#DXCommander

1 month ago

I’ve built this antenna several times, the past 2 times successfully. There are 2 differences from the previous to this one. This uses 18AWG, where the other was 34AWG. And because the bigger wire makes a bigger coil, I had to glue 2 rods together. It may be that a more interesting A/B test will be comparing the 2 ferrite rod antennas, to see how much better this one is.

Tonight’s (already running) A/B #HamRadio #antenna test is #160m #WSPR (RX only) between 6-80 #DXCommander vertical & this ferrite rod magnetic loop, indoors, on my bench.

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n0mql.com

@n0mql.com

1 month ago

RESULTS: What the Data Actually Says: Vertical vs Delta Loop on 40m YouTube video by DXCommander

Callum, the #DXCommander, shared a YT the other day about A/B testing of antennas.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c845...

I'll do one better, & use a #python script, written w/ #AI help, to auto-run un-attended overnight A/B #antenna test.

"Keep a careful log of times you change ANT."

No. PC does that.

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John Walsh

@jwalsh2.masto.drydenhouse.org.ap.brid.gy

4 months ago

DX Commander Signature 9 antenna - behind the garage in EN62ac.

Finished my DX Commander Signature 9 and so far it’s performing well. Just need to do a tuning tweak, add the heat sharing and button it down for the winter. #hamradio #DXCommander

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Jonathan Creaser M0XXJ

@jonathancreaser.bsky.social

4 months ago

This month's #radcom magazine has landed from the #RSGB #amateurradio #hamradio #dxcommander Venture Portable #POTA antenna #WRTC2026 limited edition #Begali Morse key. And, blow me down, yet another letter from Ray Howes G4OWY in the Last Word section 😅

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n0mql.com

@n0mql.com

8 months ago

So now my #DXCommander will be used for Band-Hopping on all bands, except for 160m and 60m. Those will use the 2nd antenna port, which is a rain gutter inverted L. Well, sideways L really, it goes up a little, and over a lot.

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Burgundylampshade

@burgundylampshade.bsky.social

9 months ago

New #DXCommander Antenna up and tuned happy with an SWR of 1! Wow.

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Kelvin n0mql EN35ld

@kelvin0mql.mastodon.hams.social.ap.brid.gy

10 months ago

The blower is heaviest part, so that won’t move from a gust. Coax connects by blower, but another bit of coax runs inside fabric tube the blower is attached to, to the feed-point in the middle. Vertical driven elements are strips of faraday cloth sewn to the vertical tube. The longest, 40m element goes up one side, over the top, & partway down the other side (just like DX Commander). With only 3 faraday cloth ribbons going up from the base, you get 40, 20, 15, & one more band chosen from 30 thru 10. (40 & 15 are the same element.) Each of the bottom, horizontal tubes have 2 or 3 ribbons of faraday cloth running from the center to the ends, for ground radials.

Screenshot of VE6SFX’s Fara-J page on vfcomms.com

Hold on to yer butts, as Samuel L. Jackson said in Jurassic Park… I’ve got an idea for the quickest & easiest #POTA & #FieldDay #HamRadio antenna ever. And holy cats is it going to be expensive!

You know the #DXCommander
You know the #FaraJ

Meet the […]

[Original post on mastodon.hams.social]

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n0mql.com

@n0mql.com

10 months ago

Screenshot of #HamClock

Although I do sometimes get European hits on 10m, it seems more often it’s like this, where ALL the 10m stations I hear are Central & South America.

Is this what you other midwest hams see? Or should I consider moving my #DXCommander vertical?

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n0mql.com

@n0mql.com

11 months ago

There’s a #HamRadio YTer who makes antennas with ribbons of #FaradayCloth

And LTA makes inflatable masts up to 60’.

If I win the lotto, I’m building a #DXCommander that goes up in 6 minutes, & never has tangled element wires.

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Kelvin n0mql EN35ld

@kelvin0mql.mastodon.hams.social.ap.brid.gy

1 year ago

Original post on mastodon.hams.social

I struggle on 80m (& longer) because the #DXCommander is fairly close to the house, & the thermostat wiring (etc.) pick up a lot more RFI at these lower freqs.

But my tallest tree is in the far NE corner of the lot. It's a pine. What if I strung a "coiled cone" like Xmas lights around that […]

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Kelvin n0mql EN35ld

@kelvin0mql.mastodon.hams.social.ap.brid.gy

1 year ago

It's only an issue on 160m, where my #DXCommander RX OK, with low noise, but is a bad match for TX. While the rain guttter is a good TX match, but RX is noisy as hell.

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