The Chameleon LEFS 4010 Antenna | Review and POTA! | K-8237 9/24/23
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- čas přidán 2. 08. 2024
- This is a review for another unstoppable antenna. The Chameleon CHA LEFS 4010 (Lightweight End Fed Sloper) EFHW. As you'll see in this video, the signal reports and QSO map pretty much speak for this antenna all on their own. This is a very light and compact antenna that is perfect for POTA activations, or portable use in general. I got this antenna to try out as I'm planning to eventually get out and start hiking and activating with my Yaesu FT-857d.
The blue wire on this antenna looks really good, and for the most part it was visible. Good for parks and conservation areas where you might have some foot traffic around you as I did here. There was a bow hunter that came out of the woods and if not for the blue wire, he might not have missed it.
You could say the pileup on 20m for this activation was good propagation and band conditions (though there was a lot of QSB). Absolutely. However, I've found the performance of the LEFS 8010, along with the signal and audio reports to be very consistent, as you can see in my other activations. It looks like the 4010 is going to follow. Both are 49:1 and the components are pretty much identical except for the method of connection. With that, the performance should be close as they are pretty much identical antennas electrically.
The CHA LEFS 4010 can be found here.
chameleonantenna.com/shop-her...
The CHA LEFS 8010 can be found here.
chameleonantenna.com/shop-her...
I highly recommend both of these antennas. For the performance and ease of deployment, I don't think they can be beat.
The coax adapters I used in this video and am going to use in the future can be found here.
www.amazon.com/dp/B00CW5JT58?...
www.amazon.com/dp/B00CW5HZWM?...
Bro, do you even ham radio shirts!? Check out these awesome, funny shirts and other cool ham radio stuff from Quirky QRP Ham Radio.
www.etsy.com/shop/QuirkyQRPHa...
0:00 - Intro
0:20 - Preview of Idiocy
0:55 - Intro pArT II
1:22 - Antenna Review!
13:10 - Your Favorite Setup Hyperlapse
14:34 - SWR Test
15:11 - My Screw Up
15:45 - SWR pArT II
17:21 - Checking Out 10m
18:44 - Antenna Orientation
19:37 - My Relationship with Chameleon Antenna
21:19 - Hunting Alaska!
21:49 - The Murder Hornet
22:09 - KL4RL AK P2P! K-7242
23:05 - The Murder Hornet is Plotting....
23:14 - Trying to Activate on 10m
24:23 - The Murder Hornet Left Me
25:21 - AE7CJ OR (My First SSB 10m Contact Ever!)
28:56 - KK7KEK K-4468 P2P!
30:54 - KK7MXL WA
32:33 - KJ7RPL OR
33:26 - VE7ATJ (British Columbia!)
34:36 - KJ7JYJ WA (Technician!)
38:26 - LET THE PILEUP BEGIN!
38:50 - KK7BTT ID
40:53 - KF0IDT CO
42:05 - KD8REH MI
42:52 - W5PFR MS
43:49 - K3CNH DE
44:27 - W3ELK AZ
45:02 - K4LI
45:53 - KD4ZLY FL
46:31 - VE3WMI (Ontario!)
47:47 - W4IDX AZ
48:35 - W2WNN NW2W PA
49:45 - KI4YZN TN
50:19 - N3PM PA
50:55 - K8GQ WV
51:26 - KC4ZUA GA
52:34 - AA7RS UT
53:03 - KQ4KFI GA
53:51 - WD8IIJ OH
55:02 - AD4O AL
55:33 - AC8UU MI
56:04 - WB8VNH OH
57:15 - VE3KDG (Ontario!)
58:01 - W5CBX CO
58:31 - KA2BUG NY
59:08 - K2HA PA
59:47 - KE8VGU MI
1:01:28 - K1CWB MA
1:02:01 - KG7MAV OR
1:02:42 - KY4JPS KY
1:03:24 - K4ZMF FL
1:04:21 - QRT!
1:04:45 - Closing Arguments
1:05:46 - 10m QSO Map
1:05:52 - 20m QSO Map
1:05:46 - Thank You!!!
