| KM6DOV |
Rating:     |
2017-03-18 | |
| Decent compact antenna |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I purchased the Chameleon F-Loop 10-40m with 80m add-on. Assembly was fairly easy. I did initially mistakenly attempt to stretch out the two loop segments with the barrel connector, but soon realized that it needed to be coiled over double. Additionally, the photos were slightly unclear, and I was under the impression that the barrel was a + shaped junction, and that I might be missing a component. No, you just double the loop, strap it to the small loop, and let it hang down to the bottom of the hardline. Figuring out the tuning took a few days, during which I thought I burned out the finals on my radio by transmitting too much power into a high SWR. The tuning window is VERY small on this antenna, and you will have to re-tune it every 15 kHz or so or the SWR will go off the chart. It doesn't take long to get into a rhythm of tuning the antenna as you tune the radio. Using a tuner other than your hand (or the optional RT-RR tuner/rotator) is not recommended with this very sensitive apparatus. If you need a compact HF antenna because of space considerations, portability/mobility, or installation restrictions, this is probably the antenna for you. If you're impatient or imprecise and would rather have the hardware do all the work for you, seek another solution. |
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| M0GNA |
Rating:      |
2016-08-09 | |
| Fantastic. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| Don't try the rest get the best.Less than 10 minutes to get on the air.I placed it indoors on my bedside cabinet and hooked up to my FT817 and tuned it on twenty,conditions were real poor but I got a 55 from a station in Croatia,2500 miles plus.The build quality is outstanding,it will last a lifetime.The best Mag-Loop by far. |
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| KJ4FGI |
Rating:      |
2016-05-24 | |
| The best and made in the USA |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have been experimenting with magnetic loop antennas for over two years, my first ones were air variable capacitors. I did a lot of reading and researching before starting my venture with experimentation on magnetic loop antennas.
Magnetic loop antennas work well, very well, I wanted to put out more power, I did with Vacuum Variable capacitors.
I have successfully experimented with vacuum variable capacitors putting out 100 watts.
One thing my projects were missing, the appearance of a professionally built antenna.
I was looking at three portable magnetic loop antennas, it came down to two of them that look professional. The chameleon F loop and the Alex loop. The Alex loop was $399 plus $60 international shipping, that's $459. I did find there was one USA distributor and that was $399 with free shipping.The chameleon F loop was $399 with free shipping.
I contacted chameleon support, had an email correspondence with Carl, his email is support@chameleonantenna.com. He sent me a picture of the inside of the control box of a chameleon antenna and the Alex loop, you can't post pictures here so they are pictured on my QRZ website, just type in my callsign KJ4FGI and you'll see it at the bottom of the page.
It is sad to say both antennas, the same price, the Alex loop control box is a piece of junk.
I'm only calling it junk because you're selling this for $400 it does not look $400 professional, and I know what I'm talking about after two years of magnetic loop antenna experimentation.
Now what you get for $400, frequency coverage: the Alex loop states 6.9 MHz to 30 MHz, the chameleon, 3.5 MHz to 29.7 MHz
Now for the control box, I wish you could see the pictures, let's start with the chameleon, the air variable capacitor has a heavy duty gear reduction transmission which, according to the interior picture is mounted to a Plexiglas plate approximately a quarter inch thick which in turn is attached to a 4.5 x 4.5 x 4.5 heavy-duty electrical box.
The electrical box is attached to a flat aluminum plate which is a full quarter inch thick, 3 1/2 inches wide and 6 inches long. The control box has four SO-239 connectors, two on the sides for the secondary loop (large loop) one on the top for the primary loop and one in the back for the cable that goes to your radio.
The idea of having a connector on the top of the box going to your primary loop is a fantastic idea because if you ever damaged one of the hard-line cables going up to the primary loop you just need to replace that one piece, the Alex loop you would have to buy the whole cable assembly. What a fantastic, well thought through, engineering design.
