Topband: Take-off angle

[Ford Peterson]

I've been using a top loaded shorty vertical on 160 for about 3 years now.
It's 68' of Rohn 25 with another 12' of mast (80' total) a tribander at 70'
and some VHF stuff on top.  I'm in central Minnesota.

I can count on one hand the number of domestic/Caribbean stations I couldn't
work at 100 watts, even though I've only got 8 - 50' radials stitched into
the sod.  Why only 8?  I'm lazy!  This summer I intend to correct that to
lower the radiation angle.  How many?  Not sure yet--it depends on how
ambitious I get.

My question is this:  Several recent comments have been made about take-off
angle and DX.  Is there such a thing as "too low" a take off angle?  You
guys with a bazzillion radials do you find that local/domestic work becomes
compromised?  If so, does it make sense to set a ring around the base of the
tower, hook the bulk of the radials to the ring, and switch it into the
system for DX work?  My gut tells me that I will never hear any difference.

Ford-NØFP
ford@cmgate.com