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 CHA Stinger Kit:
https://chameleonantenna.com/shop-here/ols/products/cha-stinger-kit-d/v/CHA-STINGER-KIT-KIT
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.
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The post Portable Ham Radio: Chameleon CHA Stinger Kit Review appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.
I have to be 100% honest, with you, my readers. When I did that activation of K-1635 Washington Rock State Park a few weekends ago, I was less than enthused with Elecraft's bipod holder for the AX1. Maybe I didn't set it up correctly, but it seemed a little bit wobbly and wonky to me. That plastic clip that holds the antenna is tight and secure for now; but after repeated use, I can't but help think that it's going to loosen up and become less secure. Elecraft does supply an additional one at the time you purchase the bipod, but ultimately, I think the contact area between antenna and clip is a not enough to be effective over the long run. ESPECIALLY when you add on the 40 Meter extender - there's just too much mass to rely on that little clip doing the job all on its lonesome.
Sometime during that next week, while thinking if I could come up with a better solution myself, a little voice in my head said "Google is your friend". I proceeded to Google "AX1 antenna holder" and that led me to https://tufteln.com/ which is owned and operated by Joshua Ellis, N5FY. it was there that I saw and purchased his idea of what an AX1 holder should be. His solution was a lot more elegant than anything I could dream up.
It's a product of 3d printing. The selling price was quite reasonable and shipping was faster than I would have expected. If you're like me, and you're not quite 100% satisfied with the Elecraft solution, do yourself a favor and go over to Josh's webpage. Besides this antenna holder, he has a variety of nifty products with the portable operator in mind.
It comes in two pieces for easy storage:
The cylindrical upright piece is threaded, as is the hole in the base. This is not a press-fit combo that will wear out after many uses. The two pieces screw together to mate securely.
This is what it looks like with the antenna in place. I like that the antenna is supported for a good length and not by that single contact point at the connector assembly.
In actual practice, I find it easiest to mount the antenna to the KX3 first and then slide on the holder.
The back right leg of the KX3 actually rests on the base, which adds to the stability. And the stand/holder disassembles easily enough and fits nicely in that zippered case that I acquired for the AX1.
Disclaimer - I have no connection with Josh, or TUFTELN.US - I'm just a satisfied customer and think that some of you out there might like his solution as well.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
I head to Council Grounds State Park (POTA K-1447) to test the new Chameleon LEFS 4010 end fed half wave antenna system. The LEFS or Light Weight Antenna System is a versatile EFHW HF antenna with tuner-free operation on 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters and can be used with a tuner on 60, 30, 17, and 12 meters. This lightweight antenna is specially good for low power, or QRP, operation and is small enough to be carried in your pack for portable POTA and SOTA adventures.
Chameleon LEFS 4010 Lightweight End Fed Sloper Antenna: https://chameleonantenna.com/shop-here/ols/products/cha-lefs-4010/v/CHA-LEFS-4010-NO-CX
My favorite amateur radio gear: https://amzn.to/3QXrYgz
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The post New and Improved! Chameleon LEFS 4010 EFHW Antenna appeared first on KB9VBR Antennas.
Are you looking for a super compact, portable QRP transceiver for your BOTA, POTA or SOTA ham radio operations? Then read on and watch DL2MAN’s video about his (tr)uSDX non-clone QRP transceiver.
Since I recently got a Venus-Tech SW-3B, I had not paid much attention to the (tr)uSDX rig from DL2MAN/PE1NNZ until now. YES! I am a BIG sucker for QRP stuff and just had to add one of these pocket sized rigs to my QRP stable. So, I pulled the trigger and placed my order for an assembled rig with AliExpress. AliExpress was listed as one of DL2MAN’s Where to Buy recommendations.
The (tr)uSDX is a 5-band, multi-mode transceiver that packs an efficient class E PA and supports CW/LSB/USB/AM/FM. It covers by default 80/60/40/30/20m (alternative filter setups possible). What sets it apart from the tons of clones is that every unit sold has its own serial number. To download the firmware upgrade you must enter your serial number and call sign into the web site. Your unique firmware will then be loaded into the radio, and your call will be displayed on the screen.
