The QuirkyQRP SlinkTenna Review 

I own one. My first comment is... I fully agree with how good a receive antenna this dealio is. ... That said, my advice is to never accidentally step on your slinktenna. You'll hate yourself as you spend a half hour tweaking it back to shape, and it will never be perfect again.

I was just looking at it yesterday in very old ham catalog😂 Great antenna!

I moved from a 2 acre country lot to a condominium. My radio shack is on the second floor. There is an attic. My plan for radio was to deploy a Slinktenna in the attic mainly for receiving and lower power FT8. For times when I just want to head up to the shack and check the bands. For full "barefoot" power (100w) and maybe up to 300 watts on contest weekends I'll deploy a SuperAntenna vertical out in the yard. I don't want to risk RFI from 100w in the attic so close to the neighbors. The SlinkTenna works great - receives very well, and had good success with 20m/40m FT8 contacts across US and into Europe. I haven't deployed the SuperAntenna yet, but so far my attic SlinkTenna is working beautifully.

I really enjoyed hearing about your experience with this one Josh. The design certainly makes it of interest, and being wide band is a plus and seems well suited for SWL, but it seems like for pure performance the wire comes out ahead. -especially if you are going to end up using a tuner anyway

Thank you for the video… very helpful! I love mine with the 705.

I made one. I stretched it out over a 28 foot fiberglass pole. It used a 9:1 balun and a 9 foot cpunterpoise. I only use 10 meter band, anyway. Well, I never made a contact with it, but it was awesome on recieve. Conditions are better for 10 meter, right now. I might give it another try this week.

After credit scene is a hoot! Oh my, almost flipped the BarcaLounger! You usually say if you'd buy it or not. I'll give my opinion. Buy if you have a use case like me: 1) you are HOA restricted and can deploy at 17' on your balcony for digital modes and practice calling CQ (almost SSB QSO from California to Florida last week - guy heard KC6 and swung his beam west at me but I wasn't quite copiable); 2) you have a tuner; 3) you want something rated to run digital safely at more than QRP power; 4) you and your spouse like the hilarity of using slinky for antenna! I'm pretty happy with the purchase for these reasons. I'd rather have this as my hilarity antenna than an Abreeeeeeeee. Don't think I can work myself up to what you did at the end of the video lolololololol I guess it has utility as travel and SDR receive antenna, I'll have to try it. Like most compromise antenna it's going to be a challenge with SSB. Thanks for all the content Josh! Nice doggie! Love the Nass family glimpses.

I’m considering doing this antenna as well as making a 40M speakerwire dipole for the portable setup that I’m planning with the FT-891... for $50 it seems like a good backup

This looks interesting. I might give it a try.

8 years ago, i made one of these with standard slinky's (not mini) and strung it between my truck and my buddies truck in a parking lot and made a contact about 500miles away. essentially its an NVIS antenna. I still have the antenna i made BTW. 73 - KG6YGD

I think that this proves that a Ham will take almost anything a make an antenna out of it, and make it work!

I bought it, living in a restricted antenna location. I like it a lot. Inside the house. It is 50.00 USD and for the price we are getting a huge BANG for the money. Sure it can not compete with my Loop full inox in the attic but 1500.00 USD is way out of line to bring that monster on a field trip. GO BUY IT. I forgot but buy the tension kit. VA2SOB - 73 Claude

Neat product. If I did portable HF operation, it would be in my go bag. Do you happen to have a VNA? I'd be interested to see the Smith Chart for this at various bands. As you mentioned in another comment, the inductive reactance is going to be variable to the stretched length, and I'd like to know how much it affects the pattern. Also, since this is basically a dipole, I'm wondering why the manufacturer would recommend 5-8 feet, unless they're only considering 6m. Height should generally be 1/2-1 wavelength, unless the slinky skews the pattern to give it a workable takeoff angle.

I have one and I agree... it’s a good receive antenna. I’ve tried calling out on it at my QTH with no luck. I also took it with me on my last SOTA activation last month in NM, I wasn’t able to make any contacts with it. Still playing with it though....

For the appropriate price of £50 it's a no brainer. Great review 73 M3XOA

Found this after having mine for months and googling reviews. Completely agree, seems ok for RX, not so great for TX.

I have a Baofeng UV5R, I work in a metal building that is 35ft high and was wondering what would be an inexpensive antenna. In Wilmington NC it is very flat and getting anything more than NOAA is difficult. Would love any ideas for a newbie. Enjoy the channel!

Hi one question Can i put a pain here is call Barnis for wood. Can i put that to he antena to protect from sun and rain ? will work ok ? thanks great video.

If I remember my antenna theory correctly, whatever the total length of wire used to make the coils with will always be the electrical length of the antenna no matter how close or far you stretch it out. I think I'd try homebrewing one as a receive antenna, but since I don't like using tuners, I don't think I want to use one for transmit.

Hey Josh! How are those slinky elements attacked to the 9:1 unun inside the unit housing?

I wonder if this would be useful as a diversity receive antenna for phased noise cancellation?

Looks like a fun antenna. Spiders, perfect for this time of year...👾🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

7:38 PVC is one of the most UV resistant plastics.

I think I'm gonna hang one up in my garage. What impedance coax is recommended? Should it be springy, too?

Is it just the lighting or was that rust I saw on the coils??

Thanks for your video.- CE4RWS 73

I'm considering building one of these since they're not available.

This should do well for a shortwave antenna as well???

Looks like a very affordable emergency deployment antenna to me.

I will gave to bring my Baofeng out with me when I visit. You will be my first contact since I got my license...lol

🕷️ Aaah!!

I just followed the link on Esty and it's a dead end. I gave Amazon a search and came up empty. it not looking like this is available anymore.

Hi Josh, Were you able to load this thing up on 80 CW? If so I’ll buy one!

I believe the black or blue PVC tubing holds up better in the direct sunlight. Would give the antenna a cleaner look as well. Just my opinion as a new subscriber to your channel

It doesn't look like the product appears on your Amazon storefront and searching "slinktenna" yields no results. Is this an actual thing?

So it is circularly polarized?

If it's a dipole wouldnt it be a balun? Or is this some wonky unbalanced fed dipole?

I would think you would get a much better transmission by putting one of those bnc to wire adapters on it and running speaker wire as ‘twin Leed’. Not so lossy then.

What's the operating length of it?

Took 102 inch whip with the rest of it a 2 leg slinky antenna. 3 1/2 feet off ground. Talk to Guy 12 miles away with 4 watt cb walkie-talkie. Hit him with 3s.. Signal had to go through 6 miles of houses and 6 miles of fields houses and buildings. 20 degrees off the left front of the antenna.

California declares Ham Radio no longer a benefit, severs ties across the state. Is this true?

Why do these videos 'test' antennas by ear, as though it's still 1953? We have WSPR to make proper, objective, human bias-free testing over long periods. I can guarantee this antenna will not compare favourably to similarly simple wire antennas.