DX Commander Callum Builds a NEW Signature 12.4

[@patrickmolloy6994]

"working me nuts off" - for our American viewers, it means working hard !! cheers Callum

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Haha Patrick!!

[@johnharrison5703]

I worked for jaguar cars and back in 1990's earth straps breaking at the point that the solder had wicked up the braid, was one of the highest warrantyclaims. That was just engine vibration, so they switched to crimp only.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Interesting!

[@hamradiotube]

It’s an absolute thing of beauty!

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Yeah Mike. It's lovely.. I remember you suggested I "won" ham radio 2-years ago with the "epic" video! LOL

[@MattDXN]

That SWR is phenomenal across so many bands. The balance is just right, very impressive Cal. Looking forward to Saturday!

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Matt!!!!

[@jondv5278]

I can now see your new antenna from my house (in Kenilworth)! 😛

[@DXCommanderHQ]

HAHA!

[@M7BVV-Phil]

Hi Callum, as usual, a pleasure to watch 73

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Many thanks!

[@stevethibodeauxn4sfc257]

Great video Cal, Always a pleasure and education watching your projects. The new field looks wonderful. 73 N4SFC

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@tomplaner1488]

Callum, I just finished building and putting into service a new 12.4 system. I use a RigExpert AA-600 to scan the antenna as a whole system from 80 meters to 10 meters. Just so we are on the "same page" as it were, set Limits: Center, @ 27k, Range, @ (+/-) 17k and Points, @ 400. Then do a "Single" scan". In over 60 years of Amatuer Radio and many brands of analyzer use, this is the best, in my experience. It tells the absolute truth in one scan. By the way, I am also an empirical person, also. Tom KJ9P

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Empirical.. Now that's a new word for me. OK.. I looked it up. We're on the same page!

[@DavidMitchell79]

Crumble up a salt lick from the farm and spread the crumbles about the grounding plate to prevent grass and weeds from growing through it all?

[@dback4430]

I like the old 12.4 video better. Only because my call sign is the first one you hear 😂😂😂. Nice job. Gonna put mine back up for the winter.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Good choice!

[@seanwood8043]

DX Commander the home of antenna innovation ! That antenna is Bad to the Bone!

[@chuckp3739]

Thank you for the video.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Thanks for watching!

[@brianfields4479]

thanks for sharing, I use my strimmer on the grass and the hedges , bushes, everything really, with safety specs of course. The dog looked like one of those white horse thingies on the hill, only in dog shape, it looked cool.

[@Rubedo777]

It’s a biggun… it’s impressive that the swr is so steady. Very well done. ✅ 73. 💙

[@jackK5FIT]

When I put up my classic 2 years ago I sinned and did everything in metric since the element chart was in metric. Worked perfectly. Only a couple of minor adjustments needed. I use a rubber mulch tree ring around the bottom between the ground plate and element plate to help with grass. They should be available at a yard and garden supply. I can't be the only one wondering about the chair. 😁

[@DXCommanderHQ]

I need to paint that chair!

[@JustinPartridge-v3f]

Grand job

[@thomasperina2990]

Good morning Lord Callum: Thank you for this antenna video sir. IMHO please don't worry about you shaking while soldering sir. I'm 70 years old & I started building, & soldering when I was 7.5 to 8 years old but I can't do it now. Again sir I always love your antenna farm / test area so beautiful. Take care, God Bless, & my best to Wendy and the dogs. 73's old chap. TMP, Unit 22 from N.J.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Lovely comment. Tnx!

[@paulwynneroberts1731]

AWESOME 😍

[@DaveForrest-y8f]

Just finished putting my 12.4 together. Was out looking for the best location to stand it up and it started raining. Came in and watched the video. :). Hope it tunes as well as yours.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Coincidence!

[@Professzore]

Excellent... For the greens: try to fill up the soil parts with a gravel layer of at least 5 cm thick. Some greens will still be able to penetrate through, but cleaning is seriously easier. Yep, once a month.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Great idea!

