I purchased the MPAS 2.0 antenna system when I first got started with portable work. It's a great solution when in a hurry and I don't want to throw a wire over a branch. Chameleon is great to have in your kit. For the ground spike, I carry a rubber mallet with me to be able to get into hard ground, which we have in a lot of the parks in this area.
I was ready to grab one of these blanks... great idea and I believe Chameleon Antennas makes some pretty high quality equipment. That price though took me by surprise. I'll watch for drops later. As always, good presentation. Thanks.
You'll see in the following weeks what can be done with the BLANK and you'll understand that you can do SO many different antenna configurations tailored for your needs!
@HamRadioCrashCourse totally 👍 agree! I have several of Chameleon's products, including the MPAS 2.0, and I never cease to be impressed with their quality and performance!
Thanks for the great demo, Josh! Just remember, folks that some parks aren't cool about stakes in the ground and wires in their trees. That is where that neat little tripod would come in handy!
CHA has to be doing well with you *and* HOA HAM boosting their stuff on both coasts! 🤣 Yet another great review Josh and thank you once again. -=dave=- WA4TUX formerly W6TUX 😉
Just received a similar antenna with spike, whip, and computer ribbon cable that you make into radials for $26. It's from China but the darn thing works!
I have my own mill and lathe and would not be able to make it much cheaper if you consider your time worth anything. Chameleon makes ham radio equipment for the folks that want to buy once, cry once. Guaranteed precession products with IMHO excellent customer service. With the exception of a Buddipole that I bought years ago, 100% of my field gear is Chameleon. Never an issue or failure. Takes the guesswork out of my problems in the field as far as trouble shooting goes. My suggestion is the folks that think they can make it cheaper and make a profit, there’s your business opportunity. I will say two words to you though…….Good Luck!
@@Chameleon_Antenna Oh, so a small piece of machined S/S makes it cost $100. more than it should ? If you guys were not so pathetic in trying to justify the insane cost of this simple adapter, it would be funny.
At Chameleon Antenna, we understand that many in the amateur radio community often express concerns about the cost of high-quality equipment. However, we firmly believe that innovation is key to advancing the hobby. The products we develop are the result of extensive research and development (R&D), which requires significant time, expertise, and resources. Innovation in amateur radio is essential for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, whether it’s improving portability, durability, or performance. It’s what allows us to create cutting-edge solutions that meet the ever-evolving needs of the community, especially in areas like emergency communications and global connectivity. While our products may come at a premium, they reflect the years of dedication and the extensive R&D that goes into making them top-of-the-line. Supporting innovation helps ensure that the amateur radio hobby continues to grow and thrive, benefiting from the latest advancements. Thank you for your continued support in helping us push the limits of what's possible!
R&D ? Maybe for whatever houses your products. As far as R&D in antenna RF design, you have not used anything original ever. Just re hashed all the RF work done by many who came before you. You make it sound as if your company is so cutting edge. It's not. You just re-package old ideas as new and sell them at outrageous prices. Yes, it takes a little time to make your design from existing antenna designs, but it's not rocket science.
call me crazy but couldn’t you just make one of those blanks with spare parts, and save yourself $132? I love chameleons products but man are they way overpriced
Great video Josh. I've been using the MFJ 1979 17' whip and have the best success with both a 9' emp cloth and 6 17' wire radials. Nails it on 20m - 10m. 73 and Happy Thanksgiving!
Great video Josh. Love Chameleon products. I have the SS25 and the hybrid Mini. Why would someone choose the blank over the hybrid Mini or Micro (besides price - that horse is dead)?
The MINI or MICRO will create a broadband antenna tuned for several bands. You might lose some efficiency but it still going to work. Wit the BLANK, you create a MON band antenna tune to a certain amount of frequencies thus maximizing your power output. You simply need to retune each time you want to change band.
We've the SS25 (25') - currently OUT OF STOCK - but will be back in stock in about a week or so with 1,500 units. 2,500 more units are also in productions for the the end of February 2025!
