[TowerTalk] Slinky Re-Visited

[Mark - AA6DX]

Howdy TTs .. just pondering .. how about a Slinky for the part of the antenna when either loading the tower, or putting up an inverted "L", etc...   especially using a crank up/down!     =|;?}
I've always wanted to play with one of the Slinky based aerials, never have -- yet ..  I have thought of many schemes for using for part of a 16ØM antenna, etc ... anybody done any serious antenna work with said same?
Here's a URL with ideas .. has Slinky "stuff" for sale .. hmmmmm.  Even  GOLD  slinky, for better conductivity!
Watch out when buying them for radio usage .. there are those made of PLASTIC!

http://www.qsl.net/kd4cga/slinky.htm

and here .. a story of where the Slinky was first used as an aerial, in `Nam .. 
http://www.teachingtools.com/Slinky/tidbits.html

Original steel ... they come in neon colors, too ..
http://www.slinkytoys.com/catalog/cat2/catalog.asp?action=catv&catid=33

More ready to use ham antennas ...
http://www.antennasmore.com/helitrix.htm

Here's how the darn things are made:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A34840-2002Jan12&notFound=true

How would one keep the vertical from waffling in the winds?  Perhaps put a light-weight PVC pipe through the Slinky?  Now .. that gets interesting ... plastic elbows, etc ... quad Slinky?  Hmmm.   Perhaps a Slinky around the coax being held out by arms on the tower .. Now there's a hot idear!   Hmmmm.   Tap the Slinky at a current node for the band you want, and when the tower cranked down your vertical would come with it!

Of course, there's Slinkys on "the Bay" ... interesting reading too.   Things to ponder, on a winter's day.  See ya in the Sweeps ... Mark, AA6DX