| DG7JX |
Rating:  |
2021-01-31 | |
| Not good, not bad, just ok. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I own the CHA Hybrid-mini version. Together with 18m of wire and some counterpoise it works OK. Not great, not bad - just ok.
Dipoles work better on the lower bands, and quarterwave vertical groundplanes work better on the higher bands.
I think it's a very good compromise antenna. You can tune in to almost every frequency, and so you are ready to go on almost every ham radio band.
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| K9GRP |
Rating: |
2019-07-24 | |
| CHA-HYBRID |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
My QTH is in the KC Metro area. I have HOA restrictions and am limited to wire antennas. I normally use dipole's cut to specific bands, but wanted to experiment with a multi-band wire antenna.
I use the CHA-Hybrid in a flat-top, end-fed configuration. My radiator is 55' long and sits at 15' above ground. I've got a counterpoise of similar length on the ground beneath the radiator. I also wound some coax into an air-core choke that is on the ground below the feed-point. The coax is wound eight times about six inches across. Prior to making the choke, I had RF in the shack. This is no longer the case.
I'm using an ICOM IC-7300 with an LDG AT100-Pro II tuner.
I have contacts from coast to coast in the lower 48 on the following bands:
6M
10M
15M
17M
20M
40M
80M
My SWR rarely goes above 1:5 and never reaches 2.
This is a compromise antenna. I have no DX contacts with it, and my dipoles out-perform it in every way. But as my secondary antenna, given it's multi-band capabilities, I'm ecstatic with it's performance. I have the CHA-MIL 2.0 whip on order so that I can experiment with a vertical configuration.
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| N1NQ |
Rating: |
2017-05-03 | |
| Hybrid Mini |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Can't beat it, stealthy, compact, great construction. Works better than other verticals that I have used.
I now use it as part of a phased array. |
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| WG9O |
Rating: |
2017-03-13 | |
| Mini Hybrid |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| I have a mini hybrid with an RF choke setup as a sloper. Works well for me since I have HOA restrictions. |
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| K2LAX |
Rating: |
2017-03-12 | |
| Multi-Wire Experiment Works |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I have my setup using 3 wires from a single CHAMELEON HYBRID. 2 Wires run East-West 41' & 18' length from 12' AGL 50' AGL , and a North-South 92' wire from 12' AGL to 65' AGL. I cover 6-160 meters with an acceptable non-tuned SRW below 2.5 that my ACOM 1010 amplifier easily is tuned to. See contact map on QRZ.COM
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Earlier 5-star review posted by K2LAX on 2016-09-19
The hybrid micro is permanently mounted on my garage peak at 15' from ground. I am running 2 wires to a tree at about 45'. I have a pulley system on tree to raise and lower antenna for maintenance. After experimenting exhaustively with various wire lengths my latest install has got me on all bands without need for tuner. Long wire is 42', short wire is 25'. I use pec for spacing of 1'. Wire run NE>SW. Getting great signal reports with only 100W!! |
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| KG7OOM |
Rating: |
2017-03-12 | |
| GReat antenna, well made |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
Made the big mistake getting the PVC competitor's model prior to getting my first Chameleon Antenna. With the Chameleon Antenna, I am able to get a far much-improved signal. The quality of materials and the craftsmanship truly shows that Chameleon pays close attention to detail.
Components are of high and durable quality. They are light enough to carry in your backpack for SOTA missions.
With this antenna, I was able to make a contact 2300 miles away from my QTH within 10 minutes of setting everything up and sitting in front of my portable rig. My QTH has a lot of noise and with the competitors model, I could not hear anything while up at 28 ft from the ground. Upon installing my Chameleon, 28 ft up in the back yard by using my aluminum pole mast, I am able to hear stations down in the noise. With some tweaking on the knobs of my rig, I am able to make out what the other station is saying thus adding another QSO to my log.
Chameleon antennas are reasonably priced and made of quality lasting materials. You will not regret getting one.
I am sold on Chameleon. Well made antennas. I will be trying out one of the mag loops soon.
