I've used a Slinky dipole during Field Day. Worked well with a tuner on 20 and 40. Until the rain came in and it would no longer tune. We think that the rope we used to string it out with horizontally got wet and was shorting the coils. Might try it again using fishing line. At least we won't have to wait for the line to dry after the rain. Had not considered one oriented vertically. Thanks for the idea.
Awesome experiment! Try adding some insulators between the slinky and connection points. I cut up some thicker plastic off the bottom of an orange juice bottle to make one. I've read about some dipole experiments, atic experiments, even a tactical dipole. Someone mentioned using an alligator clip to clamp rings for tuning!
Thanks for sharing this video with a G90 and a Rig Expert 😂AA 55 . It might be interesting to experiment with tuning on specific other bands . My G90 and Rig Expert should arrive later this week. I ‘m planning on replacing my 23 year old Dipole Antenna with a couple of other HomeBrew Antennas and experimenting. 73 Steve AA4SH
Try multiple shorter counterpoise wires. I was using 3 different lengths that day, 1 for 20m, 1 for 17m, and one for 15m. Several wires cut to your target band would be ideal. An old cat5 cable makes a great inexpensive counterpoise with several wires! Here's some info on lengths to cut. Thanks for watching, and have fun experimenting! reflector.sota.org.uk/t/counterpoise-length/22133/3
For the benefit of someone who hasn’t touched a Slinky™ since I was a kid 😀 - are there different sizes of slinkies? Did you buy a _”genuine”_ one or a knock off? How far will one stretch (and still go back to its original size)? I saw (on _AliExpress,_ I think) a loading coil for a _PAC-12_ antenna for a reasonable price. I wonder how adding one of those to your setup (to _base load_ it) would work. All of my HF gear was stolen (uninsured!) over a decade ago, and I’m looking to get back into the HF portion of the hobby. I’d like to start by putting together a (QRP) _”go pack”_ for HF, piece by piece, with _”affordable”_ ham gear (if that even exists). *73 de AF6AS*
@ChaplainDaveSparks I was using the Slinky original. It was like 5$ or so on Amazon. I'm sorry to hear about your gear getting stolen 😔. I would recommend an EFHW wire antenna for a good budget multiband antenna. You can make your own for a low cost.
I’ve seen people use alligator clips to short out coils at the bottom to tune it. Not super scientific, but I’ve seen guys run radios with no tuner doing it. Maybe worth a try. Nice video! Keep them coming Bobby!
@K7TDM_Tyler I don't own one, but that would be awesome! You should join me and show me how it works! Thanks so much, Tyler!!! SNARS has some great people 👍 👍 www.snars.org
now that's an interesting one! wonder wouldn't the slinky create kinda helix circular polarization in this case? also look pretty inductive to me 🤔 wonder how wide is the bandwidth on this one?
I've been told helix no, but I can't confirm that. It was pretty wide with a 9:1 and 1 slinky. I hope to experiment more in the future. I bought 3 large slinkys and 1 mini to experiment with. Thanks for watching 👀 🙂
More than $30. You have to take the portable mast you use for the new operator. Those fiberglass push-up masts are not cheap! (wish I had one!!) That is why I chose to use a pair of Slinky's to make a Pac-12-style portable antenna instead. The Slinky's are soldered together to make one larger coil. This is my loading coil and I used a piece of galvanized conduit for the mast/element below the coil. So far works great and it cost me (no balun, unfortunately) less than $15 not counting coax. But I tend to break the conventional rules to make antennas that are less than dirt cheap.
That sounds like a great experiment. 👍 I have a pile of several different size slinkys I hope to experiment with when I get more time and the snow ❄️ melts. The fishing pole mast is only 33$ on Amazon. www.amazon.com/Goture-Fishing-Ultralight-Telescopic-Segments/dp/B079S4VVMD/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_maf_1?crid=3C3UML09RXTT2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ua358p_XkBUMeVq0X2pdug_aVmmxuEVKSz7R9JDIVZwvuzIjB6ByKlKrQ48WNGNQmfrTL8QUo9-BBbZ94WZQlaMGG5eoqbPa59i1BJYBMqtNiE5JENsTWJh3SZWojCEQ3-ltwqHQjDaqkfb7uxKd_hTxZTI3DYmlDMGPgwrHJfQQS5LUKmbaGl_SbYbV-7fXu4J8IUROqEKmTippxjEZfA.ftGP7VX8pm0d8nM-L36RP7G06GTFV021by_5159Tppw&dib_tag=se&keywords=telescoping%2Bcrappie%2Bfishing%2Bpoles%2B21%27&qid=1709522811&sprefix=telescoping%2Bcrappie%2Bfishing%2Bpoles%2B21%27%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-3&th=1&psc=1
I've used a Slinky dipole during Field Day. Worked well with a tuner on 20 and 40. Until the rain came in and it would no longer tune. We think that the rope we used to string it out with horizontally got wet and was shorting the coils. Might try it again using fishing line. At least we won't have to wait for the line to dry after the rain. Had not considered one oriented vertically. Thanks for the idea.
Awesome experiment! Try adding some insulators between the slinky and connection points. I cut up some thicker plastic off the bottom of an orange juice bottle to make one. I've read about some dipole experiments, atic experiments, even a tactical dipole. Someone mentioned using an alligator clip to clamp rings for tuning!
wonder if running like 500w thru it gonna dry the rope in seconds😆
Thanks for sharing this video with a G90 and a Rig Expert 😂AA 55 . It might be interesting to experiment with tuning on specific other bands .