Now for the Alex loop control box, the air variable capacitor is attached directly to the control box, it looks like the capacitor is actually too big for the control box and it was forced in, which deforms the cheap box, here's a link to the picture:https://www.flickr.com/photos/jmschneid/11997251703
In the picture you can see the little rinky-dink gear reduction assembly, you really need to see a picture of the chameleon F loop control box. The alpha loop control box has 2S0 239 connectors for the secondary loop the primary loop and the cable going to the radio is all one assembly, try getting a replacement part for that when the cable wears out. Chameleon F loop gives you a separate 12 foot cable with an RF choke built into the cable. The only difference the only
Now, they show the Alex loop being held by hand the chameleon is heavier than the Alex loop, I know people that have the Alex loop and a so you can hold it more than for a couple minutes before your risk it's really tired. When your wrist gets tired you can't just put the Alex loop down, you have to buy a tripod for the Alex loop.
The chameleon antenna has that nice flat aluminum plate on the bottom and the way that everything is weight displaced you could take it and put it right on a picnic table and the wind won't blow it down, oh, yes the wind, you cannot hold the Alex loop in your hand according to the people I spoke to when it's windy out.
The Alex loop does come with a bag you could pull it apart and put it in a bag but so does the chameleon the chameleon also has a primary loop made of solid aluminum not some flimsy coax.
You're about to spend $400 on an antenna, I am now talking from somebody who has had a lot of experience with magnetic loop antennas through design.
The Alex loop does not give you the frequency coverage, is not sturdy at all, needs a tripod, is cheaply made, I could see this antenna going for about $199 maybe $225 but for $400, you've gotta be kidding me.
The chameleon antenna is worth $400, a full 80 to 10 m coverage, it is made solid and the quality of the parts used, all silver connectors, the gear reduction mechanism is superior, go to my Q RZ page and take a look at the pictures or email Carl at support@chameleonantennas.com and ask.
I have nothing to do with the company, I have no financial interest in the company, and I'm not a salesman for the company, my name is Eddie I my ham radio operator who’s experimented with magnetic loop antennas and I'm in the lower middle class so I know what a dollar means to me.
I don't want to see any hams ripped off or spending more money and getting a very very sub- quality magnetic loop antenna, and I'll be honest, reading the reviews on the Alex loop and it looked so nice and came in its little baggie and I was about ready to purchase it even though the frequency coverage wasn't so good. Well the chameleon antenna comes with a heavy duty bag made in the USA great quality.
Once I looked at the picture of the inside of the control box, the words, "what a piece of junk" came out of my mouth and I couldn't believe I was going to buy that.
Knowing what I know about magnetic loop antennas I went for the one inch diameter aluminum loop accessory, you see, the larger the diameter better, the efficiency of the antenna highly increased, but I have to tell you, I was blown away when I hooked this antenna up to my radio.
Again, the reason why I use the word piece of junk, was because they want $400 for the Alex loop antenna with variable capacitor that is too big for the box, if they wanted $199 for it, the word junk wouldn't come out of my mouth, but you're charging my fellow ham radio operators $400 for this, what a ripoff.
Hey, it's your decision, don't go by what I said here, research it yourself, when I received it in the mail and opened up the box and pulled out, I couldn't believe the quality, the pictures that you see do not depict the true quality of this unit.
You could build one that looks just as good as the Alex loop for about $75.
God bless and 73's
Eddie KJ4FG
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| VA2KK |
Rating:      |
2016-04-16 | |
| Everything is about expectations |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
The Chameleon F-loop antenna is like an awesome piece of non weatherized laboratory equipment.
Very well built, but GI Joe wouldn't risk bringing it in the rainy jungle.
Stuck in a condo ? - Don't be misguided by your fantasist expectations.
The term "condo antenna" means "small enough to fit in a restricted volume" without any guaranty of performance, especially if operated INSIDE a concrete condo. (Analogy: a "submersible walkie-talkie" does not perform well under-water).
Another fantasist expectation is a full efficiency of the F-loop across the whole 3.5 to 30MHz range.
While this 36" diameter loop has a 95.8% radiation efficiency at 28.850MHz, do not expect more than 15% at 7.13MHz.
This means that on the 40m band, your 20 Watts in will give you at best 3 watts out.
I took the Chameleon F-Loop out in the garden yesterday. The propag. conditions were bad at my end.
On the 17m band, S57DX (Slavko, 1.5kw) was the only station I could hear 4 by 7 in the noise.
So I didn'have big expectations with the F-Loop at 7 watts.
But suddenly, Slavko picked-up my call and replied: "Only the QRP station please".
From Montreal to Slovenia, 6500 km with a 4 by 4 report. Not bad at all for the conditions !
"Enjoy your QRP" said Slavko in final.
