Topband: K9AY Loop questions

[Mark Beckwith]

K9AY Loop questions for community wisdom/knowledge:

Question 1 - I have seen plots on K9AY loops and their relative gain is way down on 160 compared to 80.  Of course, they work great on 160, certainly with a preamp.  Does this mean you could make one for 80 that was half the size and it would still work well?  Is there something magical about the size that Gary designed them to be?

Question 2 - is there any reason you could not build one 10 feet above the ground and use a ground plane of 3 or 4 elevated radials?  Over very sandy/rocky soil, wouldn't that give me better control of my antenna ground than (more) difficult-to-manage (i.e. hard to bury and keep buried)  in-ground radials?

Mark, N5OT