Chameleon Antenna CHA MIL WHIP

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[@hamradiobasics]

As much as we like to set up our gear and make QSO's, we need to do periodic maintenance on that gear to make sure we can enjoy our hobby. Well done Julian !

[@dclose8636]

I use NOALOX compound in the joints each year as well.

[@PaperworkNinja]

I remember using petroleum jelly to waterproof electrical connections on ground equipment and to prevent corrosion on headset plugs when I was in the Air Force. I still use it to make a water barrier on the coax connection to my EmComm II transformer. Preventive Maintenance means more dB.

[@OH8STN]

Well said! 👍

[@Francois_Dupont]

for those interested i made a FREE 3D design of a similar antenna and shared it on Printables. if you have a 3D printer and the green whip you can make one with only a few bits and bobs.

[@EphemeralThought]

I think I might consider using a brass wire brush rather than sand paper, especially on those threads - after many cleanings one could see some thread wear. Thanks for the great video and reminder that even our antennas require some regular TLC!!

[@OH8STN]

Excellent point and agreed 👍

[@kyleinokc]

Scotchbrite green pads work well on MPAS version 1 whips.

[@steveehabibi1]

Excellent video! A reminder of the 5 P's! I would go as far to say try to clean the contacts chemically first. Repeated abrasion will inevitably cause loose connections.

[@NAPELAKAPU]

Good to hear from you again. Mahalo for the video. Only question is, how do you change the cord?

[@StevenHailstone]

Great video. Are there ways to maintain a telescoping antenna? I am noticing that performance has diminished there as well.

[@OH8STN]

Indeed. The telescope antenna requires evdn more maintenance here at high latitudes, where we have such poor wx. I'm not sure about a maintenance strategy yet. Up till now i've been most concerned about keeping the moisture out of the joints. It's usually enough to keep it under the hot sun on a sunny day. Also leaving it to warm sauna also helps. Perhaps this is a topic to be covered as well.

[@J1mbo888]

Top Video as always Julian. Rock and Roll indeed 🙂

[@davidsradioroom9678]

Excellent video!

[@EricSolomon-op8ti]

ALWAYS informative Helpful - Useful Thank You !!

[@LordTimelord]

Add "Never Dull Cotton Wad Cleaner" in a can, and Electrical Contact Cleaner Spray to the tools used to clean antenna connections. Never Dull works awesome at removing corrosion!

[@OH8STN]

Excellent advice 👍

[@K3JRZOnTheAir]

I had the threads of the base of the mil whip become completely stripped. It was like pulling teeth to get a replacement part from Chameleon. First & last Chameleon antenna I'll buy.

[@sp5wit]

For cleaning and improving contact in the whip, You can also use brass brush for cleaning gun barrels (9mm should fit perfectly)

[@johnkeo358]

When i was on active duty, we used 550 cord , wrapped it around once and pulled the 550 cord back and forth in a sawing motion. With a portable antenna like that one, id place it on the end of a table or bench thrn sit on it to make it stay in place while cleaning it with the 550 cord

[@OH8STN]

Brilliant feedback. Thanks for sharing.👍

[@johnkeo358]

@OH8STN your welcome! I was a bit concerned that the sandpaper would potentially damage the copper over time as far as longevity is concerned. As far as cleaning in the field in off grid settings, I'm sure you'll always have 550 cord available. As usual, great videos!

[@geekdownrange]

Doing PMs may not be sexy high speed low drag stuff, but it is absolutely essential. Good to see your QC inspector making sure you're doing a good job. 😄

[@JohnDoe-zg6fn]

👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@tbk1801]

Like 6k in solar blankets on the table…. Great video, love my system

[@imhigh0013]

Good comms here. 👍 feel smarter for checking in.

[@Anonopsmo]

Hello Julien, thanks for that introduction. i wish there is a Mil Whip like that for 10/11m. Best greets and happy fall time to you. Jan

[@OH8STN]

You are very welcome. The MIL WHIP covers 10m without tuner. Part of 11m as well. If you're using a tuner, It will work just fine on those frequencies. 73 Julian oh8stn

[@mikedmann7487]

Glad you are back!

[@OH8STN]

Thanks. Just summer holiday, and family time. 73 Julian oh8stn

[@dougdaniels]

Excellent recommendation, as always. It's not only whip antennas that need PM. I had an EFHW have a branch fall on it over the winter. As it didn't break, it didn't occur to me that anything could be wrong. When I started using it again in the spring, I wasn't making the contacts I usually do. I checked the SWR and it was resonant much lower on all bands. The wire had stretched over a foot!

[@OH8STN]

This is a great point! I suspect one of my antennas is also suffering from a recent tree attack. One way to quality check our antennas is running an analysis on the antenna when first deployed or put up. Save the plot in a safe place for reference. If you suspect something fishy later on, the original plot is always there for reference. Thanks for watching and commenting. 73 Julian oh8stn

[@sk8crk]

message sent winlink

[@OH8STN]

Thanks. I'll get back on winlink this coming week. 73 Julian oh8stn

[@MARRANCA2]

I have the ORIGINAL collapsible military whip: the AN-131-A manpack whip. I feed mine via an Alpha Antenna FMJ balun. Works incredibly well

[@jahangirhuseynov6679]

Thank you, Julian, for the informative videos. This is what I call " Videos that respect my time". What setup would you recommend for the following requirements: 1. SOTA, Voice activation, SSB, 20m or 10m 2. Activation time - no more than 1hr, daytime 3. Elevation - 8000 - 11000ft 4. Should be lightweight, as light as possible, trails are strenuous, and the weight of a backpack is very important 5. Summits have no trees. Hard surfaces and rocks 6. Backpack space is limited, available space - 3-4 ltr 7. Need an ability to call for emergency (send a SOS message or something in emergency situation) Thank you!!!!

