Amateur radio antennas

TEV-1's impedance range is typically in the range of 200~300ohms.
Fitting a 4:1 balun will reduce that impedance range to 50~75 ohms.

Traditionally, almost all coaxial cable feed automatic antenna tuners manufactured by amateur radio transceiver manufacturers will only match impedances between about 16 ohms and 150 ohms (i.e. up to about 3:1 swr) to 50 ohms and must have low reactance (+/- j ohms).
 

*WIDE-BANDER Mk.II covers 1.8MHz~440MHz (160m~70cm).
Includes a "BNC-4mm" wire-antenna adaptor with red n'black banana-sockets screw terminals. An excellent performer!
WIDE-BANDER...A$349. IN STOCK. Shipment arrived!

*WONDER-LOOP "750" Mk.2 covers 7~50MHz (40m~6m) and includes a copper loop wire terminated with lugs...A$249.
Normally in stock!
Does NOT cover 1.8MHz~7MHz (i.e. does NOT cover the 160m, 80m & 60m bands)!

*TUNEABLE COUNTERPOISE SYSTEM Mk.6. Now...A$169.
Covers 5~30MHz (40m~10m). Use in-line to tune either a counterpoise wire or an antenna wire! 
Normally in stock!
Does NOT cover 1.8MHz~5MHz (i.e. does NOT cover the 160m, 80m & 60m bands).

*FT-817/FT-818 ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT STAND...A$39.
Normally in stock.

ALL Wonder-Wand products are excellent quality & work well!

Most Wonder-Wand products are normally in stock!
 

If you want to reduce your HF vertical's ground losses but not increase its angle of radiation then you should mount your vertical on top of a 3m-4m long metal pole. Ensure the metal pole is properly grounded.
Try not to mount your vertical at, or just above, ground level!
Next, run at least 3 (preferably 4 or more) wire radials (these can also be used as guy wires) from where the HF vertical is clamped to the metal mounting pole down to ground level at an angle of between 20 to 50 degree angle (measured from horizontal up).
An angle of 45 degrees is best, for several technical reasons.
Next, place a circle of wire at ground level - ensuring your vertical's mounting pole is in the centre of that circle. Where the wire radials meet the ground attach the end of each wire radial to the circle of wire, with equal spacing. Doing so will form a skeletal conically shaped ground plane.
This arrangement reduces the need to install one or more 1/4 wavelength long (+5%, less K factor) ground plane radials per band, whilst still providing a good ground plane effect. However, by adding additional ground plane radials a vertical antenna will perform better and each one of those radials can then be tuned on each respective band for the lowest swr vs. frequency within those bands. The TOTAL length of each radial should be measured from the base of the vertical antenna right down to the tip of each radial!

3. MOUNTING ON A METAL VERTICAL POLE - WITH HORIZONTAL ALUMINIUM TUBING RADIALS TO IMPROVE GROUND PLANE EFFECT

Obtain three (3) 4m long lengths of aluminium tubes of say 19mm diameter with 1.6mm wall thickness. Drill two closely spaced holes halfway along each tube to allow for the fitting of one U-bolt per tube (two holes per U-bolt). We recommend physically strengthening each 19mm tube by inserting and centreing up to a 1m long aluminium tube (of 16mm dia. x 1.6mm thick) inside each 19mm tube, before drilling. 
Fit one U-bolt at this halfway point of each tube, ensuring each U-bolt will clamp around the vertical antenna's supporting metal pole. 
Next, loosely clamp all three tubes to