He was increasing the whip's height to obtain a low swr to accommodate the 705's lack of an ATU. He could have achieved the same effect by adjusting radials' length, considering that the soil was likely not very conductive. A vertical with a few radials on poorly conductive soil is essentially a dipole with one leg on the ground. You can tune the antenna by adjusting the length of either or both legs. This will affect resonance as well as offset or shift the feed-point, which changes feed-point impedance and SWR. In effect, by making the vertical element longer, he created a slightly off-center fed dipole with one leg on the ground.
Thank you Josh. A lot of useful 💡 to consider for those that subscribe to the KISS principle. I won't join the moaning about the cost of CHA products. I have some things from them and I mix those with products from others. HAMs need to remember "Improvise Adapt Overcome" isn't just for Marines. I'm going to try and brew up something like you've illustrated here.
I have been using a 30 dollar chinese vertical antenna with the red base with great results. Add the 25 dollar 40m coil, and it is great for 40-10. The chinese whip is longer than the MFJ or chameleon whip, so extension needed for 20-10m. A 23 foot piece of wire gator clipped to a 17' whip and attached to a squid pole will get you 40m with a 17' whip as well. I am too poor to buy the chameleon products.
@@MXpsycho52 No - if you're using a transformer at the base like a 4:1 or a 5:1 (MINI or MICRO), the antenna is still going to work fine and you won't need to retune while changing bands but you'll lose a little bit of efficiency because it's broadband. When using the BLANK - the antenna becomes a mono band antenna thus maximizing you output.
With a Blank you tune the directly attached antenna for low SWR (i.e., 'good' impedance match) on a desired operating frequency. Power transfer to the antenna is highly efficient. By design, the Hybrid 5:1 transformer is moderately inefficient (average -1.5db or 30% power loss) because it exhibits a resistive effect over a wide range of frequencies, due to a novel secondary winding in the transformer. This resistive or power absorbing effect combined with a 5:1 reduction of the antenna's impedance, significantly reduces reflected power (i.e., reduces SWR); thus, the antenna appears like a 'good' impedance match over a wide range of frequencies.
Here's the total if you wanna go all CHA Gear for a portable vertical setup. CHA-Blank - $132 CHA-SS17 - $70 Radial Donut - $50 CHA Tripod-$100 CHA Wire 20ga 100ft - $60 Total: $412 before tax and shipping 😁
The Blank and the radial hub are nice-to-haves, but just that and as such are far too expensive. Built my own ground spike with SO239 for about $14 and my radials attach just as quickly via battery clamps.
Can you please recommend a mobile 50 watt radio for the car dual ban at least that is unlocked i know about not transmitting out of band but i would like the option of marine transmission and gmrs transmission in emergency situations due to my work thanks. Are btech radios really the only option ?
Thank you very much Josh , I think you just handed me my new POTA antenna , I love it , Could you tell me who might carry that Blank where I can Order it from , Going to be a Blast on 10 m I hope , Im a New Tech as of April of this year and only did One POTA so far .. 73 KC1USS Bob in Salem Mass "The Witch City"
If Chameleon would offer an empty version their Hybrid transformer mount (mini and micro) in kit form, you could use it to contain a simple direct connection (i.e., a Blank equivalent), an impedance matching transformer (e.g., 4:1, a 9:1, 49:1, etc.), a loading coil, an impedance matching network, or whatever you can manage to fit into the mount.
Did you know that with the CHA BLANK you could attach a impedance matching transformer (e.g., 4:1, a 9:1, 49:1, etc.) to it? You can use any of our CHA UNUN/BALUN (or from any other manufacturers) and do it with a short 6" or less wire equipped with a banana plug!
@@Chameleon_Antenna I understand, but it's not as elegant as the all-in-one Hybrid transformer mount. An alternative approach would be a strong container with a 3/8-24 female on one end, 3/8-24 male on other end, and a short wire with banana plug dangling out the side. A desired UNUN transformer is placed in the container with the primary connected to the 3/8 male, the secondary to the 3/8 female, and common to the short wire. The container is screwed into the top of the CHA Blank and the banana plug into a banana socket attached to the ground side of the CHA Blank. Of course, a whip or wire antenna is attached to the 3/8 female. So, basically, this would be similar to the CHA Hybrid mount, but in two pieces: the CHA Blank modified to include a banana socket, and the container described above.
