CHAMELEON V1 HF/VHF/UHF MULTIBAND ANTENNA





The Chameleon V1 HF/VHF/UHF Multiband Antenna is a new and formidable antenna that can be used for portable, mobile or base stations. At only 8’4” tall the V1 is composed of two individual screw together elements that can be assembled and disassembled in matter of minutes for fast and easy deployment. Its size is ideal for civil defense, disaster preparedness and general communications. The V1 is the most versatile antenna on the market.

The Chameleon V1 HF/VHF/UHF Multiband Antenna has been proven very efficient and reliable by hundreds of operators and professionals worldwide. A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck the island nation of Haiti on January 12, 2010 and the V1 was used by operators providing communications support for the volunteers of the Haiti relief efforts. Since then some operators from the Haiti relief efforts consider that the Chameleon V1 HF/VHF/UHF Multiband Antenna should be in everyone’s mobile and portable emergency jump kit.

This quarter wavelength antenna covers the bands from 80M to 6M including MARS/CAP frequencies. Specially designed for HF the Chameleon V1 can also operate 2M, 1.25M, 70CM up to 500MHz including the marine channels with a proper installation and without the UNUN 9:1 (trans-match) installed.

Its slim silhouette and reduced size make the Chameleon V1 the perfect stealth antenna for deed-restricted community. The V1 can be easily mounted on virtually anything with the provided accessories.

Such as most quarter wave antennas, the V1 requires a good ground plane to perform adequately. For a portable or a base station installation the ground plane can be obtained by a proper arrangement of the provided counterpoise system. For a mobile antenna installation the surface right under the V1 antenna will provide the best ground plane.

A rule of thumb for vertical antennas less or equal than ¼ wavelength high is that the radius of the conductive plane beneath the antenna should be equal to the height (length) of the antenna. Of course, this rule cannot be followed for most mobile installations but one needs to provide as much ground plane as possible. Therefore, for body mounting the body components need to be bonded together and bonded to the chassis using copper straps. This can be difficult unless the components are already welded together. If the antenna is mounted on the lid of the trunk, the lid should be bonded to the rest of the body. Bare copper braid is best for this since the connection must be flexible.

It is critically important to establish a good mechanical and RF ground connection for all Chameleon Antennas models (as with all vertical antennas). Mobile mounts which are bolted through the vehicle’s roof, or otherwise mechanically affixed, will usually be satisfactory. However, magnetic mounts do not provide the RF grounding necessary for good performance, and are not recommended for use with this antenna. A good RF ground requires a very short, heavy-duty connection between the antenna mount and the chassis or body of the vehicle, and in the case of body mounting the body panels must be bonded to each other and to the chassis to create the maximum ground plane.

At 8’4” long the Chameleon V1 Antenna requires a stainless steel heavy-duty coil spring when installed for mobile to prevent any breakages and damages that could occur to the antenna mount and the vehicle.

The V1 is perfect for QRP and low power operations when only 1W to 20W is available. For base station or when more power is needed the Chameleon V1 can handle up to 500W SSB.

The Chameleon V1 HF/VHF/UHF Multiband Antenna is also NVIS capable.



MSRP: $249



CHAMELEON V1 HF/VHF/UHF ANTENNA


ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Frequency:

80M to 6M, 2M, 1.25M, 70CM + MARS/CAP
Power:
500 W SSB
RF Connection:
PL-259
Input Impedance:
50 Ω
VSWR:
Subject to Ground-plane
Pattern:
Omni directional
Polarization:
Linear vertical
Height:
8’4”
Weight:
2.5 lb. (V1 Kit 3 lb.)
Mounting Configuration:
3/8-24 Thread Mount




Chameleon V1 HF/VHF/UHF Multiband Antenna Accessories Kit

  • 1 X 3/8-24 Mount Bar
  • 1 X C Clamp 2"
  • 4 X 25 Feet Counterpoise wires with 3/8" Ring Tongues for portable use
  • 4 X 8” Steel Tent Stakes to hold the Counterpoise
  • 2 X Clip-On Ferrite Beads
  • 1 X CHAMELEON V1 HF/VHF/UHF Multiband Antenna™
  • 1 X UNUN