The Big Kansas Coil is a lightweight, portable, and durable base loaded vertical antenna system that when paired with a telescoping whip operates on the 6 through 80 meter ham radio bands. This coil offers some innovative features, including: 3D printed construction out of engineering grade materials, integrated coil scale, easy to use adjustment collar, and a wider diameter coil than anything else on the market.
So what makes the big Kansas Coil different than other base loaded coils? First off is the construction. This coil is entirely 3D printed out of engineering grade Glass and Carbon Fiber filled Nylon material. This coil is lightweight and durable. The material is weather and heat resistant so this antenna is rated for up to 100 watts digital modes with a 50% duty cycle.
The second is its size, or diameter of the coil. This coil is wider than anything else on the market. In building loading or inductance coils, the diameter of the coil will affect the Q or quality factor. Narrow coils will have a very high Q and extremely sharp bandwidth on the lower bands. If you make the coil wider, the Q is reduced and you end up with more bandwidth. I’ll demonstrate what that means a bit later in this video.
As a bonus, patrons can view the unedited phone contacts for this POTA activation. Visit my page on Patreon for details: https://www.patreon.com/kb9vbrantennas
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I meet up with Chris, N9CVR, of The Ham Radio Experience. He shows off his fishing pole vertical antenna and we use it to catch some contacts along the Wolf River at the Mukwa State Wildlife Area, (POTA US-4314).
The 6 meter band is hot in the summer time and there is no better way to exploit it than with a directional antenna like the 6 meter Moxon. The Moxon is a 2 element Yagi that is inexpensive and easy to build, but also offers great results with 5.5dbi of gain and a 25db front to back ratio
The Moxon is named after its creator Les Moxon, G6XN. It is best described as a rectangular two element Yagi antenna. I said rectangular as the ends of the driven element and the reflector are folded inwards, which reduces the amount of space it occupies, about 70% of the space of an equivalent dipole antenna. If you add lightweight spanners to the rectangle, you can rotate the antenna.
Typically, a 6 meter Moxon will have about 5.5dbi of forward gain, and exhibit a high front to back ratio, up to 25 dbi when elevated to the optimal height of about 18 feet. They also have a 50 ohm impedance at the feed point, so no matching network is required, which simplifies their construction.
To make this project more approachable, three of the parts are 3D printed, the hub, hub adapter, and feed point mount. I used PLA+ to print these parts. This is ok for temporary use, but if you are thinking of permanently mounting this antenna, I’d use something more weather resistant like Petg or ASA. All of my 3D printed parts are available on Thingaverse if you want to tackle this project yourself.
The KB9VBR 6 Meter Moxon Antenna Parts list: 4 – 48 inch x 3×8 inch fiberglass fence posts 1 – 3D printed Moxon hub 1 – 3D printed hub adapter 1 – 3D printed Feedpoint center SO-239 chassis connector 20 feet 20 or 22 ga wire 6 x ½ inch machine screws, nuts, and washers 8 small Ring terminals String trimmer line Painters pole: 15 – 23 feet
You may think the Rez Antenna Systems Recon 40 is like any other base loaded coil, but what makes this one different is that you can change bands with a flick of a switch
Rez Antenna Systems Recon 40 coil: https://www.rezantenna.com/product-page/recon-40
As you may know, I am a big fan of using a vertical antenna for my portable operations and Parks on the Air activations. I enjoy the speed of setting up a quarter wave vertical antenna for the higher bands, and I love the versatility of using a loaded coil to extend my operation down into the 40 meter band.
Knowing that many people like to take advantage of the efficiency of the 213 inch vertical whip as a ¼ radiator, Rez antenna systems has developed this product, the Recon 40, to extend the range of the 17 foot vertical whip down into the 40 meter band.
The Recon 40 is a fixed inductance coil system to turn a 17 foot whip, which is resonant on the 20 meter band, into a base loaded vertical antenna that is now resonant on the 40 meter band.