So, my friends, everything is about expectation:
When you stop expecting something to be perfect, you can like it for what it is.(reworded quote)
JP - VA2KK
P.s.: The awaited CHA RT-RR (mini Remote Tuner - Remote Rotator) will definitely increase the operating pleasure.
https://www.qrz.com/db/va2kk
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|
| JH1DIS |
Rating:      |
2016-01-20 | |
| After 8 months. |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
After 8 months.
I am using the CHA F-Loop from last year(2015) in May.
then use this antenna at the mountaintop, a field, home.
Setup:
The setup is less than ten minutes(F-LOOP setup is 3 minutes or so).
You can put directly to the camera tripod. Also you can choose a lightweight camera tripod. Useing Quick camera mount adapter. it is more easy setup.
The tuning is very easy and it is smooth.
Out Door:Coax loop
Worked ZL,VK,Russia, China, and Indonesia at the mountaintop and field.
then if hi band condition is not good ,
I am going to move 40m band (NVIS propagation/ 300km ~600km QSO).
F-LOOP fits backpack(perfect).
Home: Aluminum loop
The antenna of 40m was impossible so far in Tokyo downtown area.
So I set up F-LOOP on the second-floor terrace.
*JT65/JT9 mode / 2W~3W, 20 QSO. In case of JT65/JT9 mode, I can go down 0.5~1W.
*RTTY/PSK31/SSB/CW/MFSK16 / 3~5W 10 QSO.
My English is not good. I'm sorry.
Yoshio |
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| VE2EHN |
Rating:      |
2016-01-20 | |
| Top quality |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
| I was pleasantly surprised when I received my F-Loop antenna. I was in the military in communications and I recognized the high military type quality in this antenna system. Top of the best. Set up is only minutes and everything is as it should be. On my first CQ, got a reply back with a 59 on my signal. I have an average of 7 out of 10 answer back on my CQ's, cant ask for more. Really appreciate the ease in tuning and directivity changing of the antenna to beam towards the contact for best signal strength possible. A beauty to operate. Top notch 5/5 must try. |
|
| K0FTC |
Rating:      |
2016-01-19 | |
| Excellent |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| Its been over a year since I got my M-Loop - which was the original magnetic loop from Chameleon. I got the F-Loop about a year ago - I was the first to rate it in March of 2015. Just a followup, Chameleon products function as advertised, are made of high quality materials, and have excellent customer service. The F-Loop has been used at home and in the field and does a great job in antenna challenged circumstances-I've enjoyed it since I got it. 73, John K0FTC |
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| K1VZ |
Rating:      |
2016-01-19 | |
| In a word: QUALITY |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
The minute I opened the box it spelt QUALITY. I like everything about this antenna. Very portable, fits snuggly into the supplied quality bag. The tuner box is very well built with a smooth vernier drive. Cables look like they have never been touched by humans.
Performance surprised me. I was very skeptical about how any miniature loop would perform as I'm from the "more wire you have high up" generation. Though not in a full dipole league the performance from inside my house is outstanding, 1:1 on all bands from 40m to 10m and not a "dummy load" but a performing antenna.
I know this is a very brief review but if you are considering a small loop this is the one. |
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| W7VTR |
Rating:      |
2016-01-18 | |
| Excellent performer |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| I'm disabled and needed an antenna that would work indoors as well as outdoors. So after reading reviews and talking with Chameleon antennas I bought the CHA F-LOOP Plus and have never looked back. With my Kenwood TS-480SAT it will hear everything that my friends can with much larger antennas (WELL ALMOST). Thank you for all you have done to make this purchase a great one. |
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| W7BV |
Rating:      |
2016-01-17 | |
| Excellent construction and performance |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| The Chameleon CHA F Loop is my favorite magnetic loop antenna for portable operation. It is very portable, is of excellent construction, is easy to tune, has a tuning box that provides a stable base for sitting on a table as well as a ¼-20 hole for mounting it on a tripod. Replacing the coax loop with the optional collapsible aluminum tube loop greatly improves efficiency, especially on 20-60 meters. The use of the optional double coax loop allows operation on 80 meters. Running 5-10 watts from my KX3, contacts have been made from Arizona to Japan, Australia, and New Zealand as well throughout North and South America with a few contacts in Europe under good band conditions. In addition, Carl provides very prompt and superior service. |
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