My G90 and Rig Expert should arrive later this week. I ‘m planning on replacing my 23 year old Dipole Antenna with a couple of other HomeBrew Antennas and experimenting.
73 Steve AA4SH
It's a great radio you will enjoy it! Have fun with the homebrew experimenting. Thanks for watching 73
Been trying a Slinky with a CG3000 auto remote ATU with a single 43’ counterpoise. I’ll do more experimentation
Try multiple shorter counterpoise wires. I was using 3 different lengths that day, 1 for 20m, 1 for 17m, and one for 15m. Several wires cut to your target band would be ideal. An old cat5 cable makes a great inexpensive counterpoise with several wires! Here's some info on lengths to cut. Thanks for watching, and have fun experimenting!
reflector.sota.org.uk/t/counterpoise-length/22133/3
The CG3000 remote ATU tuned it all bands 160-10m. I need to take it to hilltop behind my house away from the noise and check efficiency….Cheers
Awesome. Heard they used these in 'Nam as antennas sometimes. 73
That's very interesting! I could see that happening. They are cheap and easy to deploy. Thanks for watching. 73
For the benefit of someone who hasn’t touched a Slinky™ since I was a kid 😀 - are there different sizes of slinkies? Did you buy a _”genuine”_ one or a knock off? How far will one stretch (and still go back to its original size)?
I saw (on _AliExpress,_ I think) a loading coil for a _PAC-12_ antenna for a reasonable price. I wonder how adding one of those to your setup (to _base load_ it) would work.
All of my HF gear was stolen (uninsured!) over a decade ago, and I’m looking to get back into the HF portion of the hobby. I’d like to start by putting together a (QRP) _”go pack”_ for HF, piece by piece, with _”affordable”_ ham gear (if that even exists).
*73 de AF6AS*
@ChaplainDaveSparks I was using the Slinky original. It was like 5$ or so on Amazon. I'm sorry to hear about your gear getting stolen 😔. I would recommend an EFHW wire antenna for a good budget multiband antenna. You can make your own for a low cost.
This is awesome what’s there to improve. Wire in the air tuner will work great I bet.
Thanks! Yes, the Xiegu G90 internal tuner worked great.
I’ve seen people use alligator clips to short out coils at the bottom to tune it. Not super scientific, but I’ve seen guys run radios with no tuner doing it. Maybe worth a try.
Nice video! Keep them coming Bobby!
That's on my list for the next experiment! I would like it as efficient as possible and a little less compromised. Thanks Tyler 😊
@@W6IWN_Radio Do you have a DX Commander? I have an expedition if you want to borrow it and do a video…
@K7TDM_Tyler I don't own one, but that would be awesome! You should join me and show me how it works! Thanks so much, Tyler!!!
SNARS has some great people 👍 👍 www.snars.org
now that's an interesting one! wonder wouldn't the slinky create kinda helix circular polarization in this case? also look pretty inductive to me 🤔 wonder how wide is the bandwidth on this one?
I've been told helix no, but I can't confirm that. It was pretty wide with a 9:1 and 1 slinky. I hope to experiment more in the future. I bought 3 large slinkys and 1 mini to experiment with. Thanks for watching 👀 🙂
More than $30. You have to take the portable mast you use for the new operator. Those fiberglass push-up masts are not cheap! (wish I had one!!) That is why I chose to use a pair of Slinky's to make a Pac-12-style portable antenna instead. The Slinky's are soldered together to make one larger coil. This is my loading coil and I used a piece of galvanized conduit for the mast/element below the coil. So far works great and it cost me (no balun, unfortunately) less than $15 not counting coax. But I tend to break the conventional rules to make antennas that are less than dirt cheap.
That sounds like a great experiment. 👍 I have a pile of several different size slinkys I hope to experiment with when I get more time and the snow ❄️ melts. The fishing pole mast is only 33$ on Amazon. www.amazon.com/Goture-Fishing-Ultralight-Telescopic-Segments/dp/B079S4VVMD/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_maf_1?crid=3C3UML09RXTT2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ua358p_XkBUMeVq0X2pdug_aVmmxuEVKSz7R9JDIVZwvuzIjB6ByKlKrQ48WNGNQmfrTL8QUo9-BBbZ94WZQlaMGG5eoqbPa59i1BJYBMqtNiE5JENsTWJh3SZWojCEQ3-ltwqHQjDaqkfb7uxKd_hTxZTI3DYmlDMGPgwrHJfQQS5LUKmbaGl_SbYbV-7fXu4J8IUROqEKmTippxjEZfA.ftGP7VX8pm0d8nM-L36RP7G06GTFV021by_5159Tppw&dib_tag=se&keywords=telescoping%2Bcrappie%2Bfishing%2Bpoles%2B21%27&qid=1709522811&sprefix=telescoping%2Bcrappie%2Bfishing%2Bpoles%2B21%27%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-3&th=1&psc=1
It’s not clear what or how you arrange the section of an orange juice can. Could you please explain or show a blowup of that?
Sure, send me an email, and I can reply with a picture. Sorry, I can't post pictures in this chat. w6iwn.radio@gmail.com
Have you tried using a 4:1 balun with this setup? It should work similar to a rybakov antenna, but you WILL need a tuner. 73 and good luck!
No, I haven't yet, but I definitely would like to experiment with one. I don't own one right now, but I do have a 5:1UnUn. Thanks for watching!
WW3
Let's hope not.