But with conventional coil systems, you have to add or remove the coil, or somehow bypass it in order to switch between 40 and 20 meters. The Recon 40 solves that problem by adding a bypass switch, right in the coil system. This switch, when turned on, puts the coil in line with the antenna and turns it into a 40 meter antenna. Flick the switch off, and now you’ve bypassed the coil and your whip is instantly resonant on 20 meters. Physically adjusting the whip will get you resonance for any other band above 20 meters.
Rez antenna systems loaned me a kit for this review. I’ve returned it and no further compensation was received. My comments and experience with it are my own without outside influence.
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The Chameleon SA-1 is a compact easy to use antenna analyzer that will help you measure SWR and tune your multi band antenna, like the Chameleon PRV System or Wolf River Coil Silver Bullet 1000. The meter measures SWR from 1:1 – 19.9 in a frequency range of 1.6 MHz to 160 MHz.
The Chameleon SA-1 is a compact lightweight SWR analyzer that would be perfect in your portable antenna kit. Opening the box you will find, a Nine volt battery, a BNC to UHF adapter, and the unit itself enclosed in a protective velvet bag.
The SA-1 has a continuous frequency range of 1.6 to 160 Mhz so it will be able to test the SWR for anyHF and VHF antennas in the amateur radio bands. It can also display the SWR from 1:1 up to 19.9:1 for that antenna. Run time with the battery is approximately 20 hours or 15 hours when you use the back light.
On the top of the meter is a small power switch, a BNC antenna port, and a socket that is labeled serial. We’ll talk about the serial feature in a bit. But first let’s look at the front of the unit
The SA-1 does not come with any instructions. Instead, everything you need to know to operate the meter is screen printed on the front of the unit. When you power on the meter, you will see the frequency and SWR on the dot matrix LCD display. Every time you turn on the unit, the frequency also defaults back to 14,000 Mhz. To adjust the frequency, you first tap the knob to select the digit and then rotate it to change the number. The unit is constantly testing the SWR, so there is nothing else you need to do. If you want to toggle the backlight, press and hold the center knob. That’s it. The SA-1 does one thing, and that’s measuring SWR. so there is nothing else you need to set it up.
A single function meter like this can be really handy in the field as it doesn’t distract with unnecessary features. It’s all in the goal of getting on the air quickly. So let’s see how fast we can do that as I demonstrate setting up and adjusting a multiband vertical antenna.
Timestamp 00:00:00 Chameleon SA-1 Antenna Analyzer 00:01:35 Features and Specs of the Chameleon SA-1 00:03:31 Using the SA-1 SWR Meter 00:13:15 Chameleon SA-1 Secret Feature 00:15:30 My thoughts on the SA-1 Antenna Analyzer
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We take a road trip to northern Wisconsin to discover the origins of the Wolf River and then follow the scenic waterway downwards in this entertaining Parks on the Air activation.
As a bonus, patrons can view the unedited phone contacts for this POTA activation. Visit my page on Patreon for details: https://www.patreon.com/kb9vbrantennas
I do return QSL, if you made a contact with me and would like a QSL, please send me one. Return postage not necessary, but always appreciated. As they say, KB9VBR is ‘good in the book.
Links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay.
Ham Radio Dude’s portable end fed half wave antenna, the Dudetenna, features a substantial toroid and reinforced radiating wire for 100 watt operation in both digital and sideband modes.
The dudetenna end fed half wave, like other end fed kits on the market is pretty similar to the others in construction and performance. I;ve always said that an end fed is an end fed and all the models on the market and going to work pretty much the same. But there are a couple of key differences in this antenna that set it apart.
First off, the Dudetenna uses a different toroid than the others. Most end feds that are capable of 100 watt transmit power will commonly use the T140-43 toroid. This antenna is different and its transformer is built around this larger Fair-rite 43 mix toroid. The bigger toroid has about three times the mass of the T140, giving you greater permeability and slightly more bandwidth. With a bigger toroid, it should handle a full 100 watts sideband without overheating.
