Thanks for interesting comments by all.

My question was prompted by reports of
alleged matching difficulties, rather
than by questions of general utility,
feasibility, or ancillary problems. For
example, Lee's Vertical Antenna Handbook
discusses various conventional matching
circuits for vertical antennas. For the
half-wave vertical, he comments tersely
that "It is difficult to match well and
should be avoided if possible". (page
25, 2d edition; context makes clear he
is referring to end- or base-feeding) He
shows the usual parallel tuned circuit
with tapped inductor as the appropriate
matching device.

Although Lee doesn't logically link his
assertion of matching difficulty with
his admonition of avoidance, he
conjoined them in the same sentence with
abandon or intent. My interest is
limited to the allegation of matching
difficulty.

BTW, I was assuming a half-wave,
horizontal antenna, one end of which is
brought directly into the shack with no
intervening transmission line.
Definitely not a dipole, but not a
monopole either, I suspect. There are
some reports out there of RF in the
shack with this arrangement, but
who has experienced matching problems?

So if there were no common mode issues,
the directly end-fed, half-wave wire
would be an equal opportunity candidate
along with the traditional dipole for
the same radiator geometry? Or is that
like saying if it weren't for gravity I
could fly?

73,

Chuck

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