25 Foot Long Telescoping Whip Antenna by Chameleon: SS25 - GAME CHANGER - Use, Review & Comparison

UPDATES SINCE VIDEO POSTING: 1) If you missed this, I stated both the 17 and the 25 foot whips were fully extended for all tests 2) Both whips were connected to a CHA Hybrid Micro matching unit for all tests 3) NO turner was used for any of the testing 4) Both WSPR transmitters were transmitting simultaneously through the night, ~ 9PM to 7AM, 12 - 80. Again, no tuning; my WSPR transmitters don't care about SWR 5) I am demonstrating the vertical use of the SS25; there is currently no TDL design or version of this for sale

Gotta respect the data from a man who can master the Pivot table.!!

For me, this is a GAME CHANGER because the 25' telescoping whip will now provide us a pure HALFWAVE vertical element on 15M through 6M for more gain and lower angle of radiation than a quarterwave! Pair it with your favorite 49:1 transformer (mine is the TennTennas) and you've got an efficient halfwave for POTA activations. I will mount mine on a Chameleon spike with a short PVC 'insulator' between them. Out for delivery today! 😀 73 KJ6ER

Wow!! 25 foot collapsable. Awesome. Thanks for introducing this to the community. I have been a big fan of the 17 footer. Great video Bob. Best 73s Dan K1YPB - On the air since 1962.

Hopefully it is more rugged. The 17 footers from my MFJ "Big Ears" have been rock solid. The 17 footer from my Chameleon antenna "pulled out" when setting it up one time (the majority of the antenna from the first segment).

Very thorough video, Bob. I appreciate you taking the time to make and share this!

Great vid Bob. Keep up the great work! You are a true asset to the YT Ham community. I wish I could shake your hand some day, but probably won't as I was in the hospital recently and still working on getting back out of the house. grrrr. If I can't make it to the grocery store or Walmart, I'm probably not going to meet you at a ham fest for example. such is life. At least we get this great technology to connect.

Interesting analytics and timing. I just ordered mine last Tuesday; it should be here early next week. I also though it was interesting you mentioned the TDL (so the 17' whips are likely to be available for quite a while). I almost ordered two SS25s to use in the TDL configuration (would just need a longer cross-wire, easy enough to make. I may just try it with one SS25 and one SS17, just to see what the results might be). That may be a spring project for me next year. Good video!

Perfect timing for the review just ordered mine after I watched you.

Always good videos. Nicely done. Not a whisper fan yet. but close enough to ft8 for me! Looking forward to them doing a delta loop link wire.

Someone is always going to find fault in the way you do something. I have a science background and I appreciate your methodology and efforts to make all things as equal as possible. If they were paying you to do these tests then they could complain. But until then I say kudos sir.

Yeah , I was on the fence waiting for this video and you pushed me off. I'm looking forward to pairing this with the 8' CHA mil EXT for a full size 40m Quarter wave ground mounted antenna....hmmm. That whole CHA MCH document is blowing my mind and hope you do more with that document and this new SS25.

Options are good. I would like the SS25 for home use or POTA and reserve the SS17 for travel or SOTA if trying to save some weight.

Great video Bob. I’ve already placed my order for the SS25.

Great video Bob. This does look like a game changer. Thanks, Jim

Thank Bob for a great and very informative video. You certainly did a FB job for those of use wishing to go into POTA operation. 73, de Doug N8HI

Were you using a tuner at all with these, or just letting the Hybrid Micro handle the transforms? I would expect a 25' to behave like a random wire and need a tuner!

A nice touch that would set Chameleon apart from all the others, would be the quality, plus resonance marks on the whip. You can get one or the other, but so far you cannot get them both. Everyone wants to spend the least amount of time in the Sun, rain, or snow, and the most amount of time on their radio.👍

I bought one of these after seeing the review and it gives me some ideas for some different uses. This can be used as a 1/4 wave on 30-6 but i also want to try it out as a 25ft random vertical "rybakov" antenna with a 4:1 unun. Then is can also operate as a halfwave on 15-6 with a 49:1 like kj6er has said.

My experience with the SS17 telescoping whip as a base station apartment balcony antenna is GREAT! Until it rains and fills up with water, it has to be dismounted, taken down, and drained. KD8EFQ/73