The other two notable features are the use of an SO-239 or UHF female connection instead of a BNC, so no adapter will be required if your coax has PL-259s and finally, the kit comes with 75 feet of vectron fiber reinforced wire. Vectron fiber, much like Kevlar, will not stretch or break, giving your radiator wire greater mechanical strength for use out in the field.
Screenshot
The kit is also available with or without the wire, so you can build the transformer and then supply your own wire. It’s your choice.
Ham Radio Dude did send me a Dudetenna end fed half wave antenna kit to build and put on the air in exchange for a video. But my opinions are my own and there is no outside influence. So let’s head inside, build this antenna, and then put it on the air.
As a bonus, patrons can view an hour long video of me assembling the Dudetenna end fed half wave. Visit my page on Patreon for details: https://www.patreon.com/kb9vbrantennas
I do return QSL, if you made a contact with me and would like a QSL, please send me one. Return postage not necessary, but always appreciated. As they say, KB9VBR is ‘good in the book.
Timestamp: 00:00:00 Ham Radio Dude End Fed Half Wave 00:02:04 Dudetenna EFHW Parts 00:07:50 Assembling the end fed half wave antenna 00:09:02 Adjusting and tuning an EFHW antenna 00:14:53 Dudetenna on the air 00:17:24 Conclusion and my thoughts
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Like what you see? You can leave me a tip: https://www.paypal.me/kb9vbr
As a bonus, patrons can view the unedited phone contacts for this POTA activation. Visit my page on Patreon for details: https://www.patreon.com/kb9vbrantennas
I do return QSL, if you made a contact with me and would like a QSL, please send me one. Return postage not necessary, but always appreciated. As they say, KB9VBR is ‘good in the book.
Links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay.
This summary provides a comprehensive overview of the Real POTA-ble antenna, highlighting its features, deployment tips, and advantages for amateur radio operators on the go.
The Frankentenna consists of parts from three different antennas to create a 25 foot tall vertical non resonant radiator that when combined with a remote antenna tune results in amazing performance on the bands. Join me at the Plover River State Fishery and Wildlife Area (POTA US-10054) in North Central Wisconsin as I put this park on the air.
As a bonus, patrons can view the full, unedited phone contacts for this Parks on the Air activation. Visit my page on Patreon for details: https://www.patreon.com/kb9vbrantennas
I do return QSL, if you made a contact with me and would like a QSL, please send me one. Return postage not necessary, but always appreciated. As they say, KB9VBR is ‘good in the book.
Links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay.
The Chameleon URT-1 is a remote outdoor antenna tuner for almost any type of antenna or model of transceiver. This wide range tuner matches resonant and non-resonant wires, verticals, and long wire antennas with its range of 5 to 1500 ohms of impedance. The URT-1 has a 50 ohm coaxial port and a wire beehive connector for added versatility. And the unit is weather proof so it can be mounted outdoors near the feed point of the antenna.
The purpose of an antenna tuner is not to ‘tune’ your antenna, but instead to provide a proper impedance match to your transceiver. Modern transceivers require a 50 ohm impedance and if there is a mismatch, the transceiver will respond, at the very least, by reducing output power, and at the worst, damaging the final amplifier components. So in order to deliver all available power to your antenna, a proper impedance match is required. This is a simplistic explanation, but sufficient for today.
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Usually the tuner, either manual or automatic is placed near the transceiver. This is fine in most cases. If your feed line run is short, it won’t make a difference. But coaxial cable does introduce losses into the antenna system and if your antenna has a high impedance at the feed point, the mismatch will create standing waves, and the elevated SWR can be characterized as power lost in the feed line. Again that’s a simplistic explanation.
So how do we increase the overall efficiency of our antenna system? One method is to move the antenna tuner from the transceiver over to the antenna feedpoint. Situating the tuner at the antenna allows it to deliver the proper impedance match, which will be 50 ohms, to the feed line. Since impedance is matched at the coax, we can run longer pieces of cable without fear of losing energy due to high SWR on the cable.
