Big Upgrades! DX Commander Expedition Portable Antenna
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- Опубликовано: 14 мар 2024
- * I Totally Built This Wrong And It's Still Awesome! All The New Features, Designs, & Build Tips For Your New 2024 Version DX Commander Expedition Antenna!
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Hey MIKE, That BOTTOM clip is vitally important. The bottom cap is now made of metal and it can short out against the driven plate unless you fit that plastic clip UNDER the driven element to add some isolation between the driven plate and the bottom cap. Yes you still need another clip on TOP of the driven plate to stop it from moving up the pole under tension.
You MUST have the clip below the driven element as well otherwise you will certainly come to grief if you raise the power a little !!!!
Cheers
Beat me to this Roly 😊
What Roly said! The herbie clip goes between the bottom cap and the driven plate.
Beat me too it also.....kinda surprised it tunes being so close
Well perhaps I missed that part in the manual lol!
@@hamradiotube Actually MIKE, You didn't read the manual at all !!!
You simple copied what you did with the previous model from what i can see, particularly with your 40mtr element !!
MIKE, mate, this model is a complete redesign/rethink on the prevu=ious model with LOTS of innovations to make it even easier to use especially for POTA !!
Sorry MIKE but you have done DX Commander a BIG disfavour in publishing this video.
Can I respectively ask that you take this mess down and redo the video AFTER you have read the proper manual for it??
Cheers.
I'm always impressed with the changes & improvements that Callum makes to his antennas... 73!
Hi Mike, Love what you do, however, I have a few issues with your build, sorry in advance.
Firstly, the plastic clip needs to be between the bottom cap and the driven plate to stop the driven shorting out on the ground. Run a lot of power and you'll see the SWR go up dramatically. You my also find that increasing the distance between the plates aids the bandwidth on some bands (not confirmed one way or another).
Secndly everytime an element passes through a spreader plate, a 'quick loop' is supposed to be made, which when used with a little shock cord fixes the element into place. This uses less heat shrink than the method you have used and spreads the tension a little more evenly across the pole and element.
Thirdly, the 40m element. Have a look at the build video Callum did. The Idea of using a small amount of tubing to go over the top of the pole makes rigging 40m so much easier than it was previously. The foldback is permanent so no need to mark the pole with where it should be. It also results in perfecting the tune on 15m and not worrying about the resonant point having moved.
Finally, and not so importantly, if you make the loop on the fold back at the end of the elements only just big enough for the shock cord (so that the stopper knot cannot pull through), you can leave the shock cord permanently attached to the element, and snap the shock cord into place. Really speeds up the build.
You are right in saying the new version is a step up over the previous one, but if you had built the new one according to the new manual, or following Callum's video (in which he built mine), you'd find it is a HUGE improvement.
73.
Jonathan
M0JSX / K6JSX
That’s cool and the gang, but I didn’t want to build it that way.
@@hamradiotube Then sorry Mike it is not a DX Commander build but a hashed up K8MRD knock off.
You CAN'T do a product review if you go an modify it "because you didn't want to build it that way"..... Just say'n
What Roly Says :)
Yeah yeah yeah. I can't be held responsible to read every single word of the instructions lol! Gotta add a few K8MRD mods!
@@hamradiotube NO MIKE NOT WHEN YOU ARE DOING A PRODUCT REVIEW !!!
The plastic ring you don't use because the hex one is better to hold the driven plate down has to be under the driven plate. It has to isolate both plates.
Good video explaining and showing how to use the DXCommander. Myself, I wouldn't consider that a portable antenna. Way too complicated to get setup and going. I'm sure it's a great antenna and I would consider it for my backyard but for portable, sorry, I need something quick and easy. Did enjoy the video, though. Always like how you explain things.
Steve, k7ofg.
I’m digging that olive drab. Have a great weekend Mike….
Hey Mike. Solution for the 10 meter band - the vertical element is fine, but your 3.5 meter radials are too long. I suggest cut a few tuned radials for 10 meters, around 2.50 meters long each, and add them to your radial plate. Being tuned radials you might need to lift them a few inches off the ground. Experiment..
I'm definitely getting one this summer. What i like about it is its simplicity and that I can fully the concept, which makes it easier to repair and optimize for the conditions I find myself in.
