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Reviews For: CHA P-LOOP 2.0 (Chameleon Antenna)

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : CHA P-LOOP 2.0 (Chameleon Antenna)
Reviews: 10MSRP: 399.00
Description:
CHA P-LOOP 2.0

7.0-29.7 MHz

The CHA P-LOOP 2.0 was designed with portability, ease of use
simplicity, ruggedness and high performance in mind. Unlike any other
similar antennas on the market, the CHA P-LOOP 2.0 is made with
premium materials that are precisely manufactured and assembled in
the USA!


This is an exciting new product from Chameleon Antenna. Easily
deployable HF magnetic loop antennas, also called small transmitting
loops, have been routinely used for many years in military, diplomatic,
and shipboard HF communication links, where robust and reliable
general coverage radio communication is a necessity.

These antennas have only recently become commercially available for
amateur radio. The real practical advantage of the small loop, compared
to a short vertical whip tuned against earth or a full sized vertical
antenna, is the loop’s freedom from dependence on a ground plane and
earth for achieving efficient operation; this unique characteristic has
profound significance for portable or restricted space antennas.

In comparison, the bottom of a vertically oriented loop does not need to
be more than a loop diameter above ground, making it very easy to
install in a restricted space location. There is no significant improvement
in sky wave propagation performance when a small loop is installed
high; all that matters is the loop is substantially clear of objects in the
immediate area and oriented towards the desired direction of radiation.

The magnetic loop is different from typical antennas because it
emphasizes the magnetic part of the radio wave (H field) rather than the
electric part (E field) of the radio wave. It also has a high Q resonance of
around 15 KHz on 40 meters, providing immunity from interference
outside the bandpass.

The new CHA P-LOOP 2.0 is more rugged, lighter weight, and more
weather resistant than previous versions and using the included power
compensator, can handle higher power. We’re sure you will be amazed
by the performance and agree that the CHA P-LOOP 2.0 is the most
advanced portable magnetic loop antenna available today.




____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Specifications:

7.0 MHz to 30.0 MHz (40 - 10 meter ham bands)
Power handling: 10W CW or 25W SSB
Power handling with the POWER COMPENSATOR: 30W CW or 60W SSB
(MORE INFO ON THE USER GUIDE)
The CHA P-LOOP 2.0 is weather resistant to dripping water when
mounted near vertically.
The tuning box is equipped with a Picatinny rail for easy assembling of
the unit.
Proprietary solderless aluminum coupling loop. This coupling loop
design can be used with any types of coax cable feed-lines. Because of
its rigidity, the antenna tuning will remain stable, consistent and will
prevent SWR fluctuations due to usual coupling loop deformation.
The three sections collapsible portable mast allows easy storage, fast
deployment and ease of use in all conditions. No need to play with
multiple tubular PVC sections to assemble the antenna.
The rubberized handle at the bottom insures a great antenna grip and
an easy thumb tuning when operating the antenna handheld.
The bottom of the telescopic mast is equipped with a stainless steel
1/4-20 threaded hole for easy tripod installation.
The 12’ RG-58 with integrated RFI choke feed-line decouples the
coupling loop from the radio which is essential to prevent SWR
fluctuation while rotating the antenna or moving the coax cable around.
Our custom made capacitors which are equipped with a 6:1 reducer,
offer a smooth and consistent tuning while providing the highest
efficient performance on the market.
The cotton canvas classic military messenger bag offers easy storage,
transportation and protection for the unit.
The unit is now equipped with a NEW larger Delrin tuning knob for
smoother tuning and operation.
A 48" diameter booster kit loop for 15M to 40M can be purchased
separately.

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________


The antenna system consists of:

1 X CHA P-LOOP 2.0 water resistant tuning box
1 X Stainless Steel base adapter 1/4”-20
1 X LMR-400 coax cable radiator
1 X Power Compensator
1 X 12’ with integrated RFI choke feed-line
1 X 100% Cotton canvas classic military messenger bag
1 X Proprietary coupling loop
1 X Folding Tripod
1 X User guide
Product is in production
More Info: http://chameleonantenna.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00104.3
K5AAL Rating: 2020-09-16
THIS IS A WELL BUILT MAGNETIC LOOP Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Living in an HOA stronghold I've tried several ways to have clandestine outdoor antennas, but they were always spotted by dufus HOA observers (using binoculars), so I tried my hand building indoor wire antennas. The results left much to be desired.