Re: Strong container for directly mounting gadgets to top of to CHA Blank. A Buddipole low-bands coil stripped of its wire might serve the purpose. It's hollow on the inside and strong enough to support a whip; and it has a banana plug attached to a short wire that can be repurposed. This merits further investigation.
Another great video Josh!!! Chameleon has the SS25 25-foot Stainless Steel antenna whip, I am surprised you don't have one!! 73, and Happy Thanksgiving!!1
Assuming the antenna (whip + radials) was relatively close to resonance (i.e., low complex impedance), he could have used a wide-range ATU (i.e., auto or manual impedance matching network) at the transmitter instead of fiddling around to find an exact or best antenna length. The trade-off being some power loss (mostly in the coax) due to mismatched load impedance, but nothing of consequence with a relatively short or low-loss feedline. On the other hand, if the antenna was far from resonance (i.e. high complex impedance), then a low-loss 4:1 or 9:1 UNUN combined with an ATU would have been a good choice. Again, power loss (mostly in the coax) is the price paid whenever mismatched load impedance is involved.
Simply screw in a 49:1 UNUN module to top of the CHA Blank, and plug the UNUN module's ground wire banana plug into the banana socket on the ground side of the CHA Blank. Then screw in the whip to top of the UNUN module. If only it was this easy. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a UNUN module for the CHA Blank.
Peak quality generally comes with higher price. So much of what chameleon makes is worked by hand or via machines controlled by a person all in the US.
I get so confused when someone asks you to repeat your call 3 times, and they still give a 5-5. If I can't hear you the first 2 times and you need to repeat it a third time, that feels like a 3-5 to me. lol
Just another aspect. Some of us are a bit dyslexic and have real trouble separating letters in our brain. I don't think people ask for repeats unless there in confusion in their mind, certainly it is not malicious or to be interrupted as an insult.
Now I have a fun, new challenge: can I produce this for less using the tools and free stuff at my makerspace if I count my time × minimum wage as a cost?
Great Stuff, Josh! Thank you for doing antenna content! No doubt, there are lots of vendors - but - Chameleon makes very good quality “solutions” (and, the cost reflects the quality). Always time well spent watching your videos. KQ4IXD
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Coils are nice to save space but I got away from them as well. Thought of playing around with an adjustable parallel capacitor to counteract that reactance.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Then I shall wait for the Big Kansas coil video. Maybe I can watch it while I update my Azure SAML certs at work over Thanksgiving. No rest for the wicked.
I haven’t removed any comments. Really sad of you to jump to conclusions. Hand made, top quality parts from US manufacture is just going to be more expensive.
@@Chameleon_Antenna It is not hand made, parts are cranked out on a CNC, metal parts are purchased from another supplier and then hand assembled. You can get the same thing, though not as pretty on Amazon for about $20.00. At $132.00, your product is a rip off.
Stop complaining about price. If you can't afford it then attempt to make your own and see how that works for you. They obviously use high quality materials and if you could produce a product that could be considered close to the same quality you would have close to at least $40 in materials and then you have to account for time & labor and other equipment that does take consumables and the cost of electricity and so on and so on.... Just keep complaining about the price of radios cause that's gonna really help/matter 🤣
Given the function of this little connector, it doesn't have to be engineered and manufactured out of the price range of most hams. It's a coax adapter. Do we have to craft it like it's to be used in the warp core of the Enterprise?
@@kumasu Josh only showed one way to use the CHA BLANK, but this unit is actually part of our "MPAS READY" system, where all the components are compatible with each other, just like a LEGO block system! You can use it to create vertical dipoles, V dipoles, horizontal dipoles and more with any antenna system that supports these configurations. We're working on a comprehensive guide for 2025 that will showcase nearly all possible antenna configurations using the full range of MPAS READY parts. Also, you might want to check out HOA HAM - Bob has been doing a great job explaining our current antenna systems, and he'll be producing more videos in 2025 to demonstrate just about every configuration you can imagine!
