Has anyone made a HF antenna from a children's Slinky spring

[violette7]

Has anyone made a HF antenna from a children's Slinky spring? Share your experience!

[Inmorr]

I tried to make such an antenna last year, when I needed a compact option for trips to nature. I took as a basis the instructions from the article on Slinky Dog Antenna, which describes in detail the assembly process from two metal springs. The design turned out to be very convenient for transportation, because when folded it takes up almost no space in a backpack. On the 40-meter range, the antenna works quite decently, although for precise adjustment of the SWR you will definitely need a good tape measure and tuner. Of course, in terms of efficiency it is somewhat inferior to a full-size dipole, but as a budget DIY option for limited space it is a great solution.