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CHA 40/20 FD 

Page 11 

 

Recovery Procedure 

To recover the Fan Dipole antenna, perform the following steps: 
1.

 

Disconnect the Coaxial Cable from the Radio Set. 

2.

 

Lower the BALUN. 

3.

 

Disconnect the Coaxial Cable from the BALUN. 

4.

 

Carefully roll (do not twist) the Coaxial Cable. 

5.

 

Disconnect the Antenna Wires from the BALUN. 

6.

 

Untie the Paracord from the Tent Stakes. 

7.

 

Pull the Tent Stakes from the ground and place them next to the Coaxial Cable. 

8.

 

Wind the Antenna Wires onto the Line Winders. 

9.

 

Remove dirt from antenna components and inspect them for signs of wear. 

10.

 

Store components together; ready for next antenna deployment. 
 

 
Troubleshooting 

Most problems experienced when using the Fan Dipole Antenna are likely to be caused by failures in the Coaxial 
Cable or Antenna Wire connections.  Perform the following steps to troubleshoot problems with the Fan Dipole 
Antenna. 
1.

 

Connect a Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) Power Meter and check the SWR on the lowest and highest frequencies 
of both 40 and 20m.   

2.

 

If the SWR is greater than 8.0 on the four frequencies measured in the previous step, ensure the Coaxial Cable 
UHF Plugs (PL-259) are securely tightened to the UHF Sockets of the Radio Set and BALUN.  Recheck SWR.  
SWR readings lower than 8.0 on some frequencies indicate a tuning issue - perform the Field Tuning 
procedure. 

3.

 

Check the Antenna Wire Spade Lug connections on the sides of the BALUN to make sure they are tightly 
connected and free from corrosion.  Recheck SWR. 

4.

 

Check for an open in the coaxial cable by temporarily placing the alligator clip from one side of a jumper wire 
on the outside of the UHF-Plug (PL-259) and the alligator clip on the other side of the jumper wire on the 
center of the UHF Plug.  At the other end of the coaxial cable place, one lead from a Multi-Meter on the 
outside of the UHF Plug (PL-259) and the other lead on the center of the UHF Plug.  If the meter reads greater 
than 0 (zero) Ohms (within the accuracy limits of the instrument), replace the coaxial cable. 

5.

 

Inspect the entire length of coaxial cable and look for damaged cable (exposed shield material or pinched/ 
flattened cable). 

6.

 

Due to the construction of the BALUN, it cannot be tested using a Multi-Meter as it will read as a DC short.  
This is normal and does not indicate a problem with the BALUN. 

7.

 

If still not operating correctly, contact Chameleon Antenna for technical support:   

 

support@chameleonantenna.com

. 

 

Please explain the problem and the steps you have already taken to troubleshoot the problem. 

 
 

Accessories 

The  following  accessories  are  available  for  purchase  from  Chameleon  Antenna

TM

.    Please  contact  us  at 

support@chameleonantenna.com

 for current prices and availability. 

Summary of Contents for CHA 20 FD

Page 1: ...40 20 Meter Fan Dipole Antenna CHA 40 20 FD Operator s Manual Nevada USA WWW CHAMELEONANTENNA COM VERSATILE DEPENDABLE STEALTH BUILT TO LAST...

Page 2: ...trust insulation to protect you Stay away from all power lines WARNING Never operate this antenna where people could be subjected to high levels of RF exposure especially above 10 watts or above 14 MH...

Page 3: ...nna Without an antenna tuner the Fan Dipole can operate on the 40 and 20m amateur radio bands A wide range antenna tuner will also enable operation on the 17 15 12 and 10m bands Figure 1 Fan Dipole An...

Page 4: ...are the primary method of HF radio wave propagation HF radio waves on a frequency below the critical frequency found by an ionosonde are reflected off one of the layers of the ionosphere and back to...

Page 5: ...r is used to match the antenna and coaxial cable preventing feedline radiation The BALUN is also used as the mechanical and electrical center attachment points for the antenna b Top Eyebolt The Top Ey...

Page 6: ...uded to wrap around the Line Winders for use in field tuning the antenna Antenna Installation The Chameleon AntennaTM 40 20 Meter Fan Dipole antenna can be deployed as a Flat Top horizontal dipole or...

Page 7: ...other Antenna wire 11 Connect the Coaxial Cable to the Coaxial Cable Connection d on the bottom of the BALUN 12 Raise the BALUN to near the top of the Mast k or other support Figure 2 show a typical...

Page 8: ...and installed in variety of ways in the field all of which affect the resonant frequency of the antenna Use this simple field tuning procedure to quickly and easily adjust the resonant frequency for e...

Page 9: ...you can say that the antenna is resonating close to 150 KHz too low Using our rule of thumb from above you would take three half turns off the Line Winder Figure 4 2nd Case Decreasing SWR by frequency...

Page 10: ...000 KHz we should add just one half turn on the Line Winders to increase the resonant frequency of the dipole to around 7 150 KHz Some trial and error may be necessary but remember as long as the SWR...

Page 11: ...on some frequencies indicate a tuning issue perform the Field Tuning procedure 3 Check the Antenna Wire Spade Lug connections on the sides of the BALUN to make sure they are tightly connected and free...

Page 12: ...figures 6 and 7 Power Handling 150 Watts Space Required An area 54 feet in length and 40 feet in width and have or be able to accommodate a 20 foot mast or other vertical support near the center of th...

Page 13: ...f 12 months from the date of purchase To obtain warranty service return all components of the system to Chameleon Antenna at your expense Chameleon Antenna will repair or replace defective components...

Page 14: ...Portable Antenna Pioneer References 1 Silver H Ward editor 2013 2014 ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications 91st Edition American Radio Relay League Newington CT 2 1987 Tactical Single Channel Radio C...

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