Military style whip for portable or mobile HF

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Military style whip for portable or mobile HF

Posted: 5/3/2022 12:14:06 PM EDT

I saw this antenna the other day, and it appears to be exactly the same as one sold by Chameleon antennas. It looks like it would be much more durable than an extendable whip, I don't see how it could be adjusted for the higher bands like an extendable whip can.
Amazon whip
chameleon whip
Anyone here ever used one of these?

Posted: 5/3/2022 12:55:44 PM EDT

[#1]

Do you have an actual HT or a Mobile Rig???

I've not used those brands (or HF, I'm a tech), but I have bought a longer folding antenna for my HT and it didn't work so out so great.

By that I mean, the Antenna worked (Signal wise) as good as expected.
However that much of antenna on a small HT is not great on the antenna socket and it get all worn out and wonky from the weight of that Antenna on it. Also, you forget about its length in it bumps into crap and adds to the issue.

Mine now wiggles like a really lose tooth. Still works, but it annoys my nit-pickiness...

Some of these other guys are way more versed in radios than I and will chime in soon.

Posted: 5/3/2022 1:23:07 PM EDT

[#2]

Tagged for interest. This might be a good hasty antenna for my IC 7200.

I assume there's a matching network in the base, and the tuner presents a 50 ohm load to the rig?

Posted: 5/3/2022 1:47:49 PM EDT

[#3]

Quote History

Quoted:
Tagged for interest. This might be a good hasty antenna for my IC 7200.

I assume there's a matching network in the base, and the tuner presents a 50 ohm load to the rig?

View Quote

It appears to just be the antenna, hollow brass with the adapter for ham use. There is an elastic cord running through the center like a tent pole. No matching network.

Posted: 5/3/2022 1:49:03 PM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:
Do you have an actual HT or a Mobile Rig???

I've not used those brands (or HF, I'm a tech), but I have bought a longer folding antenna for my HT and it didn't work so out so great.

By that I mean, the Antenna worked (Signal wise) as good as expected.
However that much of antenna on a small HT is not great on the antenna socket and it get all worn out and wonky from the weight of that Antenna on it. Also, you forget about its length in it bumps into crap and adds to the issue.

Mine now wiggles like a really lose tooth. Still works, but it annoys my nit-pickiness...

Some of these other guys are way more versed in radios than I and will chime in soon.

View Quote

This is meant for HF use, not for 2m/70cm.

Posted: 5/3/2022 3:16:13 PM EDT

[#5]

perfect for airsoft LARPING

sub par for actual ham radio use

Posted: 5/3/2022 3:32:18 PM EDT

[#6]

Is my memory faulty, or did the old U.S. Army radios used to have an antenna that was like sectioned concave rounded flat stock?

Posted: 5/3/2022 3:52:19 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
perfect for airsoft LARPING

sub par for actual ham radio use

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https://chameleonantenna.com/shop-here/ols/products/cha-mpas-modular-portable-antenna-system-20

Posted: 5/3/2022 4:48:21 PM EDT

[#8]

Tagged for interest as well.

Posted: 5/3/2022 4:57:23 PM EDT

[#9]

This is the newer version of the radio I got to see on the bench after radio platoon gave it a good beating....the older version didn't have a digital screen, you pushed a button below each digit and it scrolled from 0-9 as you pushed it.

I didn't see it in the video (ETA they show it at around the 9:06 mark, very briefly, didn't watch past this to see if they pulled it back out again) but it has the option of a whip antenna that folds down, did not look at the link in the OP to see how similar they might be. Only posted as I am limited on time but might help in a search.

US military AN/PRC-104 Tactical HF SSB man pack transceiver shortwave communications

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tue32jbuFQs

Posted: 5/3/2022 5:23:19 PM EDT

[#10]

Yeah, that looks like the same antenna with that radio.

Posted: 5/3/2022 6:09:34 PM EDT

[#11]

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Quoted:

https://chameleonantenna.com/shop-here/ols/products/cha-mpas-modular-portable-antenna-system-20

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that's different from the amazon link posted.

285cm is a 1/4 wave whip at about 25mhz.

both seem expensive for what they are

[shrug]

Posted: 5/3/2022 6:18:11 PM EDT

[#12]

The one on Amazon is 285cm also. It just looks like a more durable option than an extendable whip for field use but I could be wrong on that.

Posted: 5/3/2022 6:24:51 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
The one on Amazon is 285cm also. It just looks like a more durable option than an extendable whip for field use but I could be wrong on that.

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are you thinking, by itself, or with a Wolf or similar coil ?

might work well on the Wolf, . . . or might be too top heavy.

not sure

a 10 or 12 meter hamstick would be a lot cheaper, but less compact

Posted: 5/3/2022 6:35:10 PM EDT

[#14]

I have the Amazon whip. It's just a brass metal whip that assembles like a tent pole and has a CB-whip type threaded stub on the bottom. No matching circuitry.

Yes it is the exact same one Chameleon sells or at least sold, I've heard they might source a different one now. They sell it to be used with their EmComm series of 5:1 broadband transformers, since those will make damn near anything attach to them easily tunable (but not always very effective).