Now remote tuners are typically used with non resonant antennas, either long wires or verticals. A resonant antenna, like a dipole or end fed half wave should have close to a 50 ohm impedance at the feed point. The tuner located at your transceiver will be used to fix slight mismatches or to extend the bandwidth of your antenna. Remote tuners would be overkill in these situations.
But with, say a 43 foot vertical antenna, the impedance may be between 400 – 900 Ohms. A 9:1 transformer could help knock that down, but using a remote tuner instead, will take whatever impedance the antenna is and deliver a consistent 50 ohms to the feed line, reducing overall system losses.
URT-1 Specifications
The URT-1 covers 1.8 to 54 Mhz and has 16,000 memories for quick recall when tuning. It can match any antenna with an impedance of 5 to 1,500 Ohms. That’s like a 30:1 match. And it can handle up to 125 watts sideband or CW and 60 watts on the digital modes.
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Opening up the box, things may look a little familiar. This tuner is custom manufactured by Mat Tuner for Chameleon. It does look very similar to their MAT 40 remote tuner, but there are some key differences.
The tuner comes in two parts, the first is the coupler box. This connects to the transceiver and to a 12 volt power source. Then your coax cable runs all the way out to the tuner box which sits at the antenna feed point. You will notice that there are not separate control cables for the tuner. Power and tuner control are fed through the coax cable by way of a Bias-T circuit. The benefit to that is that you don’t have to run a second cable to the tuner unit, but the downside is that you need to initiate tunes by pressing the tuning button on the coupler.
The tuner unit is constructed out a aluminum alloy and it weather proof. On the top of the unit is a beehive connector for feeding wire or vertical antennas. On the bottom is a counter poise and ground connector along with two UHF female connectors. One UHF connector connects to your coax run coming from the coupler and the second is for feeding antennas that have a similar SO-239 connection point.
The tuner comes with a set of rails so that you can mount it to a post or board using a pair of U-Bolts. An option 12 volt AC adapter is also available. So what’s different between the URT-1 and the MAT 40 tuner? Namely the addition of a 50 ohm coaxial output port and the removal of the brand specific control cables. The URT-1 is a bit more universal in that the coupler unit will work with just about any brand or model of transceiver.
How to use Use the URT-1
Using the URT-1 is pretty simple. We’ll first connect the coupler to our transceiver. My main antenna, a G5RV, is connected to my LDG auto tuner, so going to put this one onto the 2nd antenna port on my transceiver. A coax jumper goes from the radio to the coupler. The antenna coax is then connected to the other port on the coupler. Finally connect the power. The green power light should glow. If you see the red error light, that means the there is a short circuit somewhere in the coax connection between the coupler and the tuner.
When connecting the tuner, you can not have any devices like switches, diplexers, or meters in the path between the coupler and the tuner. These could cause a short circuit, potentially damaging the tuner or your device.
To initiate a tune, put your transceiver into a constant carrier mode like RTTY. Set the power level to 15 watts or less, briefly hit the tune button, and immediately key the transmitter. Watch the transceiver SWR meter and it will show the resulting SWR when the tuning cycle is complete. Unkey the transmitter. A complete tuning cycle will take five seconds or less.
At this point you can transmit normally. When changing bands, you will reinitiate the tune process. The tuner has 16,000 memories, so once the unit finds a good match, it will remember it for faster subsequent tunes.
Now let’s head outdoors and I’ll show you a couple of ways you can use the remote tuner in your portable amateur radio operations.
My experiences
What are my thoughts on the Chameleon URT-1 remote antenna tuner? First off, I must say that this unit is well constructed. The tuning unit consists of an aluminum alloy body that has a certain amount of heft to it. It wins points on that item alone. Taking this out into the field was a breeze as I didn’t have to run a separate control cable to the tuner for power. Operationally, it tunes fast and had no problem finding a match that was 1.5:1 or less. I think the only time I had issues with it getting a good match was with my 25 foot Franken-tenna on the 15 meter band. In that instance it gave up at about 1.8:1. But with the Frankentenna it did perform quite well on 10, 15, 20, and 40 meters despite the bands not being in the best condition. I made 210 contacts on those bands activating the Mountain Bay state trail, with the bulk of them on the 20 meter band.
