On Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:49:31 -0400, Mike Coslo wrote:

I would
like to run a number of wires, maybe 6, to the coil as connections to
taps, and run them at an approximate 90 degree angle to the coil.

Hi Mike,

Run those wires to what? What length wires?

Will these wires have much of an effect?

Sure. Will it matter? You (the reader who performs this aside from
you, but including you) wouldn't necessarily know where the antenna
would have resonated to begin with, and any change could hardly
surprise you in that regard. Aside from issues of resonance, we would
consider loss. As you are running them at 90 degrees (the ambiguity
has me wondering, do they spoke into the coil, or out?), then you are
seeking to avoid wire spacing issues that force Ohmic loss through
proximity. Given that, loss would seem to be a non-starter. If the
wires are long (again, the ambiguity of where they go), then they
become part of the radiator, and as such would intercouple. As the
entire construction is a wild card in resonance, this would not seem
to be problematic anyway. On the other hand, it could diffuse control
and present some odd tuning characteristics. This would only add to
the lore and you might be able to call it the Beneficial Coslo Effect
and we are blessed with the BCE 'Tenna (I won't use the full word, as
doing that will depreciate the legendary value). As we all know, any
new name inherits at least 6dB gain in performance.

73's
Richard Clark, KB7QHC