Honestly, that QSO was not planned! great video as usual, cool device!
It was fun catching you on the air! I got your email and I’ll reply soon. This week is crazy for me!
I purchased the MPAS 2.0 antenna system when I first got started with portable work. It's a great solution when in a hurry and I don't want to throw a wire over a branch. Chameleon is great to have in your kit. For the ground spike, I carry a rubber mallet with me to be able to get into hard ground, which we have in a lot of the parks in this area.
Thanks Josh, I learn something new every video. I have been a ham operator for about 6 months.
Thanks!
Thank you!
I was ready to grab one of these blanks... great idea and I believe Chameleon Antennas makes some pretty high quality equipment. That price though took me by surprise. I'll watch for drops later. As always, good presentation. Thanks.
You'll see in the following weeks what can be done with the BLANK and you'll understand that you can do SO many different antenna configurations tailored for your needs!
Chameleon truly makes the best gear.
The quality is through the roof!
@HamRadioCrashCourse totally 👍 agree! I have several of Chameleon's products, including the MPAS 2.0, and I never cease to be impressed with their quality and performance!
Thanks for the great demo, Josh! Just remember, folks that some parks aren't cool about stakes in the ground and wires in their trees. That is where that neat little tripod would come in handy!
Really killer setup for field operations. Love that tripod.
DigiPi is awesome. Good video thanks for sharing.
Is it expensive? Yes. Do I still want one? Yes. Quality, American made products are what I enjoy!
Killing it QRP, nice!! Looking forward to the comparison on tuning; a topic I need to understand better.
Thanks for watching. I’m hoping the results are surprising!
I ordered the SS25 whip early on and haven't been disappointed. Adding the blank would help with setup for me. Thanks!
CHA has to be doing well with you *and* HOA HAM boosting their stuff on both coasts! 🤣 Yet another great review Josh and thank you once again. -=dave=- WA4TUX formerly W6TUX 😉
It's really neat! But $132 just for the blank adapter?
Agree. That seems to describe a lot of chameleon products: high quality, useful, but $$$.
Wait, seriously? I was guessing $40 for US made and $10 for chinese clone.
That price is outrageous plus $1
@@jordanjohnson3370 There's a similar thingy on aliexpress for like $20.
Just received a similar antenna with spike, whip, and computer ribbon cable that you make into radials for $26. It's from China but the darn thing works!
14:31 Thanks for this type of real time tips, that is pro teaching right there.
I have my own mill and lathe and would not be able to make it much cheaper if you consider your time worth anything. Chameleon makes ham radio equipment for the folks that want to buy once, cry once. Guaranteed precession products with IMHO excellent customer service. With the exception of a Buddipole that I bought years ago, 100% of my field gear is Chameleon. Never an issue or failure. Takes the guesswork out of my problems in the field as far as trouble shooting goes. My suggestion is the folks that think they can make it cheaper and make a profit, there’s your business opportunity. I will say two words to you though…….Good Luck!
The collar is also know as a 3/8x24 coupler. Readily available and a hardware or big box store.
This one is NOT Readily available. It's a 1/4-20 to 3/8-24 made in stainless steel. Compatible with just about ALL camera tripods online!
@@Chameleon_Antenna Oh, so a small piece of machined S/S makes it cost $100. more than it should ? If you guys were not so pathetic in trying to justify the insane cost of this simple adapter, it would be funny.
@@johnk23705 What are you talking about? It’s $22 CHA TRIPOD ADAPTE!
Great video, Josh. I was always hoping Chameleon would make this. I heard Lou in there DX
I look forward to experimenting with one!
Fantastic Video. Thank you for showing the blank. I am going to order one. Have a great holiday weekend brother from Ed, KM4MMD
Thank you! Chameleon has a great Black Friday sale going on now!
I always wondered how you made connections to a clamp or other accessory...this is very helpful, thanks!
At Chameleon Antenna, we understand that many in the amateur radio community often express concerns about the cost of high-quality equipment. However, we firmly believe that innovation is key to advancing the hobby. The products we develop are the result of extensive research and development (R&D), which requires significant time, expertise, and resources.