[@Archiewinter920]

I was an advocate of soldering as being 'the only' way. But it's dependent upon skill of hand. Crimping is repeatable and when done with correctly calibrated/checked tools (go/no-go gauges), forms pretty much a single, formed connection. I still solder though as crimp tools are expensive to buy/maintain!

[@robertmeyer4744]

Great work. Them weeds grow faster than the grass hear in the US. Yes yard maintenance tools in us mostly battery electric, and they break and battery go dead. Their is a NASA report about soldering VS crimping. But that apply to high vibration. We are not on a rocket ship. I crimp then solder then heat shrink. works great for me. That new Antenna field looking great ! That output section in that Acom tube amp works like a tuner. Can easy handle 3:1 . don't use SWR ratio. it is the reflect power in watts that counts and if too high that ACOM will tripp. If it does just bring down drive a tad. I don't use SWR my self after set up. I have cross needle wattmeter. I watch reflect watts . that is what makes tubes of finals heat up. They see forward power and reflect power add together . If you subtract the numbers from forward to reflect power that gives you about how many bananas leaving the antenna out in the world. take away line loss . 73

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Yes, the Acom 2000 trips at 575W. Don't ask me how I know :)

[@REKlaus]

Callum, I have a little challenge for you. If nothing blows up between now and then I plan to purchase a classic from you this fall. My problem is that I do not have room to tilt up the antenna once assembled so I will have to assemble it on the ground then collapse it and put it up vertically one section at a time between the branches of some trees. The best place for me to put it would have it in between 2 spruce trees that are only about 5 feet apart, definitely not ideal. So here is the challenge if you choose to except it (and have time to do it) - temperately install a classic in the middle of the trees on the building side of your field where there is no room to tilt it up and see what the result is, how hard is it to put up and is it reasonably secure not to collapse. I realize the trees being parallel to the wires will likely change the tuning some, maybe considerably and the tuning my change seasonally. Have a great week and great get together. 73 K1AUS

[@DXCommanderHQ]

You COULD do it. It's just fiddly.

[@edcozart9916]

Morning from across the pond I'm not sure how to feel about gluing the sections together. Myself have had 70-80 mph winds here in the US I'm in IL and I bought in on the first 50 12.4's and did have a break with 70+mph winds. so what I did to combat this is bought some of your thumb drive jubilee clips and put those on the bottom side of the section joint along with the originals clips that go on the upper side of the joint. And this far (knocking on wood) I've been thru 2 big wind storms that was a surprise and it produced 70-80 mph winds and the DXC 12.4 has done great plus I also guy at the first spreader and the 3rd spreader the 3rd being a loose guy to let it move some. Other than that Callum you have built a great antenna in the 12.4 hands down Thankyou and enjoy your day de W9US😎😎😎😎

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Well, I thought since they glue cars and ships together, I'll give it a try. Time will tell :)

[@LorenzoSinclair]

Looking good ready for field day Callum, maybe you could of got that base plate chromed for prospective buyers wow factor lol.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Haha.. I know who you are! LOL!!!

[@timgoad5750]

Well done Sir Callum and keep the videos coming.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Thanks, will do!

[@M7EUP]

Great video 👍🏼

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Thanks 👍

[@wino4340]

I spray a weed killer around the base of my DX Commander about once a month....keeps things manageable

[@REKlaus]

I put a lot of time in with a Weed Whip before anyone thought of making a string trimmer. It looks like a golf club shaft with a blade 10 - 12 inchs long and you would swing it back and forth to cut tall grass and weeds (Cal is old enough to have used one but maybe it was a U.S. thing)

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Oh yes!

[@darianvangorkum7389]

Callum, have you considered mounting this over a ground mast (like the signature 9, only longer and reinforced)? Not having guy ropes would be a game changer with a riding lawn mower. I would like to use a longer ground mast set in concrete with fiberglass rebar inside the mast also filled with concrete. A old car tire over the ground radial plate for a mow edge barrier.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

COnsidered it - but Sig 9 was designed around the thoughts...

[@g4lmn-ron]

Having a bit of a tidy because of visitors Callum? Looking good. Sorry I can't make the open day, my niece is visiting me from NZ, family first.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Indeed. Once every few years, you need an excuse!

