Hello Operators. Today on OH8STN Ham Radio we are discussing a Portable Ham Radio HF antenna that covers 6 HF bands, yet requires no antenna tuner. The antenna design is called an End Fed Half Wave antenna. This design is fed from one end of the radiating element, having an electrical length of one-half wavelength at the design frequency. This one is from Chameleon Antenna. It is called the LEFS (Lightweight End Fed Sloper). This video focuses on testing and performance. Spoiler alert: The LEFS does exactly what it says on the tin!
A more familiar example of a half-wave antenna is the centre-fed dipole. We use the end-fed antenna design for a few different reasons. Firstly, despite the assumptions, it is a multiband (harmonics) antenna. This one is designed for and resonant on 40 meters. It also provides excellent performance on 20m, 17m, 15m, 12, and 10 meters respectively.
Adding a 1:1 choke balun at the feed point brings the SWR down substantially across HF Chameleon CHA LEFS Chameleon CHA LEFS Chameleon CHA LEFS Chameleon CHA LEFS Chameleon CHA LEFS Chameleon CHA LEFS Chameleon CHA LEFS Chameleon CHA LEFS
Other reasons for choosing this type of antenna are the various configurations we can deploy it in. Although the name says “Sloper” antenna, this is just one of the various antenna configurations we can use. The Chameleon LEFS can also be configured as:
- Sloping
- Inverted L
- Inverted Vee
- Sloping Vee
- Horizontally for NVIS
All of these antenna configurations while still being fed from one end, and without all the radial wires required for a full-size vertical antenna.
Generally speaking, the half-wave antenna fed from the end is one of the best performing yet most forgiving antenna designs available to the field radio operator today. Here are a few bullet points:
- Incredible performance.
- Extremely light weight
- Fed fron the end
- Multiple bands
- Multi-configuration
- No mess of ground radials.
Want more information?
Learn more about the Chameleon LEFS at GigaParts http://oh8stn.net/32sfuXq USA, or Pileupdx EU http://oh8stn.net/3HSXvKd
All measurements were carried out using a Rig Expert AA-2000 Zoom http://oh8stn.net/3Ea64h6 or Rig Expert Stick Pro http://oh8stn.net/3nWgDyV .
Radio used for testing was the Icom IC-705.
Learn more about the Icom IC-705 at GigaParts USA http://oh8stn.net/32Emj8w or Pileupdx EU http://oh8stn.net/3l8Ar0b
The amplifier mentioned in the video was the PA500 from diy599.com. Watch my video series here or find technical details and documentation here. There is quite a substantial waiting list for this passionately designed and built amplifier.
Lots of effort goes into these posts. Researching and testing each component, software application, pragmatic field testing. When you see these posts, the mistakes and blunders have already been filtered out. If you find any value in that, share this post and/or buy me a rootbeer.
73
Julian oh8stn
YouTube http://www.youtube.com/c/oh8stn
Buy me a rootbeer: https://paypal.me/oh8stn/2usd
Great review as always, Julian. I used your link from Gigaparts and ordered one. I like my Packtenna, but this is definitely more robust and I like the longer lead and micro paracord that is included. Was not a bad price considering it is Chameleon.
Outstanding Paul. I also like it but do hope they consider the suggestions from the video. It is a great antenna. It is also still sittin goutside the window and working perfectly despite the extreme wx.
Thanks for using the link. It help to pay for the 705.
73
Julian oh8stn