Innovation in amateur radio is essential for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, whether it’s improving portability, durability, or performance. It’s what allows us to create cutting-edge solutions that meet the ever-evolving needs of the community, especially in areas like emergency communications and global connectivity.
While our products may come at a premium, they reflect the years of dedication and the extensive R&D that goes into making them top-of-the-line. Supporting innovation helps ensure that the amateur radio hobby continues to grow and thrive, benefiting from the latest advancements. Thank you for your continued support in helping us push the limits of what's possible!
As long as the price is reasonable and it’s made in the USA I’m good with it.
R&D ? Maybe for whatever houses your products. As far as R&D in antenna RF design, you have not used anything original ever. Just re hashed all the RF work done by many who came before you. You make it sound as if your company is so cutting edge. It's not. You just re-package old ideas as new and sell them at outrageous prices. Yes, it takes a little time to make your design from existing antenna designs, but it's not rocket science.
@@johnk23705 ok enough- talk to hand now! ✋
Seems to work pretty good. Thanks for sharing it Josh!
I like one or two resonant, elevated radials with my 1/4 wave. Chameleon's whips are the bomb.
Nice catch on the donut.
Thanks!
Looking forward to your video on reactance as it pertains to antennas. That has my interest peaked. 73
call me crazy but couldn’t you just make one of those blanks with spare parts, and save yourself $132? I love chameleons products but man are they way overpriced
Yeah, absolutely. Ham radio is also all about building your own equipment. 👍
What is the big advantage of the CHA Blank Adapter over a Jaw Adapter with your basic 3/8 to 239 Stud? The Stud is $10, the CHA Blank is $130 ??
Great video Josh. I've been using the MFJ 1979 17' whip and have the best success with both a 9' emp cloth and 6 17' wire radials. Nails it on 20m - 10m. 73 and Happy Thanksgiving!
Word! I love my emp blanket.
Great video Josh. Love Chameleon products. I have the SS25 and the hybrid Mini. Why would someone choose the blank over the hybrid Mini or Micro (besides price - that horse is dead)?
Mainly tuning for reactance and getting the most power down the whip. Or you don’t run a tuner.
The MINI or MICRO will create a broadband antenna tuned for several bands. You might lose some efficiency but it still going to work. Wit the BLANK, you create a MON band antenna tune to a certain amount of frequencies thus maximizing your power output. You simply need to retune each time you want to change band.
I am planning on getting a SS17, I wasn’t aware it can be too short. That’s disappointing. I’ll have to look into the extensions too..
We've the SS25 (25') - currently OUT OF STOCK - but will be back in stock in about a week or so with 1,500 units. 2,500 more units are also in productions for the the end of February 2025!
He was increasing the whip's height to obtain a low swr to accommodate the 705's lack of an ATU. He could have achieved the same effect by adjusting radials' length, considering that the soil was likely not very conductive. A vertical with a few radials on poorly conductive soil is essentially a dipole with one leg on the ground. You can tune the antenna by adjusting the length of either or both legs. This will affect resonance as well as offset or shift the feed-point, which changes feed-point impedance and SWR. In effect, by making the vertical element longer, he created a slightly off-center fed dipole with one leg on the ground.
5:40 what is that antenna connector, do you have a link?
What is the Swr meter you are using at the beginning of the video?
Everything from Chameleon is FIRST RATE!!!
Agreed.
Any info on eta of more blanks being available?
They were in stock when this video was published. Unsure on stock status.
Thank you Josh. A lot of useful 💡 to consider for those that subscribe to the KISS principle. I won't join the moaning about the cost of CHA products. I have some things from them and I mix those with products from others. HAMs need to remember "Improvise Adapt Overcome" isn't just for Marines. I'm going to try and brew up something like you've illustrated here.
Ahh. Ol' Lou the beacon. I was also listening to people pile up on him this past weekend.
I have been using a 30 dollar chinese vertical antenna with the red base with great results. Add the 25 dollar 40m coil, and it is great for 40-10. The chinese whip is longer than the MFJ or chameleon whip, so extension needed for 20-10m. A 23 foot piece of wire gator clipped to a 17' whip and attached to a squid pole will get you 40m with a 17' whip as well. I am too poor to buy the chameleon products.
