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Chameleon Vertical Antenna - 10-80 Meters

I’ll pretend that — as close as you are to the home of Dr Pepper — that the word diet wasn’t in there.

Used to stop at Dublin every week for the original formula cane sugar version. The real thing.

Mix that with my latest find: TX WHISKEY. From Cowtown. Have it every time we are at H3 Ranch.

The real thing mixed with the UNreal thing. Hell. You’ll SEE those damned standing waves.

And Chillicothe is a nice place. Guarantee Mudfoot can find it as he’s not far up the road as Texans figure it. Kenworth has a plant here. I’m loaded, and doing a 35-reset before rolling down the classic invasion route from Virginia.

.

Yeah, 40 minutes away. Usually go to VA hospital there.
 
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Dublin, TX?

Small world.

Hell, GGollyWally & Redbeard both live right off US-59. You’d think that pair would be scheming up something every Thursday morning at the Dairy Queen.

.
Wally is in OK, or Fort Smith. I'm down here in "Port of the Cow", just nort of where the Camels came in at Indianola, TX. Some say this was a retreat or vacation get away, way back, from Austin or San Antone. Tho, I have been to Wally's neighbor hood many moons ago. It's a lot prettier up there.
 
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Well fiddle sticks! Wish I'd known that! o_O Would have saved some money. (n)

However, if I had it to do again, I'd not have purchased the Chameleon whip. I prefer using my steel whip instead. (y)
I also own the Chameleon Mil Whip and Mil Ext 2.0, and I am generally happy with it, but I do think the Chameleon products are pretty expensive. No one is forcing us to buy these products, so I am not complaining...only making an observation about the price.

As an interesting alternative, I found (and purchased) this antenna on eBay...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Radio-Mili...306754?hash=item2f38606e82:g:vAkAAOSwFOldtmEu

View attachment 33929

It appears to be the same antenna as the Chameleon Mil Whip, which Chameleon sells for $129. There are a few Chinese sellers offering this antenna for $40-50.
Sweet! Thanks for that. Ordering one for experimentation.
 
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I still have an Alpha Match that I use on occasion on 20/40 with a MFJ 17' collapsible element. For 80, you need a wire as well and of course a tuner.
Success is subject to band conditions.
 
Has anyone had any success using the Chameleon or Alpha antennas on 40, 60 or 80 meters?
Ed
KG5UN

I have a 80m buddipole coil that I have thought about trying in between the lower extension of the Chamelon and the whip. Been thinking about trying this for a while, so you just gave me a reason to do it and report back.
 
I have a 80m buddipole coil that I have thought about trying in between the lower extension of the Chamelon and the whip. Been thinking about trying this for a while, so you just gave me a reason to do it and report back.

Tim,
Have you had a chance to give it a go?
 
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This thread has been running for over a year so want to give an update on my Chameleon MPAS 2.0.

Sometime in late summer 2020 in put my Chameleon MPAS 2.0 up as a “permanent” installation in my yard. I am using Chameleon’s ground stake
Hybrid Mini transformer
Mil EXT 2.0 lower whip section
and the eBay-purchased top whip section I referenced almost a year ago (Chinese copy of the Chameleon Mil 2.0 top whip. Thought is was the same as the Chameleon, but I guess Chameleon’s parts are all made in California per the video HRCC posted on YT. The Chinese whip has performed well).

I have the antenna mounted next to, and bungee corded, to a wooden fence post, just for additional support. I’m not sure how well the ground stake would hold by itself in that part of my yard, as that area can get a bit flooded in heavy downpours.

It has worked out better than I thought it would, but I did add two additional things to try to improve performance.
I added the Chameleon CHA Cap Hat that screws between the top and bottom whip sections, and I added 4 radial wires about 30’ feet in length, in 4 directions, lawn stapled down into the grass.

Now the antenna works even better. I have been able to work phone and digital modes on 80-6m.

The Cap Hat and radials definitely improve my local ground wave signal, as reported by friends within 5-30 miles of me.

Before the winter set in, I checked the Hybrid Mini transformer (I think it is a 5:1 UNUN), and I did find some water in it from heavy rains. I dried it out and placed a gallon ziplock bag over it to seal it up as best I could, and it has been fine, even through two feet of snow that we had on the ground back in early February. To be completely accurate, I have not opened up the Hybrid Mini since I covered it with the baggie, since I didn’t want to mess with it during the winter. I will check it soon, as spring is now setting it, and if there are issues to report, I will let you know, but the antenna has been consistent in it’s SWR and performance all winter, so I believe it is dry in there.
 
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I tried this antenna in the back yard with the Buddipole load coil in between the extension and the whip with a single counterpoise cut for 80m. I didn't have much success getting it resonant on 80m in this configuration. As you can tell from the photo of the analyzer, the best I got is about 2.25:1.

7017-1616964381-6b62c42e0272b0eacbb761332147c9e0.jpg
 
In ter stin. . .
I've been messing around homebrewing one of these things. Soon.
I ain't, let me say again, I ain't gonna spend a bunch of my retirement for something I can make out of plumbing supplies, wire, and fishing poles.
Just makes me hyperventilate thinking about it.
 
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