I use mine sometimes on top of a tunable coil like the WRC, as it's not really usable alone as a 1/4 wave on any ham band (maybe 10M with a tuner, but it would be a poor choice). It's a rare one for me though, it's just as easy to carry the 17-ft telescoping whip most of the time, which will be more efficient on the lower bands and is fine tunable.

The military-style whip cannot be fine tuned like a telescoping whip that can be shortened, but that doesn't matter much unless you wanted to also use it for VHF bands for some reason.

Posted: 5/3/2022 7:02:20 PM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:

https://chameleonantenna.com/shop-here/ols/products/cha-mpas-modular-portable-antenna-system-20

View Quote

I have several friends that use the Chameleon antenna system and they all commented that they paid way too much for the actual performance of the antenna.

I would like borrow one and and see for myself, but I'm not sure I would be willing to spend $600.00 to test one.

Posted: 5/3/2022 7:08:55 PM EDT

[#16]

Thanks, you answered my questions. I worry about the extendable whips coming apart. I have a 17' and plan on using portable with a wrc mini, or just alone for 20-10m. I will just be careful with the whip.

Posted: 5/3/2022 7:10:21 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:

I have several friends that use the Chameleon antenna system and they all commented that they paid way too much for the actual performance of the antenna.

I would like borrow one and and see for myself, but I'm not sure I would be willing to spend $600.00 to test one.

View Quote

There is no way I would pay 600 for that.

Posted: 5/3/2022 9:09:48 PM EDT

[#18]

Quote History

Quoted:

There is no way I would pay 600 for that.

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Good propagation makes up for a marginal antenna system.

Posted: 5/3/2022 9:40:15 PM EDT

[#19]

Buddiepole makes a similar one. They changed the design though so it's not as skinny as it was.

It's used with their 40M tapped coil in place of a telescoping whip (and is far more durable than that whip as well.)

The amazon one is a good deal, order a couple and put together a longer one, all you need is shock cord to
build whatever length you want.

Posted: 5/3/2022 11:07:12 PM EDT

[#20]

That green one is just a military AT-271. It's the functional equivalent of an 8 foot CB whip basically. Nothing special other than portablity.

http://www.prc68.com/I/AT271.shtml

I've used mine more for an improvised fish stick to route cable through walls.

Posted: 5/3/2022 11:11:42 PM EDT

[#21]

Quote History

Quoted:
Buddiepole makes a similar one. They changed the design though so it's not as skinny as it was.

It's used with their 40M tapped coil in place of a telescoping whip (and is far more durable than that whip as well.)

The amazon one is a good deal, order a couple and put together a longer one, all you need is shock cord to
build whatever length you want.

View Quote

I don't think that will work as each section is smaller than the last, unless I'm looking at something else or misunderstanding.

Posted: 5/4/2022 12:48:07 AM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:

I don't think that will work as each section is smaller than the last, unless I'm looking at something else or misunderstanding.

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Good point, I assumed it was set up like the others I've seen where each section was the same, but looking at the pictures
it does seem to narrow.

It's still respectably long to work with a loading coil, but not nearly as amenable to DIY embiggening as I thought.

Posted: 5/4/2022 10:48:34 PM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:

Good point, I assumed it was set up like the others I've seen where each section was the same, but looking at the pictures
it does seem to narrow.

It's still respectably long to work with a loading coil, but not nearly as amenable to DIY embiggening as I thought.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

I don't think that will work as each section is smaller than the last, unless I'm looking at something else or misunderstanding.

Good point, I assumed it was set up like the others I've seen where each section was the same, but looking at the pictures
it does seem to narrow.

It's still respectably long to work with a loading coil, but not nearly as amenable to DIY embiggening as I thought.

One thing else to note, if it's truly like the original military 271 the sections aren't all that rugged. They have no flex and will just bend to a shape. They are just metal tubes, maybe brass.

Posted: 5/5/2022 12:00:19 AM EDT

[#24]

You could get a Super Antenna SuperWhip and use it with one of their coils or a wolf coil. It is made of Nitinol wire like the Super Elastic Signal Sticks, only much longer and thicker for HF use.

http://newsuperantenna.com/Super-Antenna-SW1-SuperWhip/

Posted: 5/5/2022 11:47:22 AM EDT

[#25]

Quote History

Quoted:
Is my memory faulty, or did the old U.S. Army radios used to have an antenna that was like sectioned concave rounded flat stock?

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yes the prc 77 kit had a flat metal tape for mobile use, the brass painted green stick was for stationary. I was thinking the ends were brass and the center sticks were fiberglass, fuzzy memory.

Posted: 5/5/2022 1:30:47 PM EDT

[#26]

Quote History

Quoted:
Is my memory faulty, or did the old U.S. Army radios used to have an antenna that was like sectioned concave rounded flat stock?

View Quote

That's for VHF low.

Posted: 5/5/2022 10:24:11 PM EDT

[#27]

I have a milsurp whip of the type mentioned. It works well portable, but not while moving. It's too flimsy and will snap on a vehicle. I have one for a manpack, but it rarely gets used.

Posted: 5/6/2022 2:04:18 AM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
I have a milsurp whip of the type mentioned. It works well portable, but not while moving. It's too flimsy and will snap on a vehicle. I have one for a manpack, but it rarely gets used.

View Quote

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