What is the difference between the blank and the micro hybrid?
The blank has no transformer. It basically makes the whip a straight wire.
@ What effect does that have on your SWR?
I thought that using a 4:1 unun was required to get a decent impedance match to the antenna.
@@MXpsycho52 No - if you're using a transformer at the base like a 4:1 or a 5:1 (MINI or MICRO), the antenna is still going to work fine and you won't need to retune while changing bands but you'll lose a little bit of efficiency because it's broadband. When using the BLANK - the antenna becomes a mono band antenna thus maximizing you output.
With a Blank you tune the directly attached antenna for low SWR (i.e., 'good' impedance match) on a desired operating frequency. Power transfer to the antenna is highly efficient.
By design, the Hybrid 5:1 transformer is moderately inefficient (average -1.5db or 30% power loss) because it exhibits a resistive effect over a wide range of frequencies, due to a novel secondary winding in the transformer. This resistive or power absorbing effect combined with a 5:1 reduction of the antenna's impedance, significantly reduces reflected power (i.e., reduces SWR); thus, the antenna appears like a 'good' impedance match over a wide range of frequencies.
@@DaDitDa excellent explanation, thank you
Grabbed a 17 foot MFJ whip before they dried up. Now need a way to mount it. This looks like a way.
Here's the total if you wanna go all CHA Gear for a portable vertical setup.
CHA-Blank - $132
CHA-SS17 - $70
Radial Donut - $50
CHA Tripod-$100
CHA Wire 20ga 100ft - $60
Total: $412 before tax and shipping 😁
I don't get the outrage about this. Thanks for the vids as always. 73!
Thanks for watching!
The Blank and the radial hub are nice-to-haves, but just that and as such are far too expensive. Built my own ground spike with SO239 for about $14 and my radials attach just as quickly via battery clamps.
Josh, do you have any information on the bag you are using? I've been looking at rifle / telescope bags for my pota stuff. Thanks!
It’s from Chameleon too. Unsure what its original use is.
Thanks Josh!
This is the CHA SLING BAG. It has been designed specifically for the MPAS system and has been based on a rifle bag.
Found it!
1/4-20 to 3/8-24 thread for the adapter
Can you please recommend a mobile 50 watt radio for the car dual ban at least that is unlocked i know about not transmitting out of band but i would like the option of marine transmission and gmrs transmission in emergency situations due to my work thanks. Are btech radios really the only option ?
I don't run anything "unlocked" so I have no idea tbh
I'm a new ham, curious, how do you carry around and transport a 17 ft whip? Seems rather unwieldy?
Water bottle pocket in a backpack fully retracted.
It's telescopic.
@@paulsengupta971 thanks that was the answer I was looking for.
Thank you very much Josh , I think you just handed me my new POTA antenna , I love it , Could you tell me who might carry that Blank where I can Order it from , Going to be a Blast on 10 m I hope , Im a New Tech as of April of this year and only did One POTA so far .. 73 KC1USS Bob in Salem Mass "The Witch City"
I like the jpc 12
If Chameleon would offer an empty version their Hybrid transformer mount (mini and micro) in kit form, you could use it to contain a simple direct connection (i.e., a Blank equivalent), an impedance matching transformer (e.g., 4:1, a 9:1, 49:1, etc.), a loading coil, an impedance matching network, or whatever you can manage to fit into the mount.
Yeah, well, they're just in the business of overcharging hams who have too much money.
Did you know that with the CHA BLANK you could attach a impedance matching transformer (e.g., 4:1, a 9:1, 49:1, etc.) to it? You can use any of our CHA UNUN/BALUN (or from any other manufacturers) and do it with a short 6" or less wire equipped with a banana plug!
@@Chameleon_Antenna I understand, but it's not as elegant as the all-in-one Hybrid transformer mount.
