Scorpion SA-680 (Black Widow) Screwdriver Antenna
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| Frequency | ~3.5 - 30 MHz (10-80 m) with the supplied 6 ft whip |
| Bands | 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m |
| Power | Rated 1500 W PEP. The RF path is passive; a 12 V motor tunes the coil. Needs a vehicle ground/counterpoise. |
| Modes | motor-tuned ('screwdriver') continuous-coverage mobile HF vertical |
| Weight | 8.16 kg (18 lb) - Heavy-duty screwdriver: ~39 in retracted / 57 in extended (before whip); 3 in coil of 10-gauge tinned copper at 6 TPI under a 4 x 24 in polycarbonate cover; about 18 lb. |
| feed | UHF (SO-239) feed at the base on a mobile mount; the vehicle body is the counterpoise. |
| control | 12 V control line to the tuning motor (raise/lower to tune the coil). |
| power req | 12 V DC to drive the tuning motor; the RF path is passive. Requires a vehicle ground/counterpoise. |
A premium, high-power screwdriver: the big high-Q coil (Q ~410) gives genuinely better efficiency than small mobile whips, it handles a full 1500 W PEP, and it tunes continuously across 10-80 m by simply running the motor. Rugged construction (heavy tinned-copper coil, polycarbonate cover) suits hard mobile use, and SWR is low when installed over a good ground.
It is heavy (18 lb) and long, so it needs a substantial, well-grounded mobile mount and counterpoise to perform - and like all mobile HF antennas it is a compromise compared with a full-size antenna, especially on 80 m. It needs a 12 V control line and a tuning controller, and it is a premium-priced antenna.
The Scorpion SA-680 'Black Widow' is a top-tier high-power screwdriver antenna - a high-Q coil, 1.5 kW handling and continuous 10-80 m coverage in a rugged package. The pick for a serious mobile HF station with a solid ground system; mind the size, weight and mounting.
The Scorpion SA-680 'Black Widow' is a high-power motor-tuned 'screwdriver' antenna for mobile (and backyard) HF operating. Like all screwdrivers it resonates by running a small motor that raises or lowers a tuning slug through a large loading coil, giving continuous coverage - here from 10 through 80 meters - without changing whips or taps. What sets the SA-680 apart is the coil: a 3-inch-diameter winding of 10-gauge tinned copper at 6 turns per inch, which yields a high coil Q (around 410) and therefore better efficiency than the small coils on cheaper mobile whips.
It is built for serious use: the coil lives under a rugged 4 x 24 inch polycarbonate cover, it handles a full 1500 watts PEP, and properly installed over a good vehicle ground it holds VSWR to 1.5:1 or better. It is supplied with a 6-foot whip and fed with a standard UHF connector, with a 12 V control line running the tuning motor.
The trade-offs are physical: at about 18 pounds and quite long, it demands a substantial, well-grounded mount and a good counterpoise to work its best, and like every mobile HF antenna it is a compromise versus a full-size antenna, most of all on 80 m. You also need a tuning controller and 12 V. For a high-power mobile HF station, though, it is a standout. Compare it with the Tarheel 200A-HP and the Hi-Q screwdriver.