#hamradio #pota #chameleonantenna #chameleon #LEFS #HF
Music: Sunguard by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
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Music: Executioner by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Music: Blood & Steel by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Music: Rust by Alexander Nakarada (www.creatorchords.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/... - Věda a technologie
Was doing research on this antenna and found your vid. The research fell into just enjoying your activation…Awsome time for sure and will be ordering this for sure. Look forward to now watching your other vids. Keep it up!
Thank you so much for that. I cannot express how grateful I am for the kind words. I'm glad my video helped in your research and gave you some entertainment as well. You can't go wrong with either of the LEFS antennas. They are both very solid in performance. I'll definitely keep at it. I'll have quite a few new videos coming soon. Thank you again. 73!
Thanks for going to the effort of sharing this. I just ordered a LEFS 4010 based on the in the field review.
You are really going to enjoy that antenna. I'm planning to hopefully get a test done with it as a dipole here in the next few weeks when I go on vacation in Arkansas. For as small as it is, that 4010 is extremely versatile. Thank you for watching, I'm glad it helped you make a decision!
After watching this. I’m going to buy this weekend! Good video as always man ☝️👍👍
I can safely promise you won't regret it. Either the 8010 or the 4010. Both are absolutely solid.
I'm glad my video helped you make a decision, and thank you, seriously. Comments like this truly keep help me to stay motivated.
Hey, Chameleon. You see me out here selling your antennas? ........kidding!!! 😁😇🫰
@@KC0JH_HAMateur_Radio I’m going to go with the 4010. They both look like awesome quality and I always like supporting American made 🇺🇸
not a problem man!
Haha! If you help sell a few nothing wrong in that maybe they will send you some free gear 👍👍 73’s Kf0ldg
Yeah you can't go wrong with either of them. I like the size of the 4010 and I've got a couple of places I want to activate that are hike in only, so that's the one I'm going to take with me. Just don't forget some adapters for the coax unless you plan on getting the RG-316 which has BNC on both ends. I'm going to be making some more videos on the 4010 here pretty soon for the dipole side of the antenna, but last Saturday I was distracted by something with the Alpha FMJ. Antennas are just plain fun. @@johnf853
My 8010 came with both winders. I love that antenna.
Me too. And the 4010 has been just as good. They out perform all of my others by far.
I have spent a lot of money on CHA too!
It's definitely not hard to do! 😂
@@KC0JH_HAMateur_Radio Well, you can't take it with you! Might as well spend it on good equipment. ☺
Thanks for this review. I also have the LEFS 8010. I agree, it is a wonderful antenna. Chameleon has a real winner with this system.
I couldn't agree more. I'm very happy with the performance and versatility. 73!
Man…Top Notch review. Thanks for video!
Thanks man!! I'm sure glad you think so! 😅 Leave it to me to talk about the connections on an antenna and then hook the thing up wrong lol.
Awesome video. I agree with you regarding the LEFS. It’s the baseline all other antennas, that I test, are compared to. I haven’t found much that is more balanced. The FrankenStick put performs it, but it’s not automatically a match for my radio. The LEFS is “put it in the tree, connect the radio, and talk.”
Thanks man. I appreciate that. And you're right, I wish all of my antennas performed as well as these do. The best part is, it's consistent even with less than ideal band conditions. I don't even want to use anything else now. All you need is a place to hang the feed point, and the height dictates the radiation and directionality. Verticals? What verticals? 😁
They do sell the extra blue wire to make the 4010 a dipole now, cause I just picked up some :D
As usual, I'm a month late and a response short. I'm sorry for the delay and thank you for the comment and for watching. I actually bought another element back in January, I think it was, when they started selling them. I just haven't had a chance to get out and use it yet. I'm hoping to break that cycle around the second week of June and test it as a dipole. 73!
Thank you for sharing, I think your video is great. I love the fact that you did the load down on both of the Chameleon antennas. I just bought the OCF antenna from them and waiting for it to arrive. I had a MyAntenna and love that but, it was struck by lightning. I think I will buy another one but, I wanted to try a Chameleon antenna. Thank you for posting the links for the connectors, I will need to buy one of them for my OCF antenna. I have a FT-991A and love my radio. Thank you again for the great. KO4UWU
Hey, thanks for the comment! I really appreciate it. I think you're really going to like that antenna. So far, it seems like the Chameleon wire antennas just plain work. I haven't had a single issue out of either one of them. I almost ended up with an FT-991. Those are very good rigs. I think when I got my 7300, it just happened to be a little cheaper. I've been a little lax on posting lately and getting to the comments, so I apologize, but I'll definitely be posting more videos for these antennas soon. 73!