An alternative approach would be a strong container with a 3/8-24 female on one end, 3/8-24 male on other end, and a short wire with banana plug dangling out the side. A desired UNUN transformer is placed in the container with the primary connected to the 3/8 male, the secondary to the 3/8 female, and common to the short wire. The container is screwed into the top of the CHA Blank and the banana plug into a banana socket attached to the ground side of the CHA Blank. Of course, a whip or wire antenna is attached to the 3/8 female. So, basically, this would be similar to the CHA Hybrid mount, but in two pieces: the CHA Blank modified to include a banana socket, and the container described above.
Re: Strong container for directly mounting gadgets to top of to CHA Blank.
A Buddipole low-bands coil stripped of its wire might serve the purpose.
It's hollow on the inside and strong enough to support a whip; and it has a banana plug attached to a short wire that can be repurposed. This merits further investigation.
Another great video Josh!!! Chameleon has the SS25 25-foot Stainless Steel antenna whip, I am surprised you don't have one!! 73, and Happy Thanksgiving!!1
A 5/8 spark plug socket over the thread to protect them and a rubber mallet to smash that spike
Smart!
Josh - Why don't you use an antenna tuner?
You don’t use a tuner on a vertical antenna like this. But until use a tuner for a 9:1 or some other antenna that is slightly off tune.
@HamRadioCrashCourse Thank you Josh!
Assuming the antenna (whip + radials) was relatively close to resonance (i.e., low complex impedance), he could have used a wide-range ATU (i.e., auto or manual impedance matching network) at the transmitter instead of fiddling around to find an exact or best antenna length. The trade-off being some power loss (mostly in the coax) due to mismatched load impedance, but nothing of consequence with a relatively short or low-loss feedline.
On the other hand, if the antenna was far from resonance (i.e. high complex impedance), then a low-loss 4:1 or 9:1 UNUN combined with an ATU would have been a good choice. Again, power loss (mostly in the coax) is the price paid whenever mismatched load impedance is involved.
@@DaDitDa Thank you as well DaDitda
Josh, did you work Lou from Barcelona?
I have before, but didn't try on that day.
pretty cool
Any dx for more than 3000 miles away using that system?
Looks almost identical to the Chelegance mc-750.
HOW DO I USE THIS AS A HALF WAVE ? DO I NEED A BALUN ON 10, 11, 12 METERS ?
You’d need an unun, yes.
You should read our user guide of the CHA BV (Basic Vertical) - we talk about that aspect of antenna tuning.
Simply screw in a 49:1 UNUN module to top of the CHA Blank, and plug the UNUN module's ground wire banana plug into the banana socket on the ground side of the CHA Blank. Then screw in the whip to top of the UNUN module. If only it was this easy. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a UNUN module for the CHA Blank.
Aren't they just selling you a part of the existing antenna kit?
The blank is new.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse I get that, but where do the "Accessories" come from?
12:49 Lou!
Ya I have made verticals like this in years past. $40.00 is a lot of money to pay. But 55 years as a Ham I have built a lot of antennas.
Keep making!
They're always so ridiculously overpriced.
Peak quality generally comes with higher price. So much of what chameleon makes is worked by hand or via machines controlled by a person all in the US.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse This is true. But c'mon, $132? I could buy an entire Wolf River Coils package for that amount.
@@kumasu I have a bunch of stuff from WRC, great value.
@@kumasu The problem is that you won't be able to to do 1/10 th of what the CHA BLANK can do with the WRC package!
Totally agree, I'd never spend the crazy money that Chameleon demand for their products, completely over rated..
Don’t spike me bro!
I get so confused when someone asks you to repeat your call 3 times, and they still give a 5-5. If I can't hear you the first 2 times and you need to repeat it a third time, that feels like a 3-5 to me. lol
You don’t really know what’s going on on their side. Maybe a close station was transmitting and stepped on a few of my calls characters.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Fair. Anything is possible.
Just another aspect. Some of us are a bit dyslexic and have real trouble separating letters in our brain. I don't think people ask for repeats unless there in confusion in their mind, certainly it is not malicious or to be interrupted as an insult.
What is the blank? It’s extremely overpriced is what it is 😂
Ufff...that´s a lot of money for an adapter. Sorry, but Chameleon can keep it.