Just got the Expedition mast and love it. Did my first POTA activation with it.
Kinda surprised it tuned well with the herbie clip not in there!
Bike inner tubes make awesome tough rubber bands for the top
I agree with securing the fold overs. I have 2 DX Commanders: A 12.4 Signature and an Expedition. When I built the 12.4, I found the South Carolina heat made the glue lined heat shrink slip so, I did the same thing with the zip ties. Now, both of mine have the zip ties instead of the heat shrink tubing.
Holy CRAP!!! are you trolling for comments with all that keying and no ID???? LOL I think your "Dumberer comment" videos are some of my Favorite!! Stand by for the hate mail!!! you really know how to get *them* going. Cheers!
I just built a tri-band 2024 Expedition (through your recommendation) and have been loving it! I'd recommend keeping the shock cord attached to the elements. Makes it so you don't have to go hunting for them. The instructions had you creating a loop and attaching each element to each plate with a piece of shock cord but honestly I like how you did it better and that many attachment points likely aren't required. I tuned mine to the middle of the sideband area for all bands.
Nice shoes sunshine, LOL
Thanks for the detailed and very complete review man.
Reading the comments, I see the McCormick hit squad are out in force again lol....Keep Calm and Carry On Mike, they are perfect in every aspect of their lives and we simply can't compete with that.
I'm very tempted with this version as 99% of my operation is portable/mobile. I'm not a fan of faffing about setting up an antenna in miserable WX and with this variant along with the new spreader plates, I can envisage a few ideas on keeping most of the elements/radials fixed to the bottom plates and simply coil them up when not in use then stow the assembly into a bag (I would like to see this version supplied with a storage bag being a portable setup). Also, compared to my go too, inverted-v's, I would need around 30/40ft less coax.
All the best Mike.
Great video Thx for sharing I’ve got the 12.4 and thinking bout getting the expedition to start doing POTA
REALLY AWSOME, Mike....good Job. 💯💥👌
like yourself, I found that securing the wires with tie wraps much better than tape. Mine is on year three with no problems. It is permanently installed over a steel pipe driven into the ground.
Mike, Thank you for a nice review on this antenna. I will purchase one since you took a lot of the unknown I had about these types of antennas. I really felt it was going to be really difficult to get together and get up and running. 73.
Dude you're element plate is touching the metal collar of the driven plate. That clip you had was to create a separation from it. There should have been a plastic hose clip with a hex head on it to hold down the element plate on top of that clip you had in you're hand.
Love the improvements and the matte green mast! Nice work Mike!
Dude the color alone is enough to buy one. Love it!
I think that clip you changed out goes below the driven plate to isolate it from the metal end cap. I just got one and love it. Love your videos. Keep up the awesome work. KJ7EGB
The zip ties on the fold-backs is genius. I've been fighting with the cold un-sticky-ing the heat shrink and then the electrical tape. Also, my 30M element is too short, so there isn't enough "tail" to secure the wire under tension with adhesives - a zip tie will probably do the trick.
Great video buddy!! Need the new spreader plates…
I had been considering one of these but your video has confirmed it as first choice for my needs. A point worth making is the new Expedition pole is only 70cm/27.6 inches which make it great for walkers and users of public transport, POTA, SOTA etc. Best 73 G0ACE
Really great video demonstration, Mike! Not just the antenna, but that Stick Pro is cool too.