Hello Collegue !! good morning, good activations to you! I found your channel yesterday, because I want the ic 7300 to be part of my station.... great channel by the way!!! I share the same feelings of gratitude when you find a station you want to work with!!! Hugs from Argentina, LU1APS .. 73.
You are going to love the 7300. Others say there are better radios out there, and I'm sure there are, but it has been a solid rig for me and I've had no worries or issues taking it into the field for activations with me. I plan on making another video to share my audio settings and how I typically use it in the field. Thank you for the kind words, my friend. I hope to get you in the log! 73! de KC0JH, John.
@@KC0JH_HAMateur_Radio thanks for your answer!!! I saw a lot of reviews indeed, and 7300 won..! for going outside, wich kind of batteries do you use or recommend?
@BunkerDx I use a Bioenneo 30ah lithium iron phosphate battery. You cannot beat how their batteries perform, and they are much safer than traditional batteries. 30ah is actually a little overkill. A 20ah would be more than enough for a couple of activations. A lot of hams use these because of the performance and reliability. If they are available for you, I would definitely consider it.
www.bioennopower.com/products/copy-of-12v-30ah-lfp-battery-pvc-blf-1230w
Thanks. Great video. Just food for thought...It is my understanding that you will get a slightly improved result if the antenna wire is raised about 6' off the ground rather than staked to the ground.
I've got a friend who has done that, and honestly, it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. I've actually had better SWR results with it staked directly to the ground. As far as performance, the contacts and signal reports tend to back that up.
Just for the sake of science, the next time I'm out, I will try that and see what happens.
I love the 4010 and 8010 so much I have 2 of each! That 20 ga wire is perfect. They do have the bulk 20 ga now after lots of urging.
I agree, that the wire is amazing. I didn't know they had it in bulk. I might just have to get some and try making the 4010 into a dipole and see how it goes. I noticed that feed point was made for it and I've been curious about it since I've had it. But it works so well as an EFHW I just haven't put much thought in actually doing it yet.
I will say I have to be a little careful stringing out the wire on the 4010. It does seem to get tangled and kinked a little easier than the wire on the 8010. Still not a huge issue by any means, though. Thanks for the comment! 73!
Thank you. I think you may be the first reviewing this antenna on CZcams. Very good review, and seems you had some great results as well. Curious about one thing, and that is your opinion on the construction of this antenna, is it as good as normal Chameleon products construction?
Hey, thank you for the kind words. I really appreciate that. I think you might be right. I had not seen anyone else with a video for it either, but if I remember correctly, there was an older version of this antenna (4010) that Chameleon had before.
So far, it has performed extremely well. It seems to be right on par with the slightly bigger LEFS 8010 which I have used quite a bit.
As far as the quality and construction, both the 8010 and 4010 seem solid. I've not had a single issue out of either.
I just used the new 4010 again tonight with the wire pointed East and slightly lower to the ground. I had a pretty good pileup going from the East coast. Very happy with it so far.
@KC0JH_HAMateur_Radio Thank you...I certainly appreciate you testing this antenna snd giving your opinion. Much appreciated.
@@FM-us3rdNo problem at all. I'm happy to do it!
Great review! I read there is no performance difference whether the feed point is on the ground or elevated.
I greatly apologize for the delayed response. Life and work.....the usual. There is a difference, but it's slight. I did another video in October where I went camping in NW Missouri and actually tested it. If I remember correctly, 20 and 40 seemed to like being a little bit off of the ground. It wasn't anything substantial, but it did make the numbers on the analyzer a little happier. Thank you for watching!
Was that a Bigfoot crouching in the bushes?.....Nope! just Big John the POTA animal. -kc2bkm
Ha! I don't know about all that, but thanks for the vote of confidence. 😂