I get the joke and all but seriously is there any reason why metal tape
would be worse for a portable antenna than wire? At least you have a
handy reel, though you might have to mod the end a bit to get a decent
electrical connection.

Sorry to be a poopy-head here but speaking about the site as a whole
the author claims to be trying to make a point about ridiculous claims
and antenna marketing, but he's falling down on the job.

We've all run into ads out there by folks who sell cobbled-together
baling wire and noisy amps to "boost reception," as well as other
over-hyped garbage. But he really isn't making the sorts of ridiculous
claims the antenna shysters tend to when selling to the
poorly-informed. So he fails to make his point.

Yeah, I know he put a ridiculous "list" price on it but that isn't
really the same thing as saying "This will let you hear stations only
the NSA can get! Best antenna EVAR!!!" As long as somebody knows what
they're buying you really can't fault them for what they choose to pay
-- there are factors that go into value apart from cost of source
materials. Not everybody knows how to make a sturdy antenna from
scratch or values their time cheaply so an assembled product has value
added. And his "ad" really doesn't hide that what this thing is made
of is two steel tape measures and some ancillary parts.

Anyway, even if your time is worth nothing the "real" price isn't
ridiculous (list is for suckers, anyway!) 100' steel tape measures go
for about 15 bucks each at my local hardware store and he's offering
two of them for 30 bucks. So it might even be worth it just for the
tapes, the insulator and the alligator clips. Sign me up for a dozen!

Now, maybe if this thing used a FIBERGLASS tape... (No electrocution
risk!)

NC,

Yes in fact some Military and later Amateur (Ham) Antennas
where a Pair of Metal Tapes that made-up a Dipole Antenna
that could be Reeled-Out in the Field.
http://www.kkn.net/archives/html/QRP.../msg00875.html

Some were marked-off in Meters and had a Chart for Frequency
and Meters Sizing of the Dipole Antenna.

Sometimes these old Metal Tape Antennas show-up on eBay.

that's all folks - iane ~ RHF