Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: CHAMELEON EMCOMM II

Category: Antennas: HF Portable (not mobile)

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : CHAMELEON EMCOMM II
Reviews: 36MSRP: 125
Description:
Portable (or Base Station) HF Antenna
1.8-54 MHz

The CHA EMCOMM II Antenna has been specially designed for backup
emergency HF system or permanent installation.

It is the perfect backup antenna for apartments, condominiums, homeowners
associations, deed restrictions and CCRs (Covenants, Conditions &
Restrictions), ARES, RACES, MARS, EMCOMM, NVIS, First Responders and
especially for Emergency Preparedness.

The unit is totally waterproof. The antenna is 60’ long and covers 6M to
160M. An external tuner is required.

The antenna will perform very well with a sloper or an inverted “V”
configuration. For a NVIS configuration (40M – 80M) the antenna must be
installed horizontally with the ground and elevated between 9’ and 12’ high.

The CHA EMCOMM II do not required any ground- plane.

Specifications:
Frequency: 6M - 160M
Power: 500W SSB
RF Connection: PL-259
VSWR: Subject to configuration
Length: 60’
Weight: 1 Lb.
Mounting Configuration: None

The antenna system consists of:

1 X CHA EMCOMM II matching box 1 X 60’ wire
Product is in production
More Info: http://chameleonantenna.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00365
N1WMM Rating: 2015-09-30
Well Constructed Antenna Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I use this antenna on a small lot in Ohio and have had lots of fun making contacts on 40 meters. Great stealth antenna mounted only about 25 feet high. Neighbors have not noticed it. CCR neighborhood
K5HTB Rating: 2015-09-30
Great for NVIS Time Owned: N.A.
Another fine product from Chameleon. I used this antenna for Field Day in the horizontal configuration about 10 feet off the ground. A number of NVIS contacts were completed on 40 meters. I have also used it inverted V with good results.

Travis
K5HTB
AI1J Rating: 2015-09-13
Very Nice and Easy to Install Antenna Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Installed in the Sloper configuration at an approximately angle of 45 degrees with 70' of coaxial transmission line. Easy to install.

Measured antenna characteristics using a RigExpert antenna analyzer. SWR at the receiver is as follows: 160M < 4, 80M < 5, 40M < 3.5, 30M < 3, 20M < 3, 17M < 2, 15M ~ 2, 12M < 3.5, 10M ~ 2
Kenwood TS-590SG had no problem tuning on all bands utilizing the internal antenna tuner. I've been impressed with the capability to transmit and receive.
TA3ON Rating: 2015-05-31
Easy and practical Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am using Emcomm II more then a year, and happy. It is not better than a simple delta loop antenna but it can be tune for all the bands easly (1.8 - 28mHz). Very practical and can be setup easly nearly for all the positions in anywhere. I am living an apartment 4/9 floor. I extended free side the antenna to the other building that near me and it is working very good between the buildings. Thank you very much!
W1CAL Rating: 2015-02-21
Outstanding Antenna! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I was inactive for appx 10 years after I sold all my gear. So I decided to give amateur radio one more try and I treated myself to an FTDX3000. I thought I would give the EMCOMM II a try after reading the reviews and considering it would be easy to install and get back on the air. I also picked up a Rigexpert AA54 antenna analyzer so I could see the swr on the various bands, besides it was on sale for a very nice price.

Probably the best 3 radio items I have ever purchased. The EMCOMM went up easy as could be. It's about 12 feet off the ground. I hooked up the AA54 and found the swr to be very nice across all bands. Under 3:1 on all bands, under 2:1 on most bands and under 1.5:1 on a few of the bands. All well within the capabilities of the internal tuner of my FTDX3000. My plan was to put up a hex beam in the spring, but the EMCOMM II works so well I'm not even going to bother with a hex beam.

