CHA HYBRID - MINI / MICRO
Page 4
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing and using the Chameleon Antenna
TM
Hybrid - Mini / Micro Portable High Frequency (HF)
Antenna (CHA HYBRID-MINI or CHA HYBRID-MICRO). The CHA HYBRID - MINI / MICRO antenna system is designed
to be the most versatile, high performance, and rugged portable / manpackable HF antenna available - similar to
those used by armies worldwide. The base system is comprised of, either a CHA HYBRID-MINI or CHA HYBRID-
MICRO portable base and 60 feet of wire. Available system options
(sold separately)
include a 10’8” m
ilitary-style
collapsible whip antenna (CHA MIL WHIP), a 6’6” collapsible extension (CHA MIL EXT)
, and a high efficiency
capacity hat (CHA CAP HAT). The components of the CHA HYBRID - MINI / MICRO antenna system provide a
continuum of portability and performance to meet your communications requirements. Operators that already
have a CHA V1, V1L, or V2L mobile whip can also use them with the CHA HYBRID - MINI / MICRO base, although
the MINI and MICRO bases are for stationary use only. You can even combine a CHA HYBRID - MINI / MICRO base
with two CHA MIL whips, two CHA MIL EXT whip extensions, and a Chameleon Antenna
TM
Jaw Mount and Tripod to
create a 34’6” portable
horizontal dipole. The integral broadband impedance matching network transformer
allows broadband antenna tuning. The antenna will operate from 1.8 - 54 MHz (including 160m
–
6m amateur
bands) without any adjustment with a wide range antenna tuner (the shortest configuration has limited
performance below 3.5 MHz). The CHA HYBRID - MINI / MICRO is perfect for military, government agencies, non-
governmental organizations (NGOs), Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS), Civil Air Patrol (CAP), Amateur Radio
Emergency Service (ARES) / Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), Salvation Army Team Emergency
Radio Network (SATERN), First Responders and especially for Emergency Preparedness. It is also the antenna for
hams that enjoy camping and hiking or those living in apartments and condominiums or developments with
homeowners associations, deed restrictions, or CCRs (Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions). The CHA HYBRID -
MINI / MICRO is configurable to facilitate Near-Vertical Incident Sky wave (NVIS) communication and is totally
waterproof. The CHA HYBRID - MINI / MICRO antenna system requires a wide range antenna tuner or coupler.
Antennas built by Chameleon Antenna
TM
are versatile, dependable, stealthy, and built to last. Please read this
operator’s manual so
that you may maximize the utility you obtain from your CHA HYBRID - MINI / MICRO antenna
system.
HF Propagation
HF radio provides relatively inexpensive and reliable local, regional, national, and international voice and data
communication capability. It is especially suitable for undeveloped areas where normal telecommunications are
not available, too costly or scarce, or where the commercial telecommunications infrastructure has been damaged
by a natural disaster or military conflict.
Although HF radio is a reasonably reliable method of communication, HF radio waves propagate through a
complex and constantly changing environment and are affected by weather, terrain, latitude, time of day, season,
and the 11-year solar cycle. A detailed explanation of the theory of HF radio wave propagation is beyond the
scope of this operator’s manual, but an understanding of the
basic principles will help the operator decide what
frequency and which of the CHA HYBRID - MINI / MICRO configurations will support their communication
requirements.
HF radio waves propagate from the transmitting antenna to the receiving antenna using two methods: ground
waves and sky waves.
Ground waves are composed of direct waves and surface waves. Direct waves travel directly from the transmitting