I'd read about magnetic loop antennas a few years prior to 2019, and watched some very good videos by Julian, OH8STN, and began looking into making a loop myself. The cost of a good variable capacitor, lack of experience, along with other building considerations was enough to put that project on the back burner, and the price of a manufactured loop ($399) eluded my wallet as well.

Last year (MAR 2019), between a "first time buyer" discount and a site-wide 30% off sale I was able to buy the P-Loop for under $240, and this made sense to me, my wallet, and my XYL.

So after 1 year, here are my comments:

Price: Expensive at full retail, especially if you don't intend to use it in the field. For not too much more you can buy the 100w MFJ loop, only it's not something that will fit in a canvas bag. When comparing the full price to a home grown MLA - home grown wins. Sign up to their newsletter to get 10% off your first purchase, then wait for a sale.

In the box: a canvas carrying bag, along with a length of coax for the main loop, a sturdy aluminum coupling loop, a telescopic mast (selfie-stick), weather resistant tuning box, collapsible tripod, 12’ of RG-58 feedline with an RFI choke, and the necessary instructions (the instructions are just printed out on copy/laser paper).

Assembly: The 1st time I put it together, the whole process was kind of daunting, and I watched a YouTube video while I did it (pausing after each step). After doing it once, I realized how simple it was, so now I can assemble the loop in less than 5 minutes.

Tuning: Easy. The large knob connected to the capacitor shaft with the 6:1 reducer make both small and large adjustments easy. I can easily ballpark my frequency by listening to the receiver while turning the knob, and then use a antenna analyzer to get the best SWR (usually 1.5:1 or less, but if I'm in a hurry I'll settle for 2:1). I have the feedline going to a 2-position switch box where "A" goes to my rig, and "B" connects to my analyzer. This makes getting this, or any other magnetic loop a snap to tune.

Performance: I've never had an indoor antenna that would really work well due to a variety of issues, including electrical noise, so there isn't much to compare it to, but I think it's done a great job. The antenna is actually in the shack, next to a window, and I use an old camera tripod to keep it steady as well allowing me to rotate the antenna, using the and null to work for me - not against.

By using the loop's null side I've been able to drop my noise level by more than half, allowing me to hear stations I never could before, and I've had no problems making contacts on 10-40 meters. As a rule, if I can hear 'em, I can work 'em.

This setup works great outdoors because it doesn't take long to set up; it's self-supporting with the tripod (no more trees); and there is no need to string any radials along the ground.

I briefly tried it outside the garage, then back up in the shack to compare signals, but I didn't perceive a big difference in the strength of incoming stations.

LOOP DANGER: Just because it's only supported up to 25w SSB doesn't mean you can't get the crap shocked out of you if you brush across it while transmitting - because you can. Even at low wattage, it's possible to have thousands of volts coursing across the skin of the coaxial loop, so be careful.

Final comments:

Chameleon says it should handle up to 25 watts SSB. I've only used mine @ 20 watts with my TS-2000 or 5 watts using my FT-817, and all of my contacts have been while using SSB.

The components of the package are well made and I have no doubts that they will stand the test of time.

Yes, after using it for a short time it was clear to me that I could have put one together myself, and compared to it's full retail price, I would have saved quite a bit of $$$, although it would probably not have been quite as portable or easy to put up and take down. Buying the P-Loop when it's on sale could make it easier for you and your wallet to reconcile the fact you didn't build one from scratch.

It's not a miracle antenna, EXCEPT, for operators like me who are heavily restricted when it comes to having an outdoor antenna.

In this instance - the Chameleon P-Loop has become MY "miracle" antenna.

[I'll post a review of the Chameleon F-Loop at a later time]
WA8QQU Rating: 2020-04-03
Poor QA, not outstanding results Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This now discontinued antenna has a poor design for the cost. Less than a week after receiving the capacitor box needed replacing due to a piece of metal coming loose inside, and the power compensator mount doesn't allow the cable to be secured fully. I'm left rectifying that by mod. Again- this is currently off the market, and probably for good reason. As far as performance, I never have been able to reach one single solitary contact via phone- indoors or outdoors, but digital modes work great. For the cost?- highly disappointed.
K7KRY Rating: 2018-07-09
Performed better than I expected. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have the P Loop 2 with the 4' addon and power puck. The antenna is inside pointing out of the window on the 2nd floor of our condo. So far I've made contact with 48 states and 12 countries including Australia, New Zealand and Argentina using 40 watts or less on cw and ft8 (mostly on 20m and 30m).

