All rights reserved: Please request permission to reprint. zs1ml@outlook.com
First Published in a special review edition of CQ Boland for the Boland Amateur Radio Klub www.bark.org.za
Review of the: Chameleon Antenna™ CHA MPAS 2 system.
ZS1ML Marius Lubbe January 2022
All rights reserved: Please request permission to reprint.
First Published in a special review edition of CQ Boland for the Boland Amateur Radio Klub www.bark.org.za
First Impressions:
I ordered the Chameleon Antenna™ CHA MPAS 2 system directly from Chameleon Antenna™ in Nevada, USA. Because the package had to come via courier to Cape Town South Africa, I received an invoice directly from the company instead of ordering on their website.
I paid the invoice by PayPal for ease, although other options are available. If you live in the USA, delivery is free at the time of writing this article.
I promptly received the order within a few days via FedEx in a tall, sturdy box. A small delay of 1 day was caused by having to pay South African Value Added Tax of 15% of the value of the package.
As I started unpacking the box, I was immediately impressed by the fantastic quality of the various products.
Firstly, out of the box came the backpack / multi-function military bag. This pack is of very high-quality canvas material and well manufactured.
You will find it difficult to buy a similar quality and more suitable bag on the open market. This bag is of truly military specification and will last you a lifetime and then some. It is also large enough to gobble up all your portable equipment, for Parks On The Air (POTA), like batteries, a small computer or tablet and radio and some extra wire antennas if you would need it to.
Packing only the MPAS 2 system and a small radio, tuner and battery, it will be light enough to make it suitable for Summits On The Air (SOTA) backpacking.
South African and customers outside the USA should contact: orders@chameleonantenna.com
Unpacking Chameleon Antenna™ CHA MPAS 2 system.
Components of the system:
⦁ Military style multi-use pack.
⦁ Made from durable and high-quality canvas.
⦁ Configurable as a carry bag, shoulder bag, and back pack.
Worth every penny of the cost of $50 normal price as a separate item on the Chameleon website.
PLEASE NOTE THIS BAG IS INCLUDED IN THE MPAS 2 SYSTEM AS STANDARD!
https://chameleonantenna.com/shop-here/ols/products/cha-bpack
⦁ Currently (January 2022) on sale at $35.
⦁ Capacity: 45L
⦁ Weight: 4.5 lbs. / 2.1 kg
⦁ Molle Straps
⦁ Double Layer Water Resistant with extra waterproof rain cover for extreme weather.
⦁ Color: Green Olive Drab
Dimensions: 25.6” X 13.4” X 9.8” / 650.24mm X 340.36mm X 248.92mm
⦁ 1 X CHA HYBRID-MICRO
The Hybrid Micro is an impedance matching unit for the various CHA MPAS 2.0 antenna setups and additionally provides a mounting base for some setups, like the portable, sloper and manpack versions.
This seems to be the heart of the system, to which all other elements connect to form the various antenna options.
Chameleon Antenna customers have the option to order the MPAS 2.0 with a Hybrid Micro (100 SSB or 50W CW) or the Hybrid Mini (500W SSB or 250W CW.) The Hybrid Mini uses a different transformer, has a larger enclosure, and is slightly heavier than the Hybrid Micro.
⦁ 2X ANTENNA WIRES
1 X 73-foot (22,25 meter) Copper Clad KEVLAR PTFE (Teflon) (-70°C to 150°C) Wire
1 X 25-foot (7.62 meter) Copper Clad KEVLAR PTFE (Teflon) (-70°C to 150°C) Wire
The wire provided is of very high-quality Copper Clad KEVLAR PTFE with Teflon. It is flexible and very slick to the touch to will be a great help with easy passage through trees and such obstacles.
⦁ 1 X CHA MIL 2.0 -113″ (2.9M) LONG WHIP
The CHA MIL 2.0 whip is a collapsible brass based broadband monopole antenna whip designed for portable or manpack radios requiring compact but rugged antenna systems.
It can be used in a stand-alone setup, with the CHA HYBRID-MICRO, where the whip as an antenna will cover 28-54 MHz by using an external antenna tuner. It is advised that to enhance RF propagation and antenna performance a ground-plane (radial wire) is used together with it. Although it is recommended to handle with care, it is very well constructed and hardy.