[@jrjet21]

Your dog was either hungry or irritated at the constant fluke beeping.🤣

[@OH8STN]

Indeed. It sounds like the kettle alarm. Every time the kettle is finished cooking in beeps. That's when you get a treat. The multimeter in the kettle sound hardly the same. 🤣👍

[@howardbernier2289]

Couldn't you disassemble the antenna and place neoprene o-rings between the sections to reduce the moisture and gunk?

[@OH8STN]

Perhaps yes! In fact, that's a pretty good idea. The real problem is that the sockets are upside down. This allows the stuff to come in from the top down. An o-ring is a brilliant idea! 73 Julian oh8stn

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

Brasso

[@OH8STN]

You know when I was making this video, it all seemed extremely familiar. Polishing the brass on my dress blues 🤣👍 Outstanding 👍

[@dougdaniels]

Bon-Ami works great as well, I add it in my brass ammo tumbler.

[@jimpiper5297]

@@OH8STN Back in the day, always a can of Brasso around.

[@mjames1842]

Julian, give 3m’s gray Scotch bright for polishing up the brass connections, works like 00 steel wool but doesn’t rust.

[@ianlovell387]

Good to hear from you again. Great that you reminding us to check our gear before deployment. I myself had multiple failures on each of my last two deployments, these could have been discovered if I checked my gear beforehand. Subject change...Are those new safety glasses? If so what kind? Great job as always, looking forward to next video.

[@user-if2sb9ul6y]

good video. I still use version 1 of the MIL whip and had major problems with high contact resistance between the segments. these were also caused by the paintwork. therefore be sure to check. enjoy watching the channel.

[@scottgarvy]

Thank you Julian.

[@AdventUK]

Noticed after the seven minute mark you are not using a radial/s is there a reason for this?

[@OH8STN]

Simply didn't feel like dealing with the wire mess. Instead, using a 15 meter long coax cable. It's less efficient but works in a pinch.

[@seancowdrey]

Wouldn’t that pipe cleaner damage the elastic cordage?

[@OH8STN]

It's soft nylon.

[@dennisschultz1175]

@oh8stn what about the mil ext? Does this also apply?

[@OH8STN]

The MIL EXT requires anti-seize compound on the joints in wet wx, or extended/ptolonged field use. Thanks for the question 👍

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

Good Ole AT-271/U. Good stuff.

[@Chameleon_Antenna]

Great video! You can use GB Gardner Bender OX-100B Ox-Gard Anti-Oxidant Compound and apply at each section once a year. - The perfect safeguard for aluminum-to-aluminum and aluminum-to-copper wire connections, as well as aluminum conduit joints Guards against oxidation Improves conductivity. - When the connection is tightened, the grease is displaced, leaving a layer of zinc filling in the surface imperfections of the interface. This has a twofold effect; it improves. - Ox-Gard Anti-Oxidant Compound contains prime grade zinc and is formulated with metallic zinc to create a compound that enhances electrical and thermal conductivity which is used. - This reduces the connection temperature under high power conditions by a reduced voltage drop and by providing a heat conductivity path to the connection's substrate. Anti - oxidant. - The grease base ensures brush-ability over a wide temperature range, tenacious adherence to all surfaces, resistance to water wash out and the prevention of rust and corrosion. You can get it on Amazon and probably on any hardware store around the world!

[@DanielTMinnick]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't that cord have zero elasticity? This whip has a spring in the base which puts tension on it and is the reason why this antenna should be broken down starting from the tip. Thoughts?

[@OH8STN]

Looks similar but It's not our beloved whip from back in the day. No spring loaded base. It's stretch cordage.

[@DanielTMinnick]

@@OH8STN interesting. I have a new one from Chameleon within the last couple of months and it has the spring. Not sure which I prefer. Of note, the extension has shock cord.

[@OH8STN]

@DanielTMinnick Nice, they must have upgraded 👍

[@DanielTMinnick]

​@@OH8STN it is possible, but I would recommend you check your example and consider deploying and recovering as per the user guide to ensure you are not doing damage to what certainly looks to be exactly like the braided cord in my example and even makes the same sounds that I would expect to hear out of a compressing and expanding base spring. Either way, I'm sure it can put up with a lot of abuse!

[@OH8STN]

This is a MIL WHIP 2.0. Same as on their website and user guide. Perhaps you have another version. Anyway doesn't matter. The person which had the problem with their whip, asked me to make a video for this version.

[@DE-ke2rf]

After the cleaning & sanding a wipe down with a cotton swab with alcohol will remove the dust, metal shavings & grease/dirt from the surface. I always use a cotton swab or Q-tip with a light coating of Vaseline to finish the job & protect the surfaces.

[@LiveFree-pk8ej]

Thank you for another great video. 73

[@OH8STN]

Not so great but thanks for saying so. This one was more of a necessity. 73 Julian oh8stn