Yaesu FT-7 Advice Needed - Antennas
 

Hi all.

I have just obtained my first HF rig. It's a Yaesu FT-7.

The rig has 20 watts input with about 10 - 15 watts output.

I would like to know how forgiving this radio is to poorly matched antennas.
I have an MFJ-941E antenna tuner and plan on using a random wire antenna as
I only have about 10 metres of yard space in a two storey townhouse. Am I
likely to blow the finals up with a poor antenna ?

Here are some questions:

What would be the shortest usable random wire antenna I could use for 80 and
40 meters ?

Is the FT-7 forgiving with poorly matched antennas or am I risking the
finals of the radio by cutting things too fine ?

If I went for an 80m or 40m vertical whip should I be able to tune over most
of the band or will I be limited to a very small section ?

Any other advice or warnings about use or mis-use of the FT-7 would be
heartily welcomed.

Thanks for reading and 73's

Robert