This design has been borrowed from similar antennas utilized by many armies all over the world. The difference in my opinion is that the CHA MIL 2.0 whip is very hardy, sturdy, made entirely of brass and portable (being collapsible). Un-mounted and folded up the entire antenna length is less than 20 inches (51cm). The 7 brass sections of 17 inches (43 cm) long each and held together by a piece of military shock cord facilitates easy setup and collapse of the whip.
⦁ 1 X CHA MIL EXT 2.0 – 105.5″ (2.7M) LONG
This collapsible antenna extension needs to be used with the CHA MIL 2.0 to create an 18-foot-2-inches (5.5 meter) long portable antenna. When combined with the CHA HYBRID-MICRO the CHA MIL EXT 2.0 will operate extend the antenna to operate at all frequencies in the 1.8-54 MHz band without any adjustment but an antenna tuner.
These four 28-inch (71cm) sections of ¾-inch (19mm) diameter of high quality and beautifully green anodized aluminum alloy tubing, is designed for portable HF communication where rapid deployment and simplicity of operation is essential, but compactness is of primary importance.
The aluminum tubing walls of the CHA MIL 2.0 are quite thick and rigid for the purpose. Also, the joint inserts and the main tubing are made of a single piece thus reducing the signal losses.
⦁ 1 X CHA STAINLESS STEEL SPIKE
The CHA SPIKE MOUNT is an innovative product built exclusively by skilled machinists at Chameleon Antenna™ factory. It is a precision fabricated heavy-duty stainless-steel stake with a fitting for attaching the CHA Hybrid HF antenna base and for fitting a counterpoise. It is rugged and highly portable and with its conically sharped point, enables easy ground mounting of the Chameleon Antenna™ CHA HYBRID MICRO. We recommend you get a plastic mallet (to protect the screw-in point) to pound the stake into the ground.
1 X CHA 50’ (15.24M) COAX WITH RFI CHOKE.
Having thought of everything, Chameleon Antenna™ provides a high-quality length of RG58A coax with a RFI choke inline. The coax is rated at 300W.
⦁ 2 X 3/8-24 (M10) Stainless Steel Nuts for the Hybrid Micro, to attach wires.
⦁ 2X Line Winders
This is a truly great system for portable operations and if used correctly will give you great coverage and last a lifetime.
Different setups and antenna options
The first and most obvious use for rapid portable and military deployment is the complete Vertical Portable setup.
This took me about 5 to 7 minutes to setup at my first try and is not complicated at all.
It uses the Stainless-Steel Stake (spike), with the Hybrid Micro screwed into it and on top of that the CHA MIL EXT 2.0 and then finished off with the CHA Mil Whip on top. Add the included 25-foot (7.62m) counterpoise “tail wire” for improved performance.
With an external antenna tuner, you should be able to work anything in the 1.8-54 MHz range. Upon testing I was surprised by how close to ideal the SWR readings were and suggests that it will only need a small touch-up with an antenna tuner to get perfect.
Setting up the Vertical portable configuration:
⦁ Select a clear area where the best ground wave communication can occur. This will be optimum when the full-length antenna is mounted as close to vertical as possible.
⦁ Attach the shorter Counterpoise Wire to the Hybrid Micro by placing the Wire Connector ring over the Base Connection of the Hybrid Micro. Tighten with one of the nuts until snug.
⦁ Connect the UHF Connector Plug at the Integrated RFI Choke end of the Coaxial Cable to the UHF Connector SO239 Socket on the Hybrid Micro.
⦁ Connect the Hybrid Micro and its connection to Stainless-Steel spike.
⦁ Unfold the and connect the Antenna Extension to the Hybrid Micro by threading the Extension Base on the bottom of the Antenna Extension into the Antenna Connection on top of the Hybrid Micro until finger tight. Do this carefully to avoid cross threading the connection.
⦁ Extend the Whip Antenna by unfolding the sections of the whip, starting with the section at the bottom.
⦁ Connect the Whip Antenna to the Hybrid Micro by carefully threading the Whip Base into the Antenna Connection at the top of the Hybrid Micro until finger tight.
