I've not had the room for a full size HF antenna such as a dipole, or even a G5RV. So I got myself a DX Commander All Band Vertical from Callum - the DX Commander and WOW! This antenna is so simple and allows me to operate on EVERY HF band using only a small footprint in my yard as I don't have room for a dipole, even a EFHW.
Thank you for highlighting the installation. Are you placing any lightning protection in the coax? Are you grounding the DXC in any way other than the coax?
Some would praise even a light bulb if it made contacts...and yes they do at least the old ones with a filament
Fair enough, but at least Callum is legit and honest about the DX Commander line. He doesn't promise that it will mow your lawn and make your kids call more often, like many vendors do. Callum: "Is it perfect? No, but it works." Others: "Our antenna requires no installation, no feedline, and makes distant SSB sound like Dolby 7.2!"
If you have room for a DXC then you have room for a proper mast and antenna. The DXC is OK, but still a vertical and still noisy in comparison to other options. A Hex Beam would be a better choice.
Hayden, if that is salt water I see in your video, then that will make a huge positive difference in the antenna's performance. With salt water in the near field, your signals will propagate much better. Regardless of the number of radials placed in the near field to reduce losses (the factor we can control with a vertical), the far field reflective characteristics are out of our control. By having a highly conductive ground in the far field (beyond a couple of wavelengths) the signals will propagate much more efficiently. https://www.qsl.net/l/lu7did/docs/QRPp/09.pdf
ou man, not enough space...you have plenty space for the dx commander !!! ....I am living in the centre of my town...and really I don't have space at all...living in an appartment, which isn't mine, got the owner to permit me to install a groundplane with shortened radials. Wish to have so much space as You have...anyway enjoy dx hunting and 73s ...not to complain about my situation, which could be worse....Antenna is a Fritzel GPA 303 (30/17/12m) and Radials are from Prosistel/Italy...working great, plus LogPer VHF-SHF and Homemade 6m/4m Dipol, @7,75m above ground
You don’t have 60 feet? I have a 60 foot end-fed that I work the world and all bands on. No need for a vertical or the DXC.
Not in this rental it's not. I'd be putting up a "proper mast and antenna" if it was my house. Hexbeam is too wide to fit, it would hit the house, I'd love one though!
Forgive me, I assumed - very bad of me. Well you aren't going to do much better than the DXC in those circumstances then. I built mine in the summer and took it on a few club field weekends and it performed well. I did look at an Italian company a month or so ago called Vertical Array who produce superb multiband verticals - not cheap at around £700 shipped to the UK, but from the reviews I have read, suspect it would be a clear performance step up from the DXC.