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Reviews For: SILVER BULLET 1000

Category: Antenna parts, accessories, incl. baluns, hardware, etc.

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Review Summary For : SILVER BULLET 1000
Reviews: 11MSRP: 60.00
Description:
80 thru 10 meter antenna coil at power levels up to 600
watts*, no tuner necessary. For mobile, home, portable and
apartment installation. Tunes 80 thru 10 meters depending
on the length of the whip used (you supply your own whip),
no tuner needed. This coil has been tested and used with
antenna whips from 102 inches and as little as 36 inches.
Product is in production
More Info: http://wolfrivercoils.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00114.1
KD1JT Rating: 2021-01-21
It is what it is ... Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Update - My original coil got deformed ... guess I pushed it a little hard once in while, but never ran more than 90W CW. I replaced it with the Platinum model, and it's holding up fine. Gary at WRC was responsive and wanted to make it right. Their new Platinum model was suggested, giving me full credit for the one that melted. Even though I pushed the envelope a bit at times. Can't beat WRC's customer service. Top notch.

It's a short vertical with a loading coil. Nothing more, nothing less. I used it portable (stationary) in a four magnet roof mount, on the ground with six radials, elevated with tuned radials. Nothing magic about it. It tunes up well and is wide banded on HF. It works better than it should. For how I operate it's one option when better options can't be used. I use CW, and 50W max. For those who run 100W+ there's "Platinum" version with higher ratings. Add a 217" whip and you can bypass the coil entirely on 20m.
WM4RB Rating: 2020-11-26
GREAT coil and Workmanship! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used it on my truck with a 102" whip for over 3 years. I have it set to 3.800MHz with an ICOM AH-4 tuner. It tunes from 75/80m - 6m without moving the tap. I have talked to everyone I could hear. As far as I'm concerned it is a Great coil.
WY7AC Rating: 2019-03-30
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
No trees where I usually hike, hunt, camp, etc, so a vertical is pretty much my only choice. This thing is easy to pre-tune with an analyzer, rugged and gets the job done. No secondary coil as in the MP-1, less to go wrong. Going to order another one for the boat.
N9GUE Rating: 2018-02-20
Excellent coils Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Have purchased another Silver Bullet 1000 coil and the Octophone bracket. Will soon be running 2 silver bullets as a V dipole. using the MFJ 1979 whips.
Gary has the fastest turn around in the business. All parts are manufactures to last. The single coil has worked very good as a verticle. I am extremely happy with using his coils.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N9GUE on 2016-06-08

Purchased the Wolf River 1000 coil to get back on the digital modes from a antenna restricted complex. I used the MFJ 1979 whip with it. I have no trouble adjusting it and can load to low SWR on all bands. I use it as a 1/4 wave on 20 meters with the whip extended nearly all the way out. Very satisfied with the quality and ease of use.
KD5JZN Rating: 2018-02-04
Decent coil.. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've been running the SB1,000 for a few weeks now with a 102' whip.
It tunes down to easily and quickly.
Just read the manual and use your common sense on the install and the power you put into it and you should be fine. Overall..its a very decent coil for the money.
G4VGO Rating: 2017-06-24
Rugged and works! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had a Silver Bullet 1000 coil since they first came out. I use it with a 54 inch base rod, then the coil, then a 102 inch CB whip. A gumdrop base insulator and four elevated radials for 40 meters makes it an all band antenna from 40 to 15 meters. It will also tune 80 meters but I really should use longer radials for full efficiency on that band. I run from 5 to 500 watts on CW and digital modes with no issues. There are so many ways to use this dandy coil in remote and temporary configurations that you will be glad you bought one.

Would I buy another, heck yes! Is it worth the money, again heck yes! You will not be disappointed.
W4NFR Rating: 2016-11-20
WOLF RIVER COILS Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I USED THESE COILS TO LOAD A 18 VERTICAL ANTENNA.
AFTER A FEW DAYS OF USE, IT WENT BAD. THE COIL IS NOT USABLE FOR POIWER LEVELS OVER 400 WATTS. I HAVE AN ALS-600 AMPLIFIER AND IT MADE A BURN SPOT ON THE COIL WIRE SETTING FOR 40 METERS. CONCLUSION: DO NOT USE THESE COILS FOR POWER LEVELS OVER 400 WATTS. THEY ARE OK FOR MOBILE OR PORTABLE OPERATIONS USING LOW POWER ONLY. DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT USING WITH YOUR KW OR 1500 WATTS. SAVE YOUR MONEY. IF THEY MADE THE COILS OUT DELRIN INSTEAD OF PVC, THEY MAY HANDLE SOME POWER, BUT THEY DO NOT HOLD UP WITH POWER OVER 400 WATTS.
W0VPI Rating: 2016-06-14
Excellent Coil Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I'd used the Silver Bullet Mini for a 30 meter antenna at our summer cottage with four quarter wave elevated counterpoises and MFJ's 16.5 foot whip and I really liked it. Easy to adjust and stayed tuned with varying weather conditions.
Having retired and looking forward to stationary mobile operation I bought the 1000. I am using it with both a 108" whip and the MFJ 16.5 foot whip. I get excellent results on 40 meters with both. I'd like to add that Wolf River coils is great to do business with. I ordered the 1000 shortly after making an inquiry about a replacement wing nut for my other coil and they sent it with the 1000 for free. You simply cannot go wrong with Wolf River's precision, stoutly-built coils.
KE5CIR Rating: 2015-06-14
Not that impressed with the SB 1000 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have not had the best luck with W.R. SB1000's. I recently bought an Alpha DX Sr which uses a modified SB-1000. I wasted hours and hours trying to get it to work and was convinced it was not a good antenna. I will never know now since I sent it back to Alpha for a full refund.

When my DX Sr arrived I noticed the coil would not tune. The coil looked old and used even though right out of the bag. Alpha refunded me the cost of the coil so I sent in for a replacement directly from WR. When it showed up I found that it was not the same SB1000 that WR makes for Alpha and it wouldn't tune with the DX Sr. Alpha then sent me the correct one from their stock. Again it wouldn't tune. I had several of my club members help me with their analyzers each time and no one would get the DX Sr to tune. I finally gave up and returned my antenna and Alpha also spent time trying to get it to tune and couldn't. At that time Alpha cut this coil in half and found an internal defect which prevented the coil to tune. I guess after three coils I can only assume WR does a poor job in checking their coils before they go out. I don't think I will try another WR coil.
W5UM Rating: 2014-10-07
BEST MULTIBAND COIL Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is the best non-motorized multiband coil I have ever used. I have tried hamsticks, Hustlers, bugcatchers, and homebrew coils. None of the above can hold a candle to this Wolf River Silver Bullet 1000.

The antenna is installed on a trailer hitch extension on my camper van. The hitch extension keeps the coil 2 feet away from the van body. I have found that this allows for a better swr and stronger transmit signal.

I have a 3 foot stainless steel rod attached to the trailer hitch; and have the Silver Bullet 1000 screwed into the rod. A 102 inch CB whip is screwed onto the top of the coil.I mostly work 75 meters and attach the whip when I am parked. The coil is about 5 feet of the ground and can be easily reached for adjustment.

The SWR, as measured on the swr meter in my TS-570, is adjustable to 1:1 on all the bands from 15 meters to 75 meters. It is easily tuned by moving the slider clip up and down. It is fine tuned to your exact frequency by rotating the slider. If you want to use the coil on 10 meters you need to use a shorter whip.

The coil is very heavy duty and is extremely well constructed. All hardware is stainless steel, including the wire on the coil.

The customer service from Terry at Wolf River Coils is exceptional.