Chameleon Antenna — Local services in Sparks

I don't often write reviews, but Chameleon Antenna makes it my pleasure. I've owned both the MPAS system and the EMCOMM for over a year now. After choosing my first HF rig, a Yaesu 991A, for its all band/mode "Shack in a box," features along with its ease of portability; I needed an antenna system that could keep up! ....Enter the CHA MPAS Antenna System! After exhaustive levels of shopping around, reading reviews and watching YouTube videos... I came across Chameleon's antenna systems and was very impressed with all that the MPAS system had to offer. As a new ham, buying my first antenna I wanted something very high quality and my budget allowed a vast ammount of choices. I also wanted something very versatile and portable that would allow the 991A to use its full potential, operating any band, in any mode and anywhere. I was torn between two basic antenna designs after tons of research.... the "loaded coil type w/ a slide on the main coil to adjust bandwidth and swappable base coils," OR a "longwire w/ balun type." Well it didn't take me long to decide after finding the Chameleon MPAS system! The adjustable coil type I was looking at was similar in price, cheaper by at least a couple hundred dollars, but they require CONSTANT adjustment to move between bands and even the highest rated system of that type I could find, didn't offer NEARLY the amount of accessories that Chameleon did. Not to mention it was mostly made of Chineseium! What I love is that with Chameleon you can "build your own system," since they sell everything they make discretely, down to the component parts. Or you can do what I did and buy the base MPAS and then add on the accessories you want. I have been VERY HAPPY with the performance of every piece. After the base MPAS System, I bought the jaw mount (Awesome!) The "cap hat," (increases performance). Since I wanted both of their signature baluns I bought the EMCOMM 2 so now I had the Mini AND the Micro. I bought the antenna guy line set (awesome and easy to use with line adjusters they include) and also bought at least a 100' spool of their awesome reinforced Teflon antenna wire for any emergency repairs and to add additional 25' radials to the set up. Added a digital automatic antenna tuner for the far ends, and WOW. I was working in Spain from Seattle with my first set up using the MPAS Mil whip, Mil extension, Cap Hat and 4× 25' radials with the antenna mounted on the ground spike. (No elevation, not even a tripod, table, nothing! Just stuck her in the ground!) This review is getting long I know. Longest I've likely ever written! So to wrap up... Chameleon is a 100% made in the USA company and isn't a giant factory owned by a huge corporation! Small USA business folks! They offer excellent warranty service on all they make. They are always improving and adding new products, features and/or accessories to their catalog. Basically, in ending this novelette... If you're in the market for a "compromise antenna," DON'T COMPROMISE, BUY A CHAMELEON ANTENNA SYSTEM!! You'll be glad you did!! I sure am! ...

I purchased their FLoop 3.0 with all optional accessories such as the power compensator, aluminum rings, remote tuner with automatic control box. In total, over $1000 was spent on the antenna because of how highly rated it was. It’s my best option as I live in an apartment. I have a huge balcony to put it on, 12x12, with a 10’ ceiling above. So I have it out there permanently, mounted on a carbon fiber tripod (less metal to interfere with it). I’ve also used it inside on the kitchen table. However… it is marketed as 40m-10m with the aluminum rings and I have NEVER gotten it to tune below 3.0:1 (and that was at only 5w, as soon as I ran it up to 10w the SWR would go well above 5.0:1) on 40m, regardless of where I set it up. I initially thought something was wrong with mine, so I sent it in for testing and was told it’s working fine. However, when I got it back, I still couldn’t get it to tune 40m, no matter how or where I set it up! This frustrated me because I am so happy with the performance of the rest of the bands!

Now, having said all that, there are two reasons I am only giving this a 1 star rating…

The fact it is marketed as 40m-10m but 40 is completely unusable, even after several different setup locations and configurations.

And most importantly, when I recently tried to call their technical support line, I got chewed out by their technician because and I quote “ITS ONLY 6:30am HERE!” First of all, nowhere on there website doesn’t say what time zone their business hours are in (only after the fact did I notice the shipping address states Nevada), nor does it state that the number is someone’s personal cell phone for tech support. That was extremely unprofessional to say the least, and when I explained the time zone issue and apologized, I was promptly hung up on, RUDE! That’s completely unacceptable, especially after giving them so much of my business and money.

Oh, and it’s fishy how this same review on their product page doesn’t show up when I post it.

Update 29/Oct2024: The company responded to my review but instead of reaching out to me to see what they could do to correct the issue, they attempted to roast me in the comments by saying I shouldn’t be complaining on here and that I should reach out to them. That’s not how this works. This is my avenue for complaints since your employees want to be so rude on the phone when I call. Also, as I stated, it’s up to the company to reach out to me to make it right, not the...

I really wanted to like this company's antennas. In fact 90% of the antennas I run are from them.

My biggest gripe with them is that I've ordered twice with the website and the shipping is OUTRAGEOUS! I know they have a message on the website stating their quotes are wrong... but they are REALLY wrong and have been for over a year.

A year ago the order came from one state away and was shipped using a cheaper carrier, whom I am very familiar with, for for their lower costs on shipping verse Fedex/UPS. The site charged me $95 for shipping when it should have been around $20-30. I sent an email and the response was they'd credit me $25 back leaving me with $70 in shipping. WHAT!? A package with weight and dimensions that would have costed less than $20. I wasn't too happy about that, but still liked their products and thought I'm just going to swallow my pride.

Just ordered another "smaller" order with a quote of $43 and I had asked in the comments of that order to adjust the shipping since I know it's still way too high for such a small package. Nothing heard... nor was it adjusted. Upon arrival Emailed the support@cha... email and Nothing Heard. Emailed the ery...@cha... email that the shipping pop up on the website says to get a better shipping quote and Nothing Heard. A package that could go from coast to coast using Fedex Ground for less than $18

Why price gouge your own customers that buy direct from you when you can go to the online retailers and get it for the same cost or occasionally on sale with free shipping? This makes absolutely no sense to me.

I'll ask my favorite Youtubers that promote these products to please explain why they back a company that over charges on shipping and then either refunds a ridiculously low amount or not at all. Even when the website clearly states (for over a year now): "We primarily use FedEx for shipping orders. While we work on redesigning the entire website to fix this issue, we have been refunding all unused shipping funds to our customers."

Being a USA company and I want my dollars to go and support such a company. But the equipment are already at a premium price. Shipping should not be there to gouge more out of the...