Telamon,

I would agree with just about everything that you wrote.

"Now do you see the problem this presents
for SW listening 3 to 30 MHz?"

YES - But for the Shortwave Listener (SWL) using
the Antenna (any antenna) the VSWR could be 1:1
or 8:1 (Doubled (2x) and Re-Doubled (2x2) and then
Doubled Again (2x2x2) - - - Because - - -
The SWLs are using their Antenna for "Receive Only"
and the Radio / Receiver's AGC Circuit or more will
function to compensate for the differences caused
by the variation in VSWR as the frequency changes
from 3 MHz to 30 MHz.

IMHO _ The Shortwave Listener like the Amateur who
puts the ATU at the Antenna before the feed-in-line to
get the most out of their Transmitting Antenna; should
put a Matching Transformer at the Antenna before the
feed-in-line to get the most out of their "Receive Only"
Antenna.

it's not science - just my opinion - iane ~ RHF