increase efficiency at this point though. I have 32 of them down, and the best I could do if I went to an infinite radial field is another 1dB (1/6 of an S-unit). The law of diminishing returns kicks in fast with radials.
Matt that was an awesome, hold on one more time, Awesome video. Only word is concise. You sir are an excellent elmer. you put everything right up front and don't doddle with the stuff that's not important. If you have a ham license you should already know the basics. Thank you very much for the video, great job. N2QKK.
I have been using the DX Commander for a few months now and I love it. I have the 80m inverted L with only 32 11' 6" radials and my SWR and performance is outstanding everywhere. I'm even getting a good match on 6 meters. Working DX with a 7300 at 100 watts and there is no problems in a pileup. I am using the top spreader for guiding. They go almost out straight with a little play.
Maybe meet you on the bands someday if we are not to close (WPA also). I'm on 3.836 sometimes at nights.
73's de KA3OAZ
Mods I’ve made to mine is the addition of more disks to space the vertical wires a little better. My original kit had just the two and I believe Callum has increased the thickness of these as part of his evolution of the kit. We are currently in Lockdown over here so now is a good time to dust off the DX Commander for a little/p working at the bottom of my garden. I also want to add the 80 meter inverted L component, I’m assuming our club will be out and about at some stage of the year. If not I have a decent vertical to compare with my fixed set of antennas. All good fun at this worrying time. 73 M0AZE Mike.
Great vid. Callum's vids are v good. I've had a go myself at a linear loaded version for 40 on my channel - which Callum has also described. 73
The Breeze Aero-seal hose clamps can be tightened by hand. They were being sold at Ace hardware but they may have discontinued them.
Cool site very easy to follow. Tks
Matt, I could have it wrong but I think Callum had the Jubilee Clips / hose clamps below the round plastic spacers but just above where the two fiberglass poles came together.
Just only one suggestion, before you put your ends on the radiating elements at their feed points tune them, that way you don't take the pole down to do it. Only after they are correctly determined for the needed lengths, then put the ends on. I am so surprised this has not been mentioned by some one before?
How do you see the radials being grouped for that powerpole pigtail? Honestly, this is the part of this antenna that I dread the most because I am physically unable to kneel or bend to connect them to the ground plate. I was searching for inspiration and your powerpole variation hit an harmonious note within me. I think it the majestic 3rd harmonic. So either I will hear a reply to this post or I will blunder forward with the best science I can muster and concoct my own arrangement! LOL😉
How big a powerpole would you need? for (5) #14AWG stranded I'm thinking about a 10mm diameter or the PowerPole 120 connector. That would only be on the bundled radial side. The side to the ground plate could be a single #14 or whatever you have on hand to an appropriate sized powerpole. They will still connect and you could color code your radial lengths by the color of the connection.
Hi Alvin. I have 6 radials connected to each of my spade terminals which in turn screw down to the ground plate. Mine is a permanent install, so the effort required to attach the bundles to the plate was not really a factor. You could easily insert a powerpole into this chain to make the work required on the ground very minimal.
so far, it’s like watching a Callum / DX Commander video.
Great Video. Looking forward to getting a DX Commander Classic. 73 KN4IFI
Hi Matt. I am planning to acquire one of these “fan verticals” myself. I wanted it to be a permanent installation. So I am thinking about using conductive grease on the spade-lugs for the vertical elements as well as the ground radials in order to keep water out. What do you think? I like the spike idea. I am also thinking of burying the feed line inside PVC irrigation pipe to allow yard mowing. Would you suggest drilled holes….1 foot apart to drain moisture? Thank you for your time in reviewing my questions! (de…Rob Wd4ift)
I don't see a need for the grease Rob. The hardware is all stainless and the moisture makes no difference to the antenna. Your best bet for the coax is to get coax rated for direct bury and just bury it. Even with holes, the pipe will mostly just trap water and cause the cable to fail sooner.
