EB, do you think the vertical vs horizontal could be affecting comms at the distance? One of the guys that was in my emcomm group was big into hf and he complined all the time about verticals. I dont have any experience with them to speak of.

When my antenna goes in it will be running pretty much n-s. Not quite 180 degrees, but close. The way my property runs, one end is gonna be10-15' off the ground. Feed line will be around 35', the opposite end probably 20-30'.