Thank you Chameleon for the great products. |
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| N4KGL |
Rating: |
2016-01-01 | |
| Rugged and Versatile |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
| I operate outdoors portable and sometimes moveable (Rapid Deployment Amateur Radio aka RaDAR). I have used the CHA Hybrid Micro in conjunction with several other Chameleon products. That gives me lots of versatility. I took an opportunity to buy the Hybrid on special. It handles more power than the Hybrid Micro so I do not have to worry about running 100 watts CW. The size is larger than the Hybrid Micro but it has not been an issue. There many possible configurations outlined in the Chameleon user manual. I had good luck with the base and the Hybrid base on the beach recently. I use it with the internal tuner on my Elecraft KX3 and the LDG external tuner for my Icom 7100. I would take a look at this antenna for RaDAR, EMCOMM,and Field Day use. |
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| N4DOV |
Rating: |
2015-12-30 | |
| 4 years permanent installation |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
FOR 4 YEARS, I have had a Chameleon Vertical Antenna hidden in a large tree next to my home. Chameleon Hybrid Base with a vertical element of 16ft 8inches (Chameleon Mil-whip and 6ft extension sealed and wrapped and taped green) with 4 X 25ft counterpoises.
PERFORMANCE from my various Chameleon Antennas has been exemplary. Nearly 1000, mostly phone QSOs and 70 countries. Compares very favorably to my other antennas. 1-2 S units against my beam and dipole usually.
THE CHAMELEON ANTENNA company produces high end quality products. I have reviewed the antennas before and been active on the various forums and been accused of being a spokesman or owner of the company "in disguise". This I consider an honor!
FINALLY, I do own a lot of Chameleon products, because they work exceedingly well for me. Also I use a variety of configurations for Portable and QRP, including Hybrid Mini, V1L elements, often as a V-Dipole with the Chameleon Transmatch.
CARL, KI6TRA, the owner, is like his products, a quality person, innovative, helpful, always available to answer any questions and supports his products to the highest standards in the industry. A real joy to buy from.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by N4DOV on 2013-01-16
Some of us seem to have good success with our Chameleon products. I am fully aware that this for me is a compromise antenna and I am sure expectations, location, setup, power amongst many things plays a part in ones success. A few seem to struggle with contacts, so I decided to look at those bands where for me the Chameleon is my exclusive antenna, mainly 12 and 17 meters. I have made contacts on 10, 15, 20, and 40 as well, but do use my other antennas also. I should add that I was using a commercial WARC vertical, but it was too noisy and replaced it with the Chameleon set-up. So getting back to my Chameleon contacts on 12 and 17 meters, these are my SSB/phone results over a 9 month period :
17 meters: 710 contacts
12 meters: 147 contacts
17 meters 100 watts or less : 77 countries
100 watts or less : 36 states
total with amplifier: 97 countries
total with amplifier: 39 states
12 meters 100 watts or less : 35 countries
total with amplifier: 54 countries
My contacts include all the continents (the Far East and the Pacific being harder from my location, most require the amplifier). All contacts SSB/phone (last time I had a CW contact was about 1994 I think) - I am not a DX or State chaser, just a ragchewer. These contacts are with my various Chameleon configurations, but mostly with hybrid-V1 base-milwhip. My latest is hybrid-32 inch extension-V1L base-caphat-milwhip, which puts the length at 17 foot, all hidden in the trees, at about 14 foot above ground with 4 elevated counterpoises. I have used up to 500 watts power, without any problems.
I hope all have success, there is no perfect antenna for many of us with some form of restrictions, but the Chameleon Hybrid has exceded my expectations and the money spent for me, has been very worthwhile.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by N4DOV on 2012-06-04
I have written a number of reviews of Chameleon products. I have no involvement or personally know the company, however they have taken quite a bit of money from me in return for their products, which have allowed me to enjoy restricted radio activities. Needless to say, I am thus biased! Thus as new products hit the market, I try them.
This review is about the Chameleon-hybrid impedance matching network base with the new V1L( the core of which is made from aerospace alloy, not fiberglass) base section with the new Chameleon Capacitance Cap and "topped" off with the Chameleon Mil-Whip (also made from aerospace alloy). This is the longest Chameleon non-wire antenna setup, about 15 foot in length, which I have mounted to the eave of my roof at 14 feet above the ground in a semi-permanent fashion. Can be taken down in a few minutes and be reconfigured for portable or mobile use vey quickly.
The antenna is very durable and so far has withstood a number of storms and winds. Of all the different Chameleon antenna setups, this is the most successful for me. With some power I can hold a frequency for a couple of hours bands being open of course.DX contacts and rag-chewing is a daily event even on some of the worst days/conditions.On occassion, I have used up to 800 watts without problem and with low SWR is easily tuned if needed. Now it is easy to Dx to Europe from the east coast, but today I had contact with India on SSB/phone on 20 meters. Antenna works well on 10 and 12 meters (not much activity though)15, 17(where for me it really shines), 20 and at times 40 meters (my 31ft wire fishing-pole Chameleon-Hybrid base antenna does better). Some may say I have spent a lot of money on something I can cheaply homebrew, well I cannot produce such a well made good looking combination and that works so well and that can be permanent, portable or mobile (with the V1L upper element).