Screenshot
With the end fed random wire antenna, I connected the tuner up to UHF connection on the antenna. The addition of the 9:1 transformer with the tuner made for super fast tune times. Every time it found a match at rocket speed. For that activation of Ackley Wildlife Area I ended up with 176 contacts on 10, 12, 15, 17, and 20 meters. The great thing about non resonant antennas is their agility. To switch bands, all I had to do was hit the tune button and I was good to go.
I had the same experience back here at home with the 71 foot non resonant wire. Once it learned the antenna, it would re-tune almost instantly. I was able to get matches with this wire from 10 meters all the way down to 80 meters. Operationally, the antenna performed just as well, maybe a bit better than with my other tuner located at the feed point. This antenna is being fed with 75 feet of RG-8X, so the better match at the feed point does make a difference.
As for things I don’t quite like about the tuner, First off these UHF ports are not labeled, so you need to look at the instructions to determine which goes to the coupler and which goes to the antenna. Also the ports didn’t come with covers. If you are using the bee hive connector, having a cover on the unused UHF port would be nice. I’ve got a friend that 3D printed some, so i did have something that worked. Finally, and probably the biggest, is that you have to press the tune button on the coupler to initiate a tune. If your SWR changes or you change bands, the tuner won’t automatically retune, it needs to be activated. That involves switching to a carrier mode like RTTTY, pressing the tune button, and then transmitting a carrier. Not the worst thing in the world, but also not fully automatic like some brands of remote tuners. But those require a separate control and power cable and up side of this tuner is that you don’t have to run a separate power and control cable to the tuner. Your power runs through the coax, which makes installation a breeze.
But, final words, I’ve been looking for a remote tuner at the hamfests. Everything I’ve seen is overpriced or in bad shape. It’s a bit serendipitous for Chameleon to be sending me this as it opens up the door to a bunch of different antenna configurations that I’ll be able to demonstrate. I’ve got some great ideas to use this tuner with, so you’ll want to stick around for that.
As a bonus, patrons can view the full, unedited phone contacts for this Parks on the Air activation. Visit my page on Patreon for details: https://www.patreon.com/kb9vbrantennas
I do return QSL, if you made a contact with me and would like a QSL, please send me one. Return postage not necessary, but always appreciated. As they say, KB9VBR is ‘good in the book.
Links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay.
CaHRTenna Poseidon is the Coffee and Ham Radio’s take on the popular Rybakov vertical non resonant antenna. Today we’ll talk about Poseidon, show you how to build your own, and put the Greek god of the sea on the air.
Coffee and Ham Radio’s Poseidon is based on an antenna called the Rybakov. That antenna, created by Italian ham IV3SBE about 20 years ago is a non resonant ground ground mounted vertical antenna with a radiating element of 25 feet. At the feed point is a 4:1 unun or transformer to match the 200 ohm impedance the antenna presents. Radials of about a similar length provide the ground network for the antenna. With a tuner, the antenna will operate on the 80 through 6 meter bands, although it gets pretty inefficient on 40 meters and below. Your best performance will be on the higher bands and this style of antenna really excels on 10, 12, and 15 meters. As you get higher in frequency, the RF radiation angle gets lower and lower, making it an excellent DX antenna.
But why the name Rybakov? When IV3SBE designed the antenna, he envisioned it being supported by an 8 meter fishing pole. The antenna’s 25 foot length makes it perfect to deploy with a lightweight mast or fishing pole. Rybakov is Russian for fisherman, so it makes sense to give the fishing pole antenna that name.
Coffee and Ham Radios did send me a Poseidon vertical antenna kit to build and put on the air in exchange for a video. But my opinions are my own and there is no outside influence. So let’s head inside, build this antenna, and then put it on the air.
