Bob [K5QWG],

So Why . . . Choose a Slinky over Stranded Copper Wire
for a Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna ?

Yes the Signal capture Area is only 15 Feet vice the 64 Feet of Wire
wrapped-up in the Slinky.

But when compared to a Single Copper Wire that is also 15 Feet Long
the Metal Slinky due to it's Coiled-Up-Wire {Spring} Shape has a
cross-sectional-area that has the electrical appearance of a Thicker
(Much Larger Wire) and thus is the better RF Signal gatherer.

Note - That the Slinky has the added 'dimension' of Thickness about
2.75 Inch Diameter vice about 1/8 Inch Diameter for the Copper Wire.

FWIW - The same could be said for an Antenna Element that is
made of an Inch Diameter (1") piece of Copper Pipe that is 15 Feet
Long over a piece of #14 AWG Stranded Copper Wire that is also
15 Feet Long.

Either way the Slinky or the Copper Pipe has a Larger-Physical-Area
and Greater-Surface-Area for the RF Signal Electrons to be gathered
'in' and and 'on' then the same length {long} of Wire.

So Why . . . Choose a Slinky over Stranded Copper Wire for a
Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna ? ? ?
- - - CAUSE IT'S A SLINKY ! )


yes i am a little bit slinky - iane ~ RHF

Last year I saw a website with a article about somebody who had a Slinky
on the top step of one of those pyramids in Yucatan or wherever (it was
something like that with lots of steps) it is.They turned that Slinky
toy loose and it never missed a step all the way down to the bottom.
cuhulin

On 11 Apr 2006 13:37:48 -0700, "RHF"
wrote:

Bob [K5QWG],

So Why . . . Choose a Slinky over Stranded Copper Wire
for a Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna ?

Yes the Signal capture Area is only 15 Feet vice the 64 Feet of Wire
wrapped-up in the Slinky.

But when compared to a Single Copper Wire that is also 15 Feet Long
the Metal Slinky due to it's Coiled-Up-Wire {Spring} Shape has a
cross-sectional-area that has the electrical appearance of a Thicker
(Much Larger Wire) and thus is the better RF Signal gatherer.

Note - That the Slinky has the added 'dimension' of Thickness about
2.75 Inch Diameter vice about 1/8 Inch Diameter for the Copper Wire.

FWIW - The same could be said for an Antenna Element that is
made of an Inch Diameter (1") piece of Copper Pipe that is 15 Feet
Long over a piece of #14 AWG Stranded Copper Wire that is also
15 Feet Long.

Either way the Slinky or the Copper Pipe has a Larger-Physical-Area
and Greater-Surface-Area for the RF Signal Electrons to be gathered
'in' and and 'on' then the same length {long} of Wire.

So Why . . . Choose a Slinky over Stranded Copper Wire for a
Shortwave Listening (SWL) Antenna ? ? ?
- - - CAUSE IT'S A SLINKY ! )

It's also a giant lumped inductance and highly reactive. If you want
a light structure that looks like a fat conductor you use ladder line.
yes i am a little bit slinky - iane ~ RHF
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