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Reviews For: Wolf River Silver Bullet 1000

Category: Antennas: HF Mobile & Accessories

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Review Summary For : Wolf River Silver Bullet 1000
Reviews: 6MSRP: 60.00
Description:
Mobile Antenna Coil
Product is in production
More Info: http://wolfrivercoils.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
1565
N2XPM Rating: 2022-12-06
An absolute Mobile Surprise Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After researching a Mobile HF Antenna without being taken to the cleaners, I decided on swapping out my hamstiks and using the WRC Bullet for 10-80 meters. About my setup, a trunk lip mount from Comet, the coil attached to a quick disconnect, spring on top of the coil to reduce torque followed by a 102" stainless steel whip cut down to 82inches. Yes, it hangs over my GMC Terrain and yes, I started hitting bridges again at 8'6 tall. Holds well even at speeds at 70mph. Now for the good part...This puppy performs extremely well on 75 meters using 100watts on phone using the Icom IC-7100. I am able to tune from with the 82inch whip from 15 through 75 meters with ease. The coil is well designed and quality made. My cost was $75.00 minus shipping and handling. Reports on the road are from 5/5 to 5/9 on 75M's and about the same on the other bands. I am able to work stations locally to upwards of 2,000 miles away with 100watts based on propagation. So, for a total of $200.00 antenna, coil, quick disconnect and mount it is working incredibly well compared to HF Mobile antennas that cost a whole lot more. KUDOS to the inventors and owners of Wolf River Coil. I am very happy that I purchased their product....
New Review 12/6/22 -
I ordered and installed the 2 collar assembly for the coil. It has met and exceeded my expectations. One coil is set-up on 20M's and by using the Icom LDG Tuner, no problems working 15-17M's without adjusting the coil. The other collar was adjusted for 40M's since 75M's is rather noisy this time of year.
**This a great product, well constructed and a great performer again proving that you don't need to spend Hundreds of dollars to get on the air. A Good Ground is vital to get the coil to work well on your vehicle....KUDOS WRC!
N2DM Rating: 2022-05-31
Very good product! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Review: std. Silver Bullet
Price: less than $100.
Durability: very good!
I use this coil with a 5 foot stainless whip.(a std 102", cut down to 60")
Base loaded configuration.
I have used an LDG Z11 auto-tuner in the past, setting the
"Silver Bullet" to top of band, then let auto-tuner do it's thing as I go downband. (Works awesome!)
The auto-tuner is located at bottom of antenna assy.
I also have a 1 meg ohm resistor from ant base to ground, for static drain.
I was skeptical about using Stainless wire for the coil, but it has performed great. I do not use in winter, here in central New York. (SALT! ON ROADWAYS.)
5 out of 5 performance!
Next best: Hustler std HF mobile whip and resonators.
Dale, N2DM
K6SDW Rating: 2022-01-11
Impressive build ~ Platinum edition. Update Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Growing tired of messing with those tiny tabs jamming into a coil for many years, I decided to purchase the Silver Bullet 1000, platinum edition

I'm very impressed with the quality and performance. Remember, it's a vertical and nothing special about a vertical except maybe its take off angle. On 80 meters bandwidth is very narrow and gets better as you go up in frequency......again, it's a vertical antenna. Like very vertical I've ever used, the more ground radials the wider the bandwidth.

I really wanted the smaller Wolf River coil as I'm not a big fan of 80-meter verticals, but the website said 50% duty cycle running cw and FT8 so I opted for the larger coil which claims 100% duty cycle on all modes.

The ability to change bands simply by moving the collar is a God send after 15 years of screwing with the other popular vertical and jamming those damn tabs into a tightly wound coil, but it worked as well....like I said, both are vertical antennas and a vertical is a vertical is a vertical. Also, I've always believed the more metal in the air the better efficiency of an antenna, especially a shortened one and the Silver 1000 has a lot of metal in the air on 80/40 meters.

Besides the moving collar, the big selling point for me is the quality build....very impressive.

Bottom line, Wolf River coils are the screwdriver antennas of hf bands, except 1/10th the cost, zero complexity and the operator is the running motor moving the coil taps. I'm probably going to sell my other "popular" vertical which works FB and buy the smaller coil for QRp work in the field.

Great job Wolf River!!

GL/73

Update: I just added the dual-collar option and now it takes just seconds to QSY to a different band, once its set up.
AB9PM Rating: 2019-01-06
good alternative Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I am updating my previous review, after purchasing the dual collar kits for the silver bullet, it is a much more enjoyable antenna option. Instead of changing hamsticks on the side of the road, I can change frequencies by simply changing the jumper lead on a collar. My silver bullet has 3 collars on the coil with a long whip antenna and is tuned for 75, 40, and 20 meters. 17 meters is too close in frequency to the 20 meter collar so I cannot put a separate collar on for that band. I really like this option, it works well, and does stay fairly perfectly tuned.

I recommend if you are going to buy the Silver Bullet, buy the dual collar system, you will be much happier than changing tuning all the time. Some people are shocked to find out I am running a 100 watt mobile, and not a base station. I will not break all the pile ups, but I have a good enough signal to have a lot of fun.
N1IPU Rating: 2018-12-02
KISS works Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ran mobile for over twenty years now. Tried about everything on the market and this is the best. Simple, robust and works. With a stainless whip the tuning is straight forward right down to the bottom of 80. Hunting for a roll up full size whip now for portable operation. The 54" telescoping whip is perfect for that but for 80 you need a full size whip. If you want to keep it simple this is it.
K8UMD Rating: 2017-04-30
Great Low Profile mobile antenna Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased this Coil a few weeks ago. I added a 102 inch fiberglass whip to it and mounted it on the back of my Motorhome.
Right out of the box and following setup instructions it was 1.5 to 1 on 3.745
Made a adjustment and it was 1.5 to 1 on 7.277 and 1.5 all the way to 7.114.
NO TUNER NEEDED.
Even with the band bad I got a 5/9 report on first contact. Excellent setup for mobile and Best of all.... Wife gave it a thumbs up.
Looking forward to camping trips now