Yes, it is a compromise antenna and yes, a dipole would likely work much better IF you can install one. I live in a condo and don't have that option. I've found this to be a great antenna if you live in a place that restricts permanent antenna installations.
W6QT Rating: 2018-07-01
Not a great antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Every operating situation is different, so my review reflects my operating position as it relates to efficiency.

This is a very well made STL! Quality is superb.

I've used this loop for data modes the last couple of months and found performance to be spotty on all frequencies it is able to be used for except 20 meters. Could achieve better results with a dipole.

My operating location in a big busy city could be affecting the performance of this loop.
AF2DX Rating: 2018-04-21
BEST LOOP I EVER USED Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I made many loops but I wanted one that was that would work well and made of quality parts.
After watching many UU tubes I went for the P loop 2.0
I arrived yesterday and it took me less then 5 minutes to put it together.
I was very impressed with the workmanship
Tuning has a slight drag that helps not over shooting the sweet spot.
An hour after I listened to some CW I started sending out my call and had a ham in OHIO.
I only received a 339 with QSB but I only had the China HB1B CW radio and the loop is sitting here by the window.
It also comes with a nice Military style messenger bag and I can pack the loop inside
with the HB1B and a 7 AMP battery.
Yes tuning is sharp on 40 meters but I am on almost every night on 7.027.0 so others know where i'm.
This loop is light and very efficient and a blessing to those that cannot even put a hidden wire outside.
Early today I had a loud hum and I turned that loop about 60* and all the noise was gone.
If you have severe antenna restriction then the loop is the way to go.
Face it,Any antenna is better then a cold rig sitting on the shelf.
You can also buy a kit from the same Comany for $99.00 73 BOB AF2DX
KC4YCX Rating: 2017-09-17
Very portable, seemingly good performance Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
So, I am hardly an expert on mag loops - this is my first! I was looking for something with decent performance that could be put in my suitcase and pulled out at a moments notice when bored in some hotel or rented apartment during my frequent travels. I had tried some of the usual options - random wire, portable verticals, etc, but I was seriously disappointed with their performance. So I figured what the heck, life is short, let's see what all the fuss is about concerning portable mag loop antennas! They seem to be quite popular at present and all the reviews were encouraging so I plunked down my cash and ordered the Chameleon version based on one silly youtube review that gave it a thumbs up. I was not happy with the price given what you get, but sometimes it is worth the extra for the convenience.

The ordering was painless and the product arrived very quickly, not quite amazon-prime-quick, but almost. It was very easy to set up and once I was sensitized to the very very fine tuning required, I had it up and running with my KX2 in literally minutes.

My first attempts to use it "for real" were on a mountain top in Fukushima Japan on 18 m one Sunday afternoon. At the time this was the only band with much activity. After a quick tune, the band was jammed with activity. I was super impressed with the receive performance as it appeared to vastly exceed anything from a random wire or portable vertical. However, given my QRP state, and language restrictions, I was unable to provoke a response to my CQ's.

I am currently in a Tokyo Hotel room trying again. Unfortunately the electrical noise in the room is horrendous and I can't receive anything, let alone transmit. Of course, the band conditions are abysmal as well. Truly abysmal.

However, I will take the antenna for a walk with me this evening to a local park and see what happens. I am hoping for magic. I will keep you posted.

Until then, and in summary, as best I can tell given my limited experience with such matters, this antenna performs as promised and is without doubt incredibly portable and easy to use. If you are in the market for something like this, I have not detected any red flags so far.
AK4YH Rating: 2017-07-11
Well built. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Like everything Chameleon makes this loop is well made. I tested it with my KX2 using 5W and my RT-320 at 30W. It works well even at QRP levels, but I would suggest forgetting about 40m SSB QRP and use CW on that band, efficiency being very low at 7MHz. This is not Chameleon's fault, as all small loops have a similar efficiency. With the power compensator and more power, it should work. No problem on 30m with more efficient modes. On 20m and up it's awesome.

If you plan on using the P-LOOP with the slightest wind outside, you'll have to secure the tripod since the legs are too short to make it stable.

Get a BNC-to-PL259 adapter if you use a QRP or military radio, there isn't one in the box.

