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[KC6RWI]

I have been looking, only looking, at this antenna. One thing I don't understand, they all sit on the ground, the base plate is there on the ground with radials going out.  I thought antennas should be elevated to work well??

[W7XTV]

I have been looking, only looking, at this antenna. One thing I don't understand, they all sit on the ground, the base plate is there on the ground with radials going out.  I thought antennas should be elevated to work well??

Not verticals.  A vertical will work just fine when properly mounted on the ground.  Note I said "properly."  A ground-mounted antenna needs a lot of radials to work well.  32 radials, each the same length as the antenna is high, is a minimum. 

Elevating the antenna even by a foot or two changes the radial requirements to at least two for each band, cut for every band it's designed for.  These radials must never touch the ground.

The same rules apply to non-resonant wires, such as the 43 foot Inverted-L.  Consult a good antenna handbook, such as the one from the ARRL, to get a more detailed description of proper radials for verticals.

[KC6RWI]

Thanks, just great for someone with a small back yard who wants to make the yard even less usable and cover it with radials. I've seen some set ups with half circle radials. I also saw just one picture of the antenna as a chimney mount, I'll go back and take another look to see how the radials were attached. Seems every antenna is compromise unless you have a football field sized yard.

[N8NK]

You can build your own for pretty much free if you can scrounge the parts. If interested, check out the Michigan Cacti on YouTube. The antenna works fantastic- and was free.
Chuck, N8NK

[K4WH]

The idea of the DX commander is not new, but Malcum has done a lot of testing and trials on the idea, and seems to have come up with antennas that work really well for most people.  Go to his web page and to youtube and just spend time reading and watching.  I would say BUY one and FOLLOW his setup to the letter.  Yes you can scavenge the parts etc up, but I will tell you his all ready to go packages are the best way, unless you have built a lot of antennas.  He is also very good at helping people with problems and advice.  If you buy one and it's not your cup of tea, sell it on Eham or QRZ.  I have only seen a handful come up for sale in the past three years, and they sell in less than half day.  SAVE THE BOX AND PACK MATERIAL. I fact save all boxes and packing for your ham gear.  if you want to sell something on the internet you need to pack it right.  Only you can tell if a radio, antenna etc ... is right for you.   All I can say is people really like his products.  Good luck, and have fun.

[KC6RWI]

I did watch one video and something they didn't touch on was the mast, in one picture all closed up it looks like the typical pull up antenna that you would find on a desktop fm broadcast radio,
Of course I know his is much larger but is there a screw or a locking device, I can't see one, that keeps the sections up from collapsing.

[W0CKI]

There are excellent videos on you tube about the DX Commander antenna. If you believe the reviews, they are terrific antennas. I have a Hustler 4BTV vertical, ground mounted with 45 radials in a semi-circle pattern. It works great. Verticals must have radials and needn't be cut to any particular length if the antenna is ground mounted. Not so if mounted above ground. Verticals will work well if you install and tune them properly. Do some research, the answers are out there.
Gary W0CKI

[K8AXW]

RWI:  The mast sections slide up and are twist-locked in place.  If you take the antenna down, you simply twist the sections to un-lock them.

[W4HRL]

Greetings Leonard -

The pole is very similar to the pole Spiderbeam sells. Both are, as you said, pull up telescoping poles with friction fit joints. The joints will hold themselves for a while until sun light heats up the sections and they expand at different rates. It is a good idea to make a more secure joint by either taping (with electrical tape or similar) or with a mechanical clamp (like a hose clamp).

If you use the mechanical approach, be advised you do not clamp the lower (bigger) section over the upper (smaller) section in an attempt to "squeeze" things together.  The proper way to use clamps is to install a clamp on the smaller section just above the joint. This prevents the smaller section from telescoping down into the larger section when the friction fit lets go.

Callum's (DX Commander) current clamping system is a set of very nice resin hose clamp looking thingies with thumb screws. There are pictures on his Website.

W4HRL
Mike in Poquoson VA

[W4HRL]

Seems every antenna is compromise unless you have a football field sized yard.

Every antenna is a compromise, even an 80-foot tower full of Yagis. Most of us have limited something...back yard space, dollars, ability to climb towers...the list can be long. You just have to decide what YOUR limitations are and how to work around them.

If you have space issues, try looking at End Fed Half Wave's like at MyAntennas.com.

https://myantennas.com/wp/product-category/antennas/efhw-multi-band/

No radials needed. And for even a smaller footprint, try installing the EFHW as an Inverted L.  For a 40M antenna (66-foot wire), you can run half of it (33 feet) vertically using a Spiderbeam pole with the other 33-foot half running horizontally over to a tree or other support structure.  Has a small footprint, and with 100 watts, you can truly work a lot of DX.

W4HRL
Mike in Pquoson VA

[KC6RWI]

I already have some end fed antennas, I was going to try a vertical. As you probably know end feds don't have a celebrated acceptance. I watched a utube a british fellow was talking  about the old news about end feds, and his comment was that  television signals were more likely to be disturbed since the had a 45mhz if. Since times have changed this is not a problem anymore.
But there are many who feel that end feds are entry level antennas

[VK3LU]

Download the instruction manual.
It explains it ALL

73
Nev

[WB6BYU]

...As you probably know end feds don't have a celebrated acceptance...

You do need to be careful about generalizing about "end-fed antennas",
as there are several different types with very different characteristics.

For example, the DX Commander and other quarter wave verticals
are "end-fed antennas".  So is a 5/8 wave 2m vertical on your car,
or a J-pole, as well as the towers used by most AM BC stations.

The primary differences are the length (in wavelengths), the matching
network used (or lack thereof), the ground system, and how the
antenna is installed.  If you pay attention and choose these carefully,
you can get very good performance, or certainly good enough.
Otherwise, you more or less take pot luck as to how well it
fits with your operating style and preferences.

Sometimes the simplicity of a single wire you can use on multiple
bands with little thought is more important than performance.
Others may prefer to optimize their antenna instead.  That is
simply a matter of personal preference, of what factors are most
important for you and which ones you are willing to compromise
on.  It's your choice, not anyone else's.

[VK3LU]

I should have been more specific.
Go to dxcommander.com and click on User Guide.

Nev

[KC6RWI]

Thanks, I read somewhere, maybe on reviews that there is no paper owners manual.
I have read on eham comments that call an end fed an entry level antenna or worse.


Thats why I always have a counter poise on both ends of my end fed ... thats a joke