When you put a bunch of resonant antennas in close proximity and feed
them with individual transmission lines, you really have one antenna
with multiple feedpoints. The antennas couple to each other and affect
each other's patterns and feedpoint impedances. The higher frequency
antennas are, in general, the most affected.

Where you have the room, the advantage to having individual antennas is
that you have control over the radiation pattern on each band. When you
feed a single antenna on multiple bands, you have to take what you get
(although it's easy enough to predict with reasonable accuracy with a
modeling program). Otherwise, there's no other real advantage to
individual antennas. And, as I mentioned, when the antennas are close to
each other, you'll still get distorted patterns on some bands.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Ken Bessler wrote:

I just moved from DM79 to EM17. In Denver, I could
put up 1 big inverted V for HF. I selected the Van Gordon
"All Bander" and a LDG Z100 autotuner. Worked nice.

Now in Wichita, KS I don't have room for anything bigger
than the 134' all bander and I'm without a tuner. I can,
however, put up many antennas. (lotsa trees around)

Yesterday I trimmed my all bander until it was 25' per leg
shorter and resonated on 40m. It also looks good now on
17 & 10 meters. I put up an inverted V for 20. Using a
coax switch, I can switch between the two, giving me 40,
20, 17 & 10.

I'm starting to wonder if multiple antennas via an antenna
switch might be the way to go.

I'd like 80 meters but the only area that can fit a large
dipole like that is already taken by the all bander so an
80 meter dipole would either have to be a loaded vertical
or a loaded dipole. I've got room for a 40' dipole - no
larger.

30 & 12 meters do not interest me but 15 does - I'm
thinking maybe I'll add 15 meter elements to my 20
meter inverted V.

My question - Am I right thinking that an antenna farm
with resonant antennas would outperform a single large
dipole and a tuner? My guess is yes.

Also, anybody got good plans for an 80 m inverted,
loaded V antenna? Would it be better to put the 15m
dipole on that antenna vs the 20m V?

Ken KG0WX