⦁ Now with the complete antenna together either screw it into the Stainless-Steel spike and push into the ground. If the ground is not soft enough you may have to hammer in the stake first with a plastic or wooden mallet and the carefully screw the whole assembly into it.
⦁ Finally extend the Counterpoise Wire along the ground in any convenient direction.
Figure 11. Portable Vertical Far Field Plot 14 MHz.
NANOVNA SWR sweep Portable Vertical 3.5MHz to 50MHz.
(Result of sweep depends on location. As you will notice this antenna is close to resonance and usually you would use an antenna tuner to touch up the VSWR.)
Vertical manpack
A quick and shorter-range setup for military and emergency communications on the move, usually by foot, will be the Vertical Manpack option.
The deployment is designed to be rapid and takes about 4 to 5 minutes at most. In my estimation this is well suited to QRP and up to 20W where 100Watt is not available. Paired with a portable radio like the Xiegu G90 this will be very efficient. On SOTA it will be spectacular.
You will probably have a battery with a lightweight radio, an internal or external tuner in the bag. Fix the coax to the stake, with the Hybrid Micro screwed into it and on top of that the CHA Mil Whip.
Performance is limited below 3.5 MHz, but very good above 24 MHz. The included 25-foot (7.62m) counterpoise “tail wire” provides a good compromise between portability and performance. A counterpoise is simply a long, insulated wire that attaches to the ground connection on your antenna tuner. The counterpoise acts as the other “terminal” of your antenna system, effectively balancing it from an electrical standpoint.
Setting up the Vertical manpack configuration:
Select a clear area where the best ground wave communication can occur. This will be optimum when the whip antenna is mounted as close to vertical as possible.
⦁ Attach the shorter Counterpoise Wire to the Hybrid Micro by placing the Wire Connector ring over the Base Connection of the Hybrid Micro. Hand-tighten with one of the nuts until snug.
⦁ Connect the UHF Connector Plug (PL259) at the Integrated RFI Choke end of the Coaxial Cable to the UHF Connector (SO239) Socket on the Hybrid Micro.
⦁ Connect the Hybrid Micro and its connection to the side of the backpack.
⦁ Extend the Whip Antenna by unfolding the sections of the whip, starting with the section at the bottom.
⦁ Connect the Whip Antenna to the Hybrid Micro by carefully threading the Whip Base into the Antenna Connection at the top of the Hybrid Micro until finger tight.
- Finally extend the Counterpoise Wire along the ground in any convenient direction
Manpack Vertical Far Field Plot 14 MHz.
NANOVNA SWR sweep Manpack Vertical 3.5MHz to 50MHz.
(Result of sweep depends on location. As you will notice this antenna is close to resonance and usually you would use an antenna tuner to touch up the VSWR.)
End Fed Inverted V dipole
An inverted vee antenna is a type of antenna similar to a horizontal dipole, but with the two sides bent down towards the ground, typically creating a 120- or 90-degree angle between the dipole legs. It is typically used in areas of limited space as it can significantly reduce the ground foot print of the antenna without significantly impacting performance. Viewed from the side, it looks like the English letter “V” turned upside down, hence the name. Inverted vee antennas are commonly used by amateur radio stations, and aboard sailing vessels requiring better HF performance than available with a short whip antenna. Inverted vee antennas are horizontally polarized and have a similar pattern compared to a traditional horizontal dipole.
The CHA MPAS Inverted “V” configuration is a broadband medium to long range HF antenna. This configuration tends to be bidirectional, favoring broadside to the two sides of the antenna.
This configuration will provide effective ground and sky wave propagation. This classic configuration with the central point raised in a tree or a telescoping fiberglass pole at roughly 7-8 meters is very effective and will give you wide coverage and good service with even reasonable propagation.
(Providing a photograph is not practical with this configuration.) Setup for this configuration is self-evident but if you need guidance, for detailed setup instructions please see the official user guide at: https://bit.ly/3q1BSR2
Inverted “V” Far Field Plot 14 MHz.
NANOVNA SWR sweep Inverted V 7MHz to 50MHz.
(Full extended wire, result of sweep depends on location. Resonance may be changed by bending back wire on itself, but usually you would use an antenna tuner to touch up the VSWR.)