Matt can one simply use a large alligator clip with bundled radials ( like 8 ea. @ 20 ft) and skip all the nut connection business attaching radials to the ground plate? Thanks.....Terry NL7BI
For temporary use you can. I have a more recent video about the expedition model where I did just that
Hi.. Turn the butterfly screw the head down and you have a wing nut to connect the so239.. the collar can be replaced by a piece of 10 cm of sanitary tube (40mm), split and slipped on the bottom of the mast which will block the whole system. 73 Jean louis (a Call's antenna maniac..)
There are jubilee clips with thumb screws already attached available, so you don't need a flat bladed screwdriver, to do it up
I am sure by now you are aware of the plastic clamps that DXC moved to from the "jubilee" and tubing clamps? The ones for the Expedition have wing nuts and hex head.
Great video, thanks 👍
hey mate how much did you pay for the kit mate because i have two of his poles and wire and it will save me a few quid great video matt de M7BYF in liverpool eng
I don't have the room for it. But it does look interesting. I'd like to come down and check it out. And transporting on the bike? We'll see. Mother Goose
Transporting on a bike is a breeze, just order the EXPEDITION model which is the same height as the DX-Commander (+/- a few mm) but is only HALF the packed down length of the DX-Commander. It will fit into a back pack no problems.
73, Roly - ZL1BQD
All hams are a little cracked, didn't you know that?
Hey Matt, can you provide a source on the wire you used ?
It was Amazon, but in the mean time I've found a much better solution. The speaker wire doesn't hold up outdoors, so get something with a silicone insultation for the elements. For radials you can't beat the wire they sell for invisible electric dog fences. It's designed to be burred, and you get big spools of it for cheap. It's a pain to work with, but you only have to do it once.
@@MattHeere Thanks Matt. I was going to order some of Callum's wire but the shipping costs and conversation rate kills it. It would be like $135 USD for a spool.
Great video Mat, maybe in part 2 to show some impedance etc , rather than just swr .
Thanks for sharing. I just bought the DX Commander all vertical kit from Callum. I do have a few questions. Are you running the 40 meter element all the way to the tip of the pole and through the eyelet? If you are can you not put a loop in the end of the wire and attach it to the upper round spreader with a piece of shock cord going up to the loop from the spreader? Also are you going to run the 80 meter wire off of the top spreader plate using the inverted L? Thanks again for sharing. I hope my antenna turns out as good as yours did. KE0RPU
The 40M element does go all the way up and then back down a bit. I ended up putting a small loop of shock cord through the eyelet on top of the pole to run the wire through. It's easier to work with and gentler on the element. 40 is attached as you suggest, with shock cord running up to the end of the element from the top spreader.
See part 2 for more details, especially about the 80M inverted L :)
@@MattHeere Thank you!
Mr Everything!
My neighbor a few houses down has a 100 ft antenna in his backyard. Everyone who sees it is like wtf is that? The owner likes to communicate with aliens and is one of those strange people who has call letters on his vanity license plate. lol I could live next door to you Matt, no prob. haha
You're welcome here any time dude!
Thank you for the best test i had see abt vertical radial and the Real results i follow callum for many times and i both poll from him to delivery in my frend in uk but is a list more tham one year he dosent bring he sayd to have to bring will be charge to bring um air plane problem here we only have fiber glass with carbono fiber is conductivyty but like way you say abt rose clamps and pre fix plats thats good idea by the way im subscrible i need to bring for português information because we dont have a lot of info thats was i try to bring in my channel as well i Will kiping touch um your Channel traslate for portugues ali ways tell were info come from tks 73 PY1AX tony Brasil saquarema
GOSTEI 73 DE PW8BR
GOSTEI PW8BR 73
I am disappointed that he didn't acknowledge that he basically copied Cal's multipart videos re setup and erecting the Dx Commander.
In many parts of the vid, he talked as though it was 'All Him' with no attribution to Cal. Very un-nice......
RJinNH He did acknowledge Cal at the start. Were you watching?
@@donalfinn4205 Obviously not
Guy wires, not guide wires.
Perhaps I misspoke in the video, but if you read through the replies to the other comments you'll see that I do in fact already know this.