-73
Cal and Loki are great and their support are top notch. I only have an expedition pota pole but it’s extremely strong and convenient. Debating either upgrading to the new pole just to for the new base or going all out and getting the full expedition kit to actually use their antenna system. Hmmmmm
nice job. I got same one. I double clamp the bottom so plate don't slid up. like your way. I took me a few hours to tune . my dip on 10 meters different but not much band with either. I have lots of extra glue line heat shrink. and extra shock cord. I did some mono band element's. for 10 11 12 meters I cut 3/4 wave and did fold back tune . playing around a wile I got great match on 10 and great band with same when I set 11 and 12 meters. I put different color heat shrink when I found the tune so a quick slide on 1 of 3 bands . and did the same with 6 meter. I cut 3/4 wave fold back. I get 2:1 and nice dip to about 1.2 on the whole 6 meter band. so in a pinch I can remove all elements and mono band. you can easy run KW threw it and wire stayed cool even the Pota flex 7 can take the power. and Pota flex really stands out in the snow ! so does the dark green . looks so good ! that Ham sexy ! I did the longer ground wires . the bottom of that pole is metal and the black one plastic. I have both poles . but only 1 antenna the green one. I use the black pole for my end fed ETC. love them. they take the wind. I put that shock cord on my end fed antenna . great stuff from DX commander. he sells extras and ships fast ! I am in NY and stuff from the UK comes same time as orders from the west coast. SOTA Beams fast ship to us as well. I got the antenna wire in GREEN . they have yellow as well. great stuff from the UK ! they Ham harder ! catch Lord Callum on the air now. they do a KW now ! 73's
Love the videos
Dedicated to Jason!😂 nice review of the antenna.
Looks great, have to get back to building mine, do you have a link for those white ties you used to secure the foldback?
I love my DX Commander !!!
The new mast looks awesome, the biggest complaint i have with mine is the plastic threads. May have to order one and get some new spreader plates.
Watched the video; you did a good job of explaining this antenna. Looks like an ok antenna for temp HOA use... is it designed to be a perm installation also? I would probably not use this for POTA or SOTA use... looks too complicated and there are easier alternatives. Thanks for the video! Good job!
10m is 1.7MHz wide. It seems like two or three elements for 10 would be needed to hit various portions of the band.
I love mine except when collapsing it make sure you are very careful. The end cap just pops right off the threads.
Let’s goooo !
First: The support I have received from the people at DXCommander has been great, when I did request help.
That said, I am the one exception to the 'greatness' of this antenna, but I need to vent, just to vent... I hate my DXcommander (Expedition) antenna.. I have had it for about a year, and I haven't even gotten it on the air yet. Mostly my fault, as I get furious and walk away and come back later. My issues are that there has always been an issue with the 40m element loops(heatshrink failure), securing it to the pole, and the fiddly (inconsistent) pole extension. Construction was a pita, as the new (at the time) 'unified' manual was not very well organized. (I see today they finally issued an updated (Mar '24) but haven't explored it yet)... you had to switch between different sections, or have to go to go this video or that to get this tiny bit of important information, or something non-linear for construction. This video is keen to point out, there have been so many (~) changes to the design, but the supposed beauty of a unified, ON-LINE manual, is that you can publish updates with ease. Making a customer go search for updated info is terrible. Links to videos are helpful, but what if that is not an option for the end user? It's a digital, ON-LINE manual, use as many pages as needed to make it COMPREHENSIVE!
The glue heat shrink is great, but for securing anything under tension, its full of failure, but I guess that is limited to use in the warmer areas (?).
I like the zip-tie idea, wish I had thought of it last year. My option was to use waxed lacing cord before heat shrink to secure the loops, they are NEVER coming undone on their own now.
The use of Discord for help is a full-on circus (just a run-on conversation) for finding anything helpful, but that's me, no one should have to be weeding through a bunch of comments to find something that would help..
Hi Mike, is the bottom made of metal? It looks like you are shorting the ground and driven plates! Sorry if I'm wrong. Andy
Like u I skipped my 30m element. But instead made a dedicated 15m element there, instead of it using 40m wire.
I LOVE the sad ham comments! Sooooo entertaining!!
What does the complete setup weigh? How long does it typically take to set up in the field?
With such an antenna like that and coming from a guy who's been making it for a long time, there's no excuse that there should be so much modification to make this antenna work. What a complete joke... I'm just kidding Mike. Thank you so much for the review. I really love the improvements that he made to the antenna and hopefully I can get one of these one day. The beginning of this comment would have been something for the sad hams 🤣
I bought mine last week and I wonder what’s the bandwidth of this antennas in 10 and 20m? I finally tuned everything beautifully but for 20m I need a tuner if I want to go to the digital portion (have it tuned for 14,175) and for 10 tuned for 28,400. So I don’t know if this is normal in this antennas or if I did something wrong. I have over 25 radials cut for all bands and specifically 4 radials for 20 and 4 for 10.
Does anyone have any experience running the radials straight off to the sides on both sides? Instead of a circle pattern. Basically just in a horizontal fashion.