Sharing DL2MAN’s video about his design, operation and features of his (tr)uSDX transceiver might be valuable for those who want to learn more about it or considering one of these pocket transceivers for themselves. DL2MAN has a bunch of videos about his design on his YouTube channel.
The (tr)uSDX is a super pocket-sized QRP transceiver designed by Guido (PE1NNZ) and Manuel (DL2MAN) that has been widely anticipated by the amateur radio community. The transceiver boasts up to 5 watts output power, CW, SSB, FM, and AM modes, a built-in microphone, five bands (80, 60, 40, 30, and 20 meters), a super compact and lightweight form factor, and an open-source hardware and software design.
Based on the web search results, it is clear that the (tr)uSDX is a pocket-sized QRP transceiver capable of working multiple modes on 5 bands at 5 watts, and weighing less than 5 ounces. It has a Micro USB CAT and Programming Interface, and can create 0.5W Output from 5V USB Supply alone. It typically draws 80mA on RX and 500mA on TX at 13.8V with 85% PA Efficiency. The small size of the (tr)uSDX makes it excellent for portable work, and it can be used for CW, SSB, and digital ops as well.
One notable aspect of the (tr)uSDX is that it is an open source project and available for a very reasonable price. According to one review, the assembled transceiver is sold below the $150 price point, which is impressive given its capabilities.
Overall, the (tr)uSDX appears to be a powerful and portable transceiver that can be used for a variety of modes and bands, and is available at a very reasonable price point. Its open source design also allows for customization and modification, making it a popular choice among radio enthusiasts.
In April 2012 I reported on this site that Acom had announced a new amplifier. At the time, I had an Acom 1000 and in the comments, I said “I don’t think I’ll be swapping my Acom 1000 for an Acom 1500 any time soon!”. Technically I was correct, it wasn’t any time soon. In […]
The post Acom 1500 HF+6M Linear Amplifier user review first appeared on QSO365.QSOs made: 2,022DXCC entities worked: 141New DXCC entities worked: 4Total DXCC worked and confirmed: 286 Solar cycle 25 is really starting to ramp up now and this is demonstrated clearly by the fact that for the first time in many years, the country I’ve worked the most is the USA with 436 QSOs. Unsurprisingly, 15m is […]
The post Review of 2022 first appeared on QSO365.Heil Pro-Set Ear Pad Replacements. After seven months of use, I have to say these ear pad replacements are much better than the stock Heil ear pads!
The post Heil Pro-Set Ear Pad Replacements first appeared on N0UN.net.I’ll kick off with the statistics for the whole of 2021 and then go into the details. QSOs made: 8,265Unique QSOs made: 5,776Average QSOs per day: 22.6Days missed: 0 <- This is the most important statistic, it means that QSO365 #3 was a success. DXCC entities worked: 168New DXCC entities worked: 1Total DXCC worked and […]
The post QSO365 #3 is complete – Ten QSOs per day in 2021 first appeared on QSO365.Blog Type: Gear review
Gear: Ultra Lightweight HexBeam Antenna
Manufacturer: G3TXQ UK
Website: https://www.g3txq-hexbeam.com
Executive summary;
Recommend: Yes
If you’ve read any of my blogs you might have picked up that for better or worse most of my radio operating is away from home and quite often atop a mountain. While mountains are wonderful places, a competitive, loud and effective station is generally hard to bring in my back pack. With that I happened quite serendipitously into the idea and world of swapping my backpack for the hold of a plane and the mountain for an exotic destination such as a Caribbean island. However, planes are great but as most know not super generous with seat size nor baggage allowance. With this in mind small and light become keywords in my journey forward.