P.S. I have never got results from a coat hangar or noodle !
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Earlier 5-star review posted by N4DOV on 2012-03-31
There are about 100 reviews in the last 2 years about Chameleon Antennas. Why?. I do not believe there are any other antennas that are so small yet so big on performance.
I have had so much fun and amazing success with different configurations of the V1/V11/hybrid. I have had 100s of contacts with Europe, North Africa, South Africa, Pacific and Australia with 100 watts and the Chameleon.
But it is the Hybrid series with the V1 base and a 8ft whip that has been the best. Have it attached with angle iron to the eve of my roof at 14 feet and hidden in the trees in a densely and closely populated neighborhood, with 4 counterpoise wires and well grounded.
Sure its easy to Dx from the east coast , but in recent bad conditions and a 100 watts I have been very successful as well frequent stateside contacts. On rare occasions have used up to 800 watts without any problems.
The antenna is quieter than my my 34ft long rotatable dipole and Warc-vertical and hears the same or 1-2s units better depending on the band. The antenna covers 6-160m with low SWR easily handled by any tuner.
This is the perfect antenna for those in restricted neighborhoods, or for those looking for an easy antenna setup, or portable or mobile use, and makes an incredible receiving antenna as well.
Sure its not a yagi or a 43ft vertical with 40 ground radials, but why this 12ft vertical with hybrid base works so well, has dumbfounded me, but I am enjoying the "magic"!. Maybe sometimes size does not matter ! |
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| CRACKERJOHN |
Rating: |
2015-11-24 | |
| Great antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I moved to a HOA and couldn't put up an antenna. My friend suggested this antenna. It was easy to put up and my first contact was California. I wish I found this antenna years ago. |
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| MONITORNUT |
Rating: |
2015-09-26 | |
| Fantastic! Chameleon Antennas Rock |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I am using the CH Hybrid + V2L lower + Cap Hat + another 8.5' Mil type antenna and 4 counterpoise wires on a 6' camera tripod.
Let me start out by saying I've tried many different antennas and NONE have worked like the Chameleon Hybrid setup I now have. I also use an antenna tuner as I tune around a lot as a ham/utility dx'er, however, after I put this antenna system together I don't use it as much anymore. The Hybrid is built extremely well and is waterproof, will last a lifetime, the magic is inside the hybrid base, I no longer need to tune my antenna tuner each time I move around the bands. It provides great SWR on its own, less than 3:1 SWR anywhere I tune, 40m and above is less than 2:1 on average, now I only tune when I'm prepared to sit on a specific frequency. I never thought I could just search the bands to find a QSO or distant DX without having to constantly tune the antenna to get a better signal.
I am very pleased to say that I logged in the farthest DX I have EVER received on 17 meters shortly after setting everything up, a very rare catch out of Singapore, all I was thinking afterward is why I didn't use this antenna from Chameleon Antennas long ago, it is well worth the investment. I now hear distant signals from Australia, New Zealand and all over the world.
This antenna is setup in a small townhome backyard between wifes roses on a 6' tri-pod, the only part showing is part of the vertical whip but blends in after it peeks out of her rose tree, no one really notices it. 2 of the 4 counterpoise wires are spread out, other 2 are rolled up and set on the ground behind a couple evergreen bushes. One is along the fence about 6" off the ground and other is 90 degrees apart along the same height off the ground, 50' of RG8X coax is run into the shack from the hybrid base, which by the way is attached to the tripod with their jawmount, very well built.
This setup produces very little noise, I am all ears finally. I am not a ham, just a hard core monitoring post and have been for many many years, one day I will stop procrastinating and get my ham license, then I can transmit with this setup as well.
If you need to be stealthy this is the setup to consider. The antenna has been setup since July and I don't plan on touching it until I need to. If I was able, the only thing I would do to make it even better is get it higher in the air, I may press my luck and see if I can get away with it in the future but I am over the moon happy the way it is and would recommend Chameleon Antenna Company to others, they are great to deal with and build a solid product.
You can see pictures of my hidden antenna in my wife's garden on the Yahoo Group ChameleonAntenna, I am listed there as ronm67 and pictures are in the attachment section or search for my posts back in July 2015. Thank you for reading my post.
BTW, I am not affiliated with this company, just extremely happy with their product and want others in my situation to know there is a solution without compromise. MonitorNut |
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