Thanks Guys for the answers. I'm hoping to tune the antenna with the
internal tuner on my radio. It's not a wide range tuner though so I
may have to work with some type of matching solution at the base. What
my reading on ground mounted quarter wave verticals makes me think is
that I'd want about 16 radials. That qualifies as a bunch to me...hi
hi... Easier in my mind to raise the base of the antenna 8 to 10 feet
off the ground and use a couple of elevated radials.
I think the mast will be ok structurally speaking mounted to the
house. It held up rotators and a small satellite array for years
without pulling the wall down. It will still be attached at ground
level with some type of non conductive support. The mounting bracket
won't be the only thing holding it, in other words.
What I'm after here with this project is better low angle radiation
for the purpose of working DX. My present 40 meter antenna is a dipole
that is only about 20 feet of the ground. Not ideal as I'm sure you
guys well know.