A radio station is made up of many parts, all contributing to it’s overall success. Simplistically, a failure of any one could spell disaster suggesting all components are created equal but for many the advice is simple; get the best antenna you can, as high up as you can! In a world of equals, antennas are first amongst equals.
Antennas come in various shapes, sizes and more importantly designs. For transmit antennas (because receive can be treated as a separate class) it’s typically about efficiency and directivity. Both of these usually come at a price; size, as in big, large, heavy and potentially unwieldily.
After searching, reading and talking to people, I settled on a style that is more wire than metal tubes and relatively straightforward to assemble/dissemble. Once settled on a wire type the field narrowed to two contenders; the UK manufactured G3TXQ and the German manufactured SpiderBeam (German). While not identical both have great reputations but differ in size (and hence gain/directivity) and in the end I went local and opted for the one that is smaller and Welsh.
Baggage over 62″ is excessive
I have to admit that despite having travelled over two million miles as a baggage minimalist, I never realized that 62″ linear inches was significant in the baggage world. Adding width, height and length of a bag and yielding a number greater than 62″ you are almost certainly handing over hundreds of dollars in excessive baggage fee for each journey.
The HexBeam elements are all around 39″ long leaving a very manageable 23″ for width and height.
Ingenous design
Weighing in at around 13 lbs and ultimately having a wing span around 20 ft, the design is a marvel of simple assembly through the use of fiber glass poles, wire and high strength string/cord.
Borrowing lush lawns and eventually desert landscape
Having very little and of my own, I’m always “persuading” friends to either loan me space or better still space plus a set of hands. With the final result up at 30 ft and occupying space left and right, two or even three people seem the minimum to safely deploy. It seemed unlikely in my mind that I would ever be doing it alone but that was until early 2020 and the relentless onset of Covid changed our whole perspective of socializing and close proximity.
Soggy grass and pub food
If you follow the River Tweed east along the Scottish Border you aren’t far from a gem of the Lowlands and my destination is Jedburgh to borrow Pete’s (MM0INE) hands and back garden. We have happily done this exercise before with verticals and understandably today is about getting the HexBeam assembled and then atop the mast.
Assembly is easy, intuitive and straighforward
The antenna comes with a very useable set of instructions. It’s interesting to watch the antenna take shape. Circling it you slot arms into other arms, circle again I connect cord from arms ends to the top of the central part, circle again adding more arms, attaching more cords until you eventually thread up to 6 pre cut wires covering 6, 10, 12, 15, 17 and 20m. The biggest takeaway was the need for something to hold the antenna vertical while I circled and add to it. First attempt this was Pete’s job but subsequently I have used different supports and for my October 2020 CQP outing had settled on a step ladder.
Second attempt included Keith GM4JKZ and this time coax and a radio. My first contact was fittingly over the Atlantic that body of water that connects my birth country to adopted country. Matt, K0BBC had access to a stunning 4 over 4 over 4 20m stack of Yagis. If he count hear me I suspect no one could but fortunately we both sounded like neighbors chatting over a hedge which you can hear below.
Great SWR and happy faces
Conclusion
The G3TXQ HexBeam is an excellent contest, Field Day or Suitcase DXPedition choice. Robust, great performance, simple to deploy and best of all the wires approach yields a resonant antenna (no ATU needed) for all 6 bands (20/17/15/12/10/6) that has no traps or other paraphernalia that drag down its efficiency.
While I haven’t mentioned it’s support, I used a SpiderBeam 10m aluminum push up mast that I will write about in a separate post but its a winner and easily allows a rotator to be used that will turn the HexBeam through 360 degrees. As a UK manufactured antenna and I commiserate with my M, MM, MW brethren on the 400w national limit, I’ve used it with 700w in the US with no issue and suspect it would easily handle 1500w.
Hats off to Anthony David MWØJZE the current owner, refiner and manufacture of the HexBeam. No regrets buying it and look forward to using it more in 2021 and beyond. Read my upcoming California QSO Party participation as W6E using the HexBeam to turn in a very respectable score with Scott N6MI.
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