Inverted L end fed
The CHA MPAS Inverted “L” configuration, is a broadband short to medium range HF antenna. This configuration tends to be unidirectional, favoring the end of the horizontal part of the antenna. It also provides effective ground waves communication during the day time on frequencies between 1.8 – 4.0 MHz without using sky wave propagation. The Inverted “L” requires two supports and should be mounted at a height of 25 feet (7.5m) for best performance. Though, it will still provide good performance at a lower height.
(Providing a photograph is not practical with this configuration.) Setup for this configuration is self-evident but if you need guidance, for detailed setup instructions please see the official user guide at https://bit.ly/3q1BSR2
Inverted “L” Far Field Plot 14 MHz
NANOVNA SWR sweep Inverted L 7MHz to 50MHz.
(Full extended wire, result of sweep depends on location. Resonance may be changed by bending back wire on itself, but usually you would use an antenna tuner to touch up the VSWR.)
Sloper End Fed.
The Sloper Antenna is a slanted Dipole antenna.
Advantages: While horizontal dipoles required two large support masts, this antenna type only needs one large mast. It is therefore widely used by radio amateurs with limited space. In particular for low frequencies this antenna form is interesting. The angle of the slope is usually between 45°–60° and the lower end of the wire is at least 1⁄6 wavelength above the electrical ground.
The CHA MPAS 2.0 Sloping Wire configuration, is a broadband short to medium range HF antenna. It is a good general-purpose antenna, which provides acceptable ground wave and sky wave propagation, and can be hastily deployed. This configuration is predominately omnidirectional, becoming slightly unidirectional towards the end of the antenna wire as the frequency increases. The Sloping Wire requires one support and should be mounted at a height of 25 to 40 feet (7.5 – 12 meters) for best performance.
(Providing a photograph is not practical with this configuration.)
Setup for this configuration is self-evident but if you need guidance, for detailed setup instructions please see the official user guide at https://bit.ly/3q1BSR2
Sloper End Fed Wire Far Field Plot 14 MHz
NANOVNA SWR sweep Inverted L 7MHz to 50MHz.
(Full extended wire, result of sweep depends on location. Resonance may be changed by bending back wire on itself, but usually you would use an antenna tuner to touch up the VSWR.)
NVIS (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave)
The CHA MPAS 2.0 Horizontal NVIS configuration, is a special configuration designed to provide good NVIS propagation on lower frequencies. It is virtually omnidirectional and provides good medium range sky wave propagation on frequencies above 10 MHz.
This setup requires two supports of between 10 and 12 feet (3-4 meters), that will enable the ends of the antenna to be raised apart.
(Providing a photograph is not practical with this configuration.)
Setup for this configuration is self-evident but if you need guidance, for detailed setup instructions please see the official user guide at https://bit.ly/3q1BSR2
Horizontal NVIS Far Field Plot 7 MHz.
Loop configurations
A possible permanent setup would be a Vertical Loop antenna that has a low angle of radiation and low noise, making it superior to dipoles and verticals for long distance communication.
A Horizontal Loop antenna will outperform a dipole at a lower height, making it good for lower frequencies.
(Providing a photograph is not practical with this configuration.)
Setup for this configuration is self-evident but if you need guidance, for detailed setup instructions please see the official user guide at https://bit.ly/3q1BSR2
Military use and performance:
CHAMELEON ANTENNAS IN THE USA ARMY HF LOW POWER COMPETITION
For QRPX 2021, the NTC Operations Group, Fort Irwin, CA station had the opportunity to deploy several Chameleon Antenna systems to use in the competition. This article is a summary of how each system performed during the contest, and how each could serve a military operator best.
On April 1st, 2021, the final station point scores were released, and Operation Team’s station WON the military category of the contest with 86 points.
Download the complete report here: https://bit.ly/3zisGui
Will this backpack and antennae work for the B25 military radio?
Hi Etienne,
It will be perfect for it, as it was initially developed for military use, and as far as I am aware is in use with USA special forces.
It also happens to be ideal for portable situations. You will love it’s versatility.
Regards and 73,
Marius de ZS1ML