Screenshot
So what makes Poseidon different? I believe the key difference lies in the transformer. If you look at most 4:1 unun designs, they use a red T200 style toroid. The red toroids work well and offer very good overall efficiency, but a key design element of this antenna was to make is tunable with a transceiver’s internal tuner. That means you will need an SWR that’s 3:1 or less over the entire frequency range the antenna is designed for. Unfortunately the T200 isn’t up to that and you will get higher impedances at the lower frequencies. This green colored iron powder core that’s used in Poseidon offers an overall better impedance matching at a wider range of frequencies, with a slight tradeoff of efficiency. Is the tradeoff worth it? It is if you don’t want to bring an extra piece of gear out into the field. Also consider, lower impedance coming out of the antenna means less losses in your feed line. So overall, its a valid choice to make.
The second consideration with this antenna is that 4:1 transformers can pass along common mode currents, causing the outer shield of your feed line to radiate. This will affect your antenna’s radiation pattern. Proper 4:1 windings will also include a second toroid would as a 1:1 choke. In order to make this antenna easier to build, Poseidon does not use the double toroid winding, instead you will need a choke of some sort on your coaxial cable. Today I’ll be using an integrated choke on my feed line for this antenna.
Dave and I are mobile again for the Wisconsin QSO Party. This time hitting four POTA parks and five counties on our multi-multi-mobile road trip. Will we end up with an epic score or fail miserably?
Team K9M is Michael KB9VBR and Dave KZ9V. This is our second year as mobile operators in the Wisconsin QSO party. If you made contact with K9M during the QSO party and would like a card, please QSL via KB9VBR. As they say, I’m good in the book.
As a bonus, patrons can view the unedited phone contacts for the QSO Party and extended conversations between Dave and I. Visit my page on Patreon for details: https://www.patreon.com/kb9vbrantennas
Links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay.
3 years ago I did a review of the Chameleon Tactical Delta Loop antenna. At that time I had a mediocre feeling towards it. But taking a 2nd look, I am totally impressed on how this amazing antenna performs on the upper bands.
As a bonus, patrons can view the full, unedited phone contacts for this Parks on the Air activation. Visit my page on Patreon for details: https://www.patreon.com/kb9vbrantennas
I do return QSL, if you made a contact with me and would like a QSL, please send me one. Return postage not necessary, but always appreciated. As they say, KB9VBR is ‘good in the book.
Links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay.
The Chameleon CHA Stinger Kit is a versatile solution for a vertical antenna counterpoise or ground plane. The Stinger kit consists of six 48 inch stainless steel elements with all weather banana plugs on one end and a teardrop on the other. The Stingers are a quick deployment option for times in which you may not have the space to put out a conventional radial network, like if you are operating on a patio or deck, or other high traffic areas.
Chameleon antennas recently introduced the Stinger kit. This is billed as a versatile solution for a vertical antenna counterpoise or ground plane The Stinger kit consists of six 48 inch stainless steel elements with all weather banana plugs on one end and a teardrop on the other.
For antennas, like the Chameleon PRV system, you insert the 2 mm banana plugs into the holes of the radial puck that comes with the antenna. For other antennas, like the MPAS 2, an optional 6 port puck is available to convert the antenna counterpoise to the Stinger kit. Stinger kits can be ordered either with or without the puck, depending on if you need that part or not.
The Stingers are a quick deployment option for times in which you may not have the space to put out a conventional radial network, like if you are operating on a patio or deck, or other limited areas.
Performance of the stinger kit is good. Using the 58 inch whip on the Chameleon PRV antenna, I was about to get the SWR down to around 1.5:1 on the 20, 15, and 10 meter bands. Chameleon states that a tuner may be necessary for 40 meter operation in this radial configuration. On air reports were good on those bands.
Similar results were achieved with the MPAS 2 non resonant vertical antenna.
Not stretching out radials, like in limited spaces and high traffic areas may be a benefit to some portable operators, and the Chameleon Stinger Kit offers that convenience and versatility in those situations.
The Chameleon Stinger kit can be found online at chameleonantenna.com. Thank you to Chameleon for sending me a stinger kit for this review. Links to their online store are in the video description.
Links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay.
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