[@W4TRI_Ronny]

Curious how much rent you are paying for the antenna field? I have a farm next to the area I live and want to see about putting a small shack on it and fencing in a spot.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Land prices are different in UK but I would expect to pay ABOUT £2,000 for around 25x25 yards. That's around $2,500 I think.. I you actually go to the farmer with the CASH to show him.. Well, you know the drill! You might be able to get less if he has a corner that's inaccessible for his bigger machines.

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Cal, When you get into your 7th decade, those electric tools sure make it easier on the old joints. 🙂 New 12.4 looks great and the field looks presentable due to all your hard work. Liked the aerial footage at the end. Good luck on the Open Day. You and the family stay safe. 73 WJ3U

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Thanks Don, always a pleasure to see you in the comments. You should see the NEW field.. Wendy and I popped up today.. Wow, it's big! (Well, for us it is!)

[@kurtwolter3984]

Great stuff. You probably covered this before, but what kind of feed line do you use to bring this back to your radio(s) and how long is it?

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Between shack and field is 45m of EcoFlex 15. The about 45m of "regular" coax inside the shack and about 15m of BuryFlex between cabinet in field and feedpoint.

[@bill-2018]

I'd solder things if they are outdoor to help stop corrosion between the wire and tag. G4GHB.

[@mjktrash]

And use "Ground Clear" on the area immediately around the base. No more vegetation.

[@americaswayout4489]

Cal, ever thought of building a DXC for marine HF SSB land based companies? I asked CHAT GPT AND it liked the concept?

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Watch this space..

[@____.__._.._]

Cal are you taking part in YO DX this Saturday?

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Nope sorry

[@in3rpe]

Hello, it's me again. From the Alps. I have an aluminium flat roof. Approx. 8 x 6 metres, 11 metres high. My garden is surrounded by houses and trees. What do you say if I mount the DX comander on the roof? Without radials? The mass would be that aluminium roof?

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Yes, Signature 9 would work here..

[@johnlew5972]

Do you have a video about your loading coil? Anything special about what to put it next to. I have an OG DX Com . Its been up forever.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Video.. Probably, I discussed it on one of the Sig 12.4 build videos.

[@johnlew5972]

@@DXCommanderHQ Ok thank you!

[@johnlew5972]

Does it matter wher I put it in relation to the other verticals? Original instructions were pretty specific where each vert went. In relation to each other.

[@johnlew5972]

Thank you and have a great day!

[@warrenphillips69]

Vinegar would kill the weeds/grass nicely on the base plate.

[@4nk8r]

Maybe some rock salt in the center of your ground plate . That will kill the growth

[@DXCommanderHQ]

I was thinking that!

[@WesterDrive]

Agreed!

[@bx16v]

Instead of strimming i spray a wee taste of weed killer in the area round the base so the ground plane is always exposed

[@Nirinium]

Cal are you using fume extractor when you solder indoors? Just concerned mate de N1RIP

[@DXCommanderHQ]

For a few seconds. Nope.

[@japanham5973]

Callum, do you personally like the red wall?

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Yeah, warms the place up!

[@japanham5973]

@@DXCommanderHQ Hmmmmm, not too distractive?

[@dback4430]

What’s different with the new one Cal ?

[@DXCommanderHQ]

It's just the tinkering.. new plastic plates, better shock-cord, the EZClamps (which I didn't use).. Just bang up to date.. That's all.

[@in3rpe]

Hello form Italy north. I live in the Alps, in the valley, and have the mountains over 3000 metres in the near. It's that one solution for me?

[@DXCommanderHQ]

It depends on the angle. RF will defract off the top but if the angle between your QTH and top of mountain is greater than about 25 degrees, you might struggle. BUT you can get out on 40m and 80m since it normally uses a higher angle.