Now I have a fun, new challenge: can I produce this for less using the tools and free stuff at my makerspace if I count my time × minimum wage as a cost?
I wonder if anyone wonders why you’re walking through the park with a rifle bag 😂
I am in LA County. Generally everyone stopped to look at me with that tall antenna.
Great Stuff, Josh! Thank you for doing antenna content! No doubt, there are lots of vendors - but - Chameleon makes very good quality “solutions” (and, the cost reflects the quality). Always time well spent watching your videos. KQ4IXD
How about a Big Kansas Coil for $170? Then you can really reach out and touch someone!
Not really. Coils add Q and can play havoc with your reactance. My follow on video to this one will explain why.
Exactly. You can get the entire BK coil for only $40 more than this this little Chameleon adapter.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Coils are nice to save space but I got away from them as well. Thought of playing around with an adjustable parallel capacitor to counteract that reactance.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Then I shall wait for the Big Kansas coil video. Maybe I can watch it while I update my Azure SAML certs at work over Thanksgiving. No rest for the wicked.
A coil would be a way of making this work on 40 and possibly even 80 if you had enough of a coil.
$132 for the "blank"
$99 for the mini tripod
$50 for a disc of aluminum with 4mm holes
sorry bro, but Chameleon are having a lend of you.
this video shows you don't have to scream to be heard
Thanks for producing shorter videos. In today’s busy world it’s hard to watch hour long.
Is removing negative comments about wildly overpriced Chameleon products part of your deal with them ? Really sad Josh. I expect better of you.
I haven’t removed any comments. Really sad of you to jump to conclusions.
Hand made, top quality parts from US manufacture is just going to be more expensive.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse Josh - I have no ideas how you can deal with those!
@@Chameleon_Antenna It is not hand made, parts are cranked out on a CNC, metal parts are purchased from another supplier and then hand assembled. You can get the same thing, though not as pretty on Amazon for about $20.00. At $132.00, your product is a rip off.
@@johnk23705 Think whatever you want - this is your reality!
John, you’re nuts. I’ve toured the factory on video twice. Chameleon Antennas and their partners make the parts.
yea nice products... buy so frigging overpriced... fgs there bonkers..
Stop complaining about price. If you can't afford it then attempt to make your own and see how that works for you. They obviously use high quality materials and if you could produce a product that could be considered close to the same quality you would have close to at least $40 in materials and then you have to account for time & labor and other equipment that does take consumables and the cost of electricity and so on and so on.... Just keep complaining about the price of radios cause that's gonna really help/matter 🤣
Agreed 100000000%
Given the function of this little connector, it doesn't have to be engineered and manufactured out of the price range of most hams. It's a coax adapter. Do we have to craft it like it's to be used in the warp core of the Enterprise?
@@kumasu Josh only showed one way to use the CHA BLANK, but this unit is actually part of our "MPAS READY" system, where all the components are compatible with each other, just like a LEGO block system! You can use it to create vertical dipoles, V dipoles, horizontal dipoles and more with any antenna system that supports these configurations. We're working on a comprehensive guide for 2025 that will showcase nearly all possible antenna configurations using the full range of MPAS READY parts. Also, you might want to check out HOA HAM - Bob has been doing a great job explaining our current antenna systems, and he'll be producing more videos in 2025 to demonstrate just about every configuration you can imagine!
Dump the glasses.
Not a chance.
All of Chameleon stuff is way overpriced
How do you explain that we can't barely keep the demand? We don't pay our workers $5/hour like they do in China.
@@Chameleon_Antenna I am happy that there are hams that are willing to pay too much and your successful.
What is the blank? It’s extremely overpriced is what it is 😂
Handmade in the US with quality materials will cost more.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse But that much more?
@@kumasu boutique machined US made equipment? Totally reasonable to me. Not to mention the small quantity they make, little economy of scale there.
@@HamRadioCrashCourse I suppose you and I are hams on different budgets, so "reasonable" is relative. Fair enough.
My reasonable in this case comes from the costs of material, quality of the build and it being made in the USA.