The included bag is a nice touch. The part of the tripod holding the feeding loop and the capacitor box can be used as a selfie stick, always a plus!

I can see on the loop could be very useful in a hotel room for example. It does radiate all around, in the plane of the loop, and it's affected as much by the proximity of the ground.

Tuning is very sensitive as with all mag loops. One advantage of that is that you thus filter out everything you don't want to listen to, great to use with small QRP kits without filters, or when operating in proximity to other stations.

So in conclusion, thumbs up.

Gil.
K6UDA Rating: 2017-07-10
Best Performance for a small Loop Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I got the Chameleon P-loop 2.0 just before leaving on a dive trip to the Bahamas. I actually packed it as a backup and ended up using it as my primary antenna for my KX3. Everything fit together perfectly and it tuned quickly and didn't overshoot the correct tuning thanks to the gear reduction tuner. worked great in a remote location where I had no trees to tie off a wire.

Using the high power puck, I'm able to run close to 50 watts which really helps in poor conditions. it's light enough to pack in the bottom of a suitcase or in a backpack and give me good performance and the flexibility to operate literally anywhere on earth I choose to go. It's become one of my go to portable antennas.
OH8STN Rating: 2017-07-10
Fine balance of performance, portability, & modularity Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Hello Operators.
I received the Chameleon P-LOOP 2.0 some months ago for evaluation and review. There was no expectation of "the good review". Like all my reviews, they're honest straightforward and meant to help makers improve their products in the two main areas important to me, ruggedness and portability.

I also own the original Chameleon P-LOOP, F-LOOP+, and several Homebrew magnetic loop antennas. So I'm no stranger to magloops. The first thing one notices When comparing against the original P-LOOP is the breakdown size. The loop now comes apart in 3 pieces, the main loop, pickup loop, and telescopuc mast support. This was the single most important update for me, since I could now fit the system into an even smaller backpack. The awkward size and shape of the original P-LOOP (for packing), made it kind of up bummer to pack with other gear, but that problem is solved.

My P-LOOP 2.0 came with two main loops, and two pick up loops. The smaller pick up and main loop set are tuned for 40-10m. The second set is called a booster kit, which includes a larger tuned main and pick up loop for 40-15m. Since I don't work 12 or 10 meters, I regularly operate the P LOOP 2.0 using this booster kit, which gives improved performance on 40 through 15 M at the expense of 12 and 10.
On the original P LOOP version, only the main loop was changed in the booster kit, leaving the pickup loop as it was. A simultaneous WSPR comparison on 30 & 40M showed the booster kit at an advantage over the 40-10m kit. So I use the booster kit religiously.

The P-LOOP 2.0 also included a Power Compensator, allowing the loop to be used at far greater power levels then the base model. If I remember correctly it was 60 watts SSB. I almost entirely work qrp, but I can see the advantage of having increased output power capabilities for a lightweight man portable magnetic loop like this.

I would have to say I'm a magnetic loop fanatic. I would also say I'm a field communications fanatic. I don't want to be bothered wasting my time putting up wire antennas, so long as the system performs well for me. The Chameleon P LOOP 2.0 has been my primary antenna for field communications, for the past 2 months. I also have other antennas in the toolbox, which I would choose if my operating criteria were different, but the P-LOOP 2.0 is my everyday, lightweight, man portable system, I'm extremely happy.

So if I had to say anything bad about the P LOOP 2.0, it would be the tripod. The tripod is magnificent if you're using it on a hard surface on a calm day. It also works very well indoors. The problem with the tripod is the base of the tripod has two small diameter for the size of the antenna. To get past this you can either use a different tripod, or do what I do and mount a mesh bag at the lowest point of the tripod, then add rocks or a water bottle or something like that to prevent the tripod from falling over in the wind. I don't want chameleon to change that tripod, since it has the smallest folded size of any of the tripods they've delivered so far. So I'm willing to live with having to weigh it down in the field.

As usual I've done lots of research, comparisons, and videos before posting my eham review. A simple search of Google or YouTube with callsign and the name of this product, and you'll find all the good and all the bad.
de oh8stn
K1DOS Rating: 2017-07-09
Work Great! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have all three of Chameleon's antennas (F, Pv1.0, and Pv2.0). All three work great and are well built. I use them all the time for QRP digital ops (Pactor) and have never had a problem finding a tuning solution. If you do field ops check out one of these antennas.