I have a very limited space I can put one up. A 3 foot wide strip in my backyard. I have about a 25x3 section to work with
Mike, was there enough material in the Expedition kit to build it as shown in your video and the 30m element? KC1HNH
In a different life, you were a fisherman.
I know i it's a "duh" thing to say, but the relationship between resonance and effectiveness took me a long while to sort out. Reliance on the tuner to keep my radio happy led me astray thinking I was getting out. When I purchased my power/SWR meter, it became instantly aware to me that resonance is king when getting every W out of your rig as advertised.
Use black zip ties. Sunlight will degrade white zip ties. Ultraviolet light degrades the white zip ties.
Looks like an awesome antenna! What kind of circumstances would you deploy this antenna? Is it for more of a longer activation, like several hours or a couple days? Would you use it if you're just going out for an hour or two in a park?
I primarily use either this or the PackTenna EFHW for portable. Parks on the Air, Field Day, etc. If it's going to be a quick in and out activation I'd just put up an end fed, but if I'm going to be there a while I'll bring this. It really only takes about 15 minutes to set up and deploy though. The nice thing is it can handle as much power as you want to throw at it. It's resonant by design. No transformers like a 49:1 or 9:1 so no losses there. No power limitations on digital or CW. It's just a hell of an antenna. You don't have to tune it when you get out like a loaded vertical like the Wolf River Coils or Buddy Stick Pro either. Just set it up and you're on the air on whatever bands you make it for. It all packs down to a very small form factor too. When the mast is collapsed it's only 24" and all the wires, spreaders, everything, fits in a small little Carhartt Lunch bag that I use. I've done other videos with the old version of this you can check out. This is just an upgraded version. Here's the whole DX Commander Playlist on my channel. ruclips.net/p/PLvjQnyd_FwboFRQtCen3YN_P4qv1ChEmc
@@hamradiotube thanks for the info! that helps. I ordered the Packtenna 10/20 EFHW w/ the 40m extension this week and already have the End Fed Random wire from Packtenna and I LOVE that antenna. I'm seriously considering the DX Commander in the near future and your comments have certainly given me more reasons to get one.
Dang it, I've been thinking about getting a Expedition for awhile (I love my 12.4 Signature) and this might just cause me to hide something new from the XLY.
That beard line is slimming 👍
That's for the video mike
I got to get me a 7300. That would be a big upgrade from my 718. 👍
Kc3pmx
hey bud i had a question about this antenna...do u know any info about the winds that this antenna can handle? i was gonna email the manufacture but couldnt find the link for the email address ...thanks .....W4LUP
More thicker. Are the jubilee clips precut...don't wanna slice your hand open.
They are pre-cut after you cut them. I did a video on those a while ago.
How long does it take to get the antenna setup when you get to the field operating location?
~15 minutes
Thanks Sir Mike! @@hamradiotube
Good vid mate. 😀What is the packed length and the deployed length?? Thanks 👽Alien in Asia VK4F👀
It’s a 10 meter mast that collapses to 60cm.
They sell those Crocs at HRO?
Yeah. You gotta ask for the special K8MRD crocs. They keep em in back.
@@hamradiotubeare those by the alligator clips?
105 degree days are something Callom doesn't experience.
Mike! That there lawn care 🤦🏻♂️
It looks like a militarized DX Commander.😊
oh nooo not the crocs :)
Glad I dont do reviews judging by the comments... jeez... lol...
I learn things from your channel. Thank you! But you should probably pull this video. It's been viewed over 10K times, and it contains inaccurate build instructions. If a visitor doesn't read the comments, they won't know what Roly, Callum, and others pointed out about the driven plate.
but so expensive!
Well, go source all the parts and have the metal and plastic fabricated after many many months of R&D. Pretty sure that would cost more.
oeps not sexy groxs
I will never understand why men would want to wear women's earrings.
I guess you're just too old and are aging out, Gramps.
@@hamradiotube Ya think?
For gods sake it a 1/4 wave antenna nothing special
So don't get one.
Working difficult DX sucks. Gimme a crap antenna any day.
It's an antenna that WORKS! And if you do it right, you don't need a tuner. That's why it's a big deal.