I do want to put up a second EMCOMM II perpendicular to the one I'm currently using. Switching between the two would give me a choice as to my coverage at any given time. This is the easiest antenna to install and the performance is astonishing, well at least from my location. Very pleased with this antenna.
W4SKB Rating: 2014-12-31
Interoperability Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Bought this antenna to be used with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency Interop mobile communications trailer. We have two HF amateur transceivers along with VHF/UHF/D-Star capability operating alongside all the VHF/UHF/800Mhz Public Safety equipment. We have a coaxial cable connection on a bulkhead on the roof of the trailer which allows for quick deployment in the field.
The amateur radio equipment is used for both ARES and MARS operations in support of GEMA.
Excellent antenna and we will probably purchase a second unit for another Interop trailer stationed in South Georgia.
AG6YK Rating: 2014-12-23
Excellent construction, good price Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
The EMCOMM II, like all Chameleon antennas, is built to the highest standards of quality and construction. Tuning this antenna is a sheer joy, even in a compromised setting (HOA restricted) I can easily get down to 1.1:1 on all the bands except 160M, which is only 1.5:1! Without the tuner I see less than 3:1 over the entire HF spectrum so this little gem will work with internal tuners as well as external. Very quiet antenna also. I hope to be able to spoof the neighborhood watchdogs soon and raise the antenna to a height where it can really shine. One more thing: When you buy this antenna, you are also buying some of the BEST customer service I have ever received. Carl, the owner responds to e-mails very quickly, sometimes within an hour. He is also not the type to say "You bought it, your problem now". He will work with you if you are having troubles and really cares about his customers. I will definitely be buying more Chameleon products in future and will tell anybody they are worth every penny!

73s,
Bob C.
KV4AN Rating: 2014-08-17
Simple and right sized Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought the EMCOMM II along with the Tactical Dipole so I would have a simple portable antenna if I didn't have time to put up the full Tactical Dipole. Unlike many of the portable antennas I have tried (or built), where you almost need an antenna analyzer to get them setup every time, this antenna has an amazing matching transformer that gives a good enough SWR that either the internal tuner in my FTdx3000 or my Elecraft T1 will always tune from 160 to 10. The 60 foot wire length is an good compromise between size and performance. I also use a 25 foot counterpoise and in either an inverted "L" or sloping wire (fed at bottom) and both configurations provide good results. This antenna is perfect for hams living in HOAs.
KE7ET Rating: 2014-06-30
CHA EMCOMM II really works Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
EMCOMM II works great!
The matching unit works on this one whereas it did not let me tune on the other one. I am using the CHA RF choke on the end of the matching unit followed by a 30 ft. run of high quality double shielded RG-8X coax.
This one is put up as an NVIS 9-10 ft. high. It is close to the house and runs underneath the back porch rain gutters ( not touching) and is 3 feet in front of my Vertical.I am using a ground wire counterpoise . I am now heard by SSB voice local and have good digital.
I get from 50 to 60 miles as far as 1000 miles with it in horizontal NVIS position. I am surrounded by homes and the neighbor in the back has a big metal shed.I am using it for a base station antenna but it is so easy to set up, lightweight and packable that it would make for a great portable, EMCOMM antenna.
It works great on MARS frequencies as well. When I had a problem with a different CHA antenna matcher,They swapped it for the more expensive EMCOMM II at no additional charge.
Also a BIG plus is that Carl has super great customer service and tech support.I was up at 1 a.m. one day and emailed him a question and he got back to me within an hour.I have a very small yard and with this antenna at only 60 ft.long, fits just right,gives me full coverage, 80-10 meters and MARS using an LDG external auto tuner.
WA7HHE Rating: 2013-10-31
Great Antenna ! Time Owned: N.A.
This spring I used my CHAMELEON EMCOMM II while RVing and camping at various remote camp locations in Idaho. I use it both to check into a favorite net on 40 meters and NVIS mode for amateur radio email [Winmor]. Have just installed the antenna at the home QTH replacing the old trusty dipole but now can work all bands.

I might mention Carl is superb with the customer service he provides, both with questions about the antenna and processing the order.

Have now ordered a replacement for the RV and would highly recommend the antenna.