[@in3rpe]

​@@DXCommanderHQthank you for your input. I will check this. The last question, wat its the minimum consider distance, antenna to house ( 11 meter high). I like your antenna, I will instantly one. 10 - 20 meter band. 73 IN3RPE / jn56ko

[@DXCommanderHQ]

@@in3rpe OK so houses are "mostly" transparent to most RF on the HF bands BUT houses generate RF interference so keep it away from the house is sometimes a good idea. BUT it will still work :)

[@markdeweese9288]

What's your opinion of the mp1 supper antenna

[@DXCommanderHQ]

I worry about anything that claims to be "Super"!

[@Orion44851]

May I ask what radio you are using at 10:39

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Yes.. That's my TS-990s

[@Orion44851]

thanks for the reply

[@cornbread-KO5RN]

☕️ tea anyone👋

[@DonzLockz]

Oh no, the warranty is now void with the super glue!😂

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Er, yeah! LOL

[@alexjj]

"Next week on home garden maintenance..." 😅

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Ha!!

[@w8lvradio]

In America, we have poison ivy and rattlesnakes... So we don't like to get too up close and personal when we cut weeds and such...😂 73 DE W8LV

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Oh yes!

[@bassmanjr100]

American here. I have 18 acres in an area that gets 50 inches of rain a year and a 200 day plus growing season. I need all the help from electric and fossil fuel tools I can get. 😂

[@eliotmansfield]

you seem a little tired Cal, hope you are ok.

[@DXCommanderHQ]

What's wrong with being knackered? I love it. Means I've been BUSY!

[@eliotmansfield]

@@DXCommanderHQ No problem - as long as you are good.👍

[@mjktrash]

"Electric"???!!! GAS!!!

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Coal!

[@bitemykrank1970]

It's always funny to me, you see a guy or girl out in a field, showing off their antenna, it's a couple of bits of wire, worth $20 or so, attached to decent pole worth $150 or so, with another $100 in coax...so an investment of around $250-300 for the antenna. Then they show you their shack, and that cheap as chips antenna is connected to a $20,000 radio.....It's like when I go mobile op's, i have an IC7300, a $1500 radio and i'm using antenna I built for under $10......usually mounted to a tree stump with some bungee cords or a few cable ties.... Gotta have that "flash as a rat with a gold tooth" rig though....have to connect our cheap and nasty wire to a VERY expensive socket to make it useful.....Sometimes I think us HAMS do too much for too little end benefit. But YES I am jealous and yes I am broke....I WISH I had the $20,000 to spend on a radio, so I too could be flasher than Michael Jackson....

[@DXCommanderHQ]

There's nothing actually wrong with a top-of-the-range radio because that is the bit we fiddle with when it's pissing down with rain outside.

[@bitemykrank1970]

@@DXCommanderHQ So it's TRUE, the older we men get, the more expensive our toys get. Now at 55, I have radios to play with, at 45 it was Grandkids, at 35 it was women, at 25 it was alcohol and cars, at 15 it was....let's just say it, a BUCKETLOAD of knuckle babies died...so anyway I have more radio's beside my bed than Kleenex boxes now....and YES, mine are also connected to simple bit of wire on a stick....we really are a simple bunch aren't we....🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@dennyoconnor8680]

Spray the grounding ring with RoundUp Max 365. No new weeds.

[@dennis8019]

hate them swr here. cant use my setup i cant get it lower than 2.. 1.9 almost bloody 2 .. thought my antenna was broken so i bought a new one and its stil near 2.. i hate it!@

[@DXCommanderHQ]

Oh! Send pics of installation and let me take a look.

[@dennis8019]

@@DXCommanderHQ sorry i am not talking about your antennas . i have a atas 120a antenna on my balcony but thank you for responding though :)

[@CriticalThinker-42]

Ahhhh, you Brits, throw off on us Americans for our power tools, After using a String Trimmer that was invented by an American. BTW you could have cleaned out that fence row with the String Trimmer if you'd thought it through. 73 mike, Work Smarter, Not Harder. 🍺🍻

[@DXCommanderHQ]

I would need a bigger one. Actually I had a petrol one but never used it. And the guys at Holly Farm have everything I could ever wish for. 4 beers and the job would be done :)

[@WU3Shamradio]

I use a weed and grass killer around my ground plate keeps it Nice and tidy

[@pixeluser175]

First!