Chameleon MPAS 2.0 Review: One Bag, Many Antennas
The short answer
Buy the MPAS 2.0 if you operate portable in places you cannot survey in advance and you want one kit that deploys as a vertical, a sloper or an inverted L depending on what the site allows. Skip it if you always operate from the same field or garden, because a resonant end fed half wave costs a fraction as much and will outperform a loaded vertical on the band it was cut for.
- Frequency coverage
- 6 m through 160 m
- Power rating
- 100 W SSB or 50 W CW
- Mounting
- 3/8 by 24 thread
- Approximate price
- Around $689
A modular portable antenna system for 160 through 6 metres, rated 100 watts SSB.
Chameleon Antenna MPAS 2.0 Modular Portable Antenna System, 1.8 to 54 MHz
Around $689
A modular kit of whips, a matching transformer, a spike mount, wire and hardware that can be configured as several different antenna types across 160 through 6 metres, rated at 100 watts SSB.
Check price on AmazonSpecifications
| Frequency coverage | 6 m through 160 m |
|---|---|
| Power rating | 100 W SSB or 50 W CW |
| Mounting | 3/8 by 24 thread |
| Concept | Modular, configurable in several deployment arrangements |
| Contents | Multiple components, see the manufacturer's component list |
| Approximate price | Around $689 |
Specifications above come from Chameleon Antenna's published specifications for the MPAS 2.0. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.
What it does well
- One kit deploys several different ways, so the site decides the antenna rather than the antenna deciding the site.
- Covers 160 through 6 metres with a tuner, which very few portable antennas of any kind manage.
- Rated for 100 watts SSB, so it is not restricted to QRP radios the way many field antennas are.
- Built to be handled, packed and redeployed repeatedly rather than assembled once and left.
- The 3/8 by 24 thread is a common standard, so third party mounts and whips fit.
Where it falls short
- It is a compromise antenna by design, and on 80 and 160 metres a short loaded vertical is a substantial compromise. It will work and it will not match a full size wire.
- It needs a tuner. This is a broadband system, not a resonant antenna, so budget for one if your radio has none.
- The price buys flexibility rather than performance. A resonant end fed half wave for one band will beat it on that band for a fraction of the cost.
- A vertical over poor ground loses power into the ground. Ground losses are invisible on an SWR meter and very audible at the other end.
Flexible or efficient, and how to choose
Portable antennas trade in one direction: the more sites a kit can handle, the less optimised it is for any of them. A resonant end fed half wave needs a tree and a bit of space and will beat this on its band. A modular vertical needs almost nothing and works everywhere, slightly worse. Which you want depends on whether you can predict the site.
If you can, size a wire with the end fed half wave calculator and read telescoping whip versus end fed wire. If you cannot, this kind of kit earns its price. Either way, vertical versus dipole for HF covers the take off angle question that decides whether a vertical is helping or hurting for the contacts you want. Your permitted bands and power come from your licence class and your national regulator, the FCC in the United States.
What owners report
Published owner reports from portable operators are consistently positive on build quality and flexibility. The recurring praise is that it survives being packed and unpacked repeatedly, and that having several deployment options in one bag turns awkward sites into workable ones. Emergency communications operators and Parks on the Air activators are the groups who rate it highest.
The criticism is about physics rather than the product. Owners are frank that on the low bands it is a short, loaded antenna and that a full size wire beats it whenever a wire is possible. Several describe using the kit as an inverted L or with a wire element specifically because the wire configurations perform better than the whip ones, which is a useful thing to know before buying.
The other consistent theme is that ground and counterpoise handling matters more than the configuration. Owners who lay out radials or counterpoise wire report noticeably better results than those who rely on the spike alone. Work out a sensible counterpoise plan on the radial planning calculator before your first outing.
Who it suits
- Parks on the Air and Summits on the Air operators who cannot survey a site in advance.
- Emergency communications operators who need one kit that deploys several ways under time pressure.
- Anyone operating from hard ground, gravel or a car park where a wire has nothing to hang from.
- Operators running up to 100 watts SSB who want a portable antenna rated for it.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who always operates from the same place with trees available. A resonant wire is cheaper and better.
- Low band specialists. A short loaded vertical on 160 metres is a big compromise.
- Anyone without a tuner and without budget for one.
- Buyers who want maximum signal per dollar rather than maximum flexibility per bag.
Alternatives worth considering
Gabil GRA-7350T Portable HF Telescopic Whip, 3.5 to 50 MHz
Around $140
A single loaded telescopic whip covering 80 through 6 metres for a fifth of the price. Far less flexible and far less rugged, and it fits in a rucksack side pocket.
Check price on AmazonGOOZEEZOO JYR8010 8 Band End Fed Half Wave, 150 W
Around $90
A resonant wire antenna for eight bands. It needs a support and some space, and where those exist it will outperform any short loaded vertical for a fraction of the money.
Check price on AmazonChameleon Antenna CHA EMCOMM III Portable
Around $204
The manufacturer's wire based portable, built around a sloping wire rather than a whip. Less site flexible, better efficiency where you can hang it.
Check price on AmazonKeep reading
- Telescoping whip vs end fed wire
- Vertical vs dipole for HF
- Best HF verticals
- Radial planning calculator
- End fed half wave calculator
- How to work Parks on the Air
This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Common questions
Questions people ask about this
Is the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 worth the price?
It is worth it if site unpredictability is your real problem. The kit deploys several ways, which turns a car park, a rocky summit or a treeless field into workable ground, and it is built to survive repeated packing. If you activate the same park every week with the same tree in the same place, a resonant wire will cost a fraction as much and put out a stronger signal on the band you cut it for.
Does the MPAS 2.0 need an antenna tuner?
Yes. It is a broadband system using a matching transformer rather than a resonant antenna, so a tuner is part of the setup on most bands. Radios with a wide range internal tuner such as the Xiegu G90 handle it directly. Radios with a narrow internal tuner or none, including the Icom IC-705, will need an external tuner in the bag.
How well does it work on 80 and 160 metres?
It works, and it is a substantial compromise. A vertical much shorter than a quarter wave is a loaded antenna with real losses, and on 160 metres in particular a full size wire is in a different class. Owners who need the low bands often deploy the kit as an inverted L with wire rather than as a whip, which is a meaningful improvement.
Do I need radials or a counterpoise?
Yes, and this is where portable verticals are most often let down. A vertical works against ground, and without a counterpoise the return current finds a lossy path that quietly absorbs your power. Even a few laid out wires make an audible difference. Plan a realistic number and length rather than relying on a ground spike alone.
MPAS 2.0 or an end fed half wave for Parks on the Air?
If the parks you activate have trees or a mast point, an end fed half wave will outperform it and costs far less. If you activate places with nothing to hang from, or you want one bag that copes with whatever you find, the modular kit is the reason to spend the money. Many active operators end up carrying both and choosing at the site.
Keeping your own cut lengths, SWR sweeps and exposure record? The Station Build & Antenna Planner is the paid version of these pages: 8 printable worksheets you fill in with your own numbers, plus the full PDF, $29.
Disclaimer Researched guidance for planning purposes, not professional engineering, electrical or legal advice. Antenna work, RF exposure, mast and tower work, grounding and battery handling all carry real risk that depends on your specific site and installation. Verify anything safety-critical against current FCC rules, the National Electrical Code and the manufacturer's own documentation, and hire a professional where the job calls for one. We research equipment from published specifications, regulatory documents and verified owner reviews rather than claiming hands-on testing we have not done.