Do you live in an HOA or prefer operating POTA or SOTA? If you answered yes to any of these questions then the QuirkyQRP SlinkTenna might be perfect for you. The SlinkTenna allows for quick deployment and teardown. However, due to the antenna being a 9:1 UnUn you will need and antenna tuner.
I have made my own full size Slinky based antennas and they do work, even on 160,80 and 40M. This one looks good for its intended purpose.
QRZ placing links to items no longer available for sale. Better idea is to make one! Yeah I get it it's cool and it probably works and has some good reviews but it's just two slinky's with a 9:1 UnUn. Stuff laying around the shack: Any 14 gage wire wrapped around PVC on each end with a home brew 9:1 UnUn in the middle will do the same thing and perform much better. You can do this using banana clips to make it portable. EASYPEEZEE $89 are you kidding me!!!!
Yet another review of the ̶S̶t̶i̶n̶k̶ SlinkTenna - because the multitude of other reviews just aren't enough!
I worked someone who was using one and a G90 (IIRC) the other night. It's as much of a DX antenna as a magloop, generic slidey loading coil things, etc, etc
Here's a "real one" I picked up over twenty years ago. The Cliff Dweller slinky.. hi .. The last time I used it was at a temporary location in AK for about a week.. Wk'd great on JT-65A on 20m @ 10ft off the ground..Gotta love those super narrow digi modes. Total electrical length is 130ft. Beware of new hams with 50 year old vanity calls.
If using a tuner with a balun, it can be fed with balanced line, twinlead or ladderline. I've seen metal Slinkys 3 for $17.99 online. I've also seen a generic metal spring toy for much less so it wouldn't be expensive to get the parts. I agree with you, better idea is to make one.
On my homemade 160,80,40M vertical I ran a KW! Worked until I took it down after three seasons. I kept blowing my homemade bandswitch.
True enough for some and I too most always build my own antennas but not everybody is able/wants to/has the time. Keep in mind also that when you buy such products from these small companies - assuming that you can afford to - you are doing good things by contributing to economies at several levels and quite possibly helping to support a person(s) who is working to build & sell their products to help support themselves rather than likely rely on state/federal welfare programs. This is a good thing and I support them whenever possible if I have a need for their products.
Good points. Glad you brought them up. Furthermore, none of these small business folks are holding a gun to anyone's head and forcing them to buy their products...at least I don't know of any.
