Paul is that 25 footer stainless steel?
de KB9BVN
Brian
On 3/26/2025 12:47 PM, Paul Quillen
N4LCD via groups.io wrote:
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Chameleon also has a 25¡¯ extendable whip
for $100.
Also available at DX Engineering with free
shipping due to price.
Very well built.
?
?
?
The Chameleon whips are built pretty well
at the bottom. The early MFJ whips were quite fragile, but
the later ones were much better. The Chameleons are still
built better than the MFJ items..............
73 de Lee KX4TT
On
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 06:39:40 PM EDT, MIKE N6ZW
via groups.io <n6zw@...>
wrote:
Those
are the same that MFJ used to sell before they
went closed their doors. I use one for several
HB antennas and it works very well alone. You
can even base load one easily.? 73,? Mike n6zw
On
03/25/2025 3:28 PM PDT Dave AB7E via groups.io
<ab7echo@...>
wrote:
I
forgot to include the link to the SS17 whip:
The pictures in the first review are mine
(Alice is my wife's name).
Dave? AB7E
-------- Forwarded Message --------
Except
that the AX1 isn't enough of a vertical to
actually act like a short vertical.? If you
model an AX1 and look at the current
distribution you will see that most of it is
in the counterpoise wire.? To be honest, the
AX1 whip is mostly a convenient lossy tank
circuit to act as a counterpoise for the
counterpoise wire ... or in some case, the
shield of the coax feedline.
I know how to use EZNEC.? I've used it
continually since 1993 or so when it was still
called ELNEC, and I'm actually a big fan of
vertical antennas for portable operation.? My
choice, though, is the Chameleon SS17
collapsible whip with elevated radials.? My
version weighs about 3.5 pounds ... with steel
stakes ... and I can set it up in less than
ten minutes.
An an end fed wire doesn't have to be very far
off the ground to avoid being a worm warmer.?
Why do you think elevated radials work when
they are only a foot or two off the ground???
I'm not actually a big fan of end fed wire
antennas, but for portable use I don't think
they can be beat for performance, size,
weight, or cost.? I wish I had an AX1 to
compare against various alternatives using
WSPR, but I'm not willing to spend the money
on one just to prove ... or disprove, if that
should be the case ... my point.? Curiously,
almost nobody who owns an AX1 has bothered to
do a similarly rigorous A-vs-B comparison
either.? Presumably, like you, they don't
really care as long as "it works".
Dave?? AB7E
On
3/25/2025 2:44 PM, Dan N7CQR via groups.io
wrote:
I¡¯ve
used this strategy on bare summits above
3-4000 feet with some success. Unfortunately
at sea level or low elevation you¡¯re just
warming the earthworms. Any type of short
vertical with an elevated radial will
provide a decent takeoff angle. You can
model this in EZNEC. A good resource for
using short verticals effectively are the
writings of Jerry Severns for the ARRL
Antenna handbook or the website for antenna
¡®guru¡¯ LB Cebik.?
On
Mar 25, 2025, at 12:42, Dave AB7E via
groups.io <AB7Echo@...>
wrote:
You
should try the EFRW sometime just laying
on the ground, or maybe laying across a
rock.? I'll say again ... most of the
radiating from an AX1 comes from either
the counterpoise or the shield of the
coax (if not using a common mode choke),
and for the majority of uses either of
those are lying on or very near the top
of the ground.? The surface of most
"ground" isn't an RF ground, and if the
soil is dry or fairly non-conductive the
actual RF ground is probably several
feet below the surface.? Not sure what
the ground characteristic in the Orkneys
is, though.
Dave??
AB7E
On
3/25/2025 12:18 PM, Dan N7CQR via
groups.io wrote:
I
forgot to mention that I also carry a
EFRW in my little bag,that of course
is more efficient than almost short
loaded vertical. Mine is Adam¡¯s K6ARK
clever design that incorporates a 9:1
balun into the BNC connector. But you
have to have either a tree or a pole
to toss it into. If you¡¯ve been to the
Orkneys you know that there¡¯s not many
trees there¡?
On
Mar 25, 2025, at 11:22, Dan N7CQR
via groups.io <N7CQR@...>
wrote:
It¡¯s
a matter of trade offs that each
operator is willing to make. No
doubt that other larger antennas
can be more efficient,but how much
are you willing to pack around?
Last summer I made a trip to the
Orkney Islands,and you are
definitely limited in how much
baggage you can bring on a very
small plane. . Wanting to get some
radio time in,it¡¯s an easy
decision to bring my small bag and
still have room for clothing and
other essentials. And I
successfully got on the air with
the AX1 at 5W. Worked 10 countries
in one 45 minute session. For me
that¡¯s a good trade off. ?Back
home I use the best antenna I can
reasonably carry. Lately I¡¯ve been
using the Chelegance MC 750
vertical which is a full 1/4 wave
on 20-10 Meters with the KH1 and
having excellent results. It
breaks down into a relatively
small package-but still nothing
I¡¯d ever fly or take a longer hike
with. We have so many great
options these days.?
--
72 de KB9BVN
Brian KB9BVN