[Elecraft] Slinky Question

[Helmut Usbeck]

I can't let this slinky thing go by and not stick my two cents in.  I'm
still using my 40m slinky with good results.

Following holds true for slinky's:

-it's a single band antenna.  If you stretch it out to 7 1/2 feet per leg
it's a good starting point for 40m.
-it also loads up fine on 20m with a tuner, other bands just don't
resonate, including 80m.
-when adjusting, do it in 1/2 inch increments.
-I feed mine with rg58, no balun, no tuner, swr at 7.0 mhz is 1.8, 7.3mhz
is 1.2, 7.25mhz is 1.0
-I've gotten 57,8,and 9 signal reports into the midwest, Texas, and Canada
from the northeast on 40 SSB (K2/100) in the daytime.  Can't seem to
contact any FL stations.  of course when the propagation fails it stinks
just like any other antenna.  I'm a casual operator, not a DX hound or a
contester.  I do plan on listening and contacting some DX to see how far
out I can get.

I know all about the theory about why these antennas are NG, and the fact
that there steel instead of copper and all that rot.  It works for me, and
that's all that counts.  I am not claiming that this thing is a world
class marvel.  Anyone that makes a statement about there antenna saying it
is, is just blowing it though there hat.

As an aside, after I finished my KAT2 tuner I ran a wire over to my screen
door, elevation about 12 feet above ground.  Had no problem getting a 1
to 1 on 40m and 17m.  Called CQ a couple of times, no luck.  Have to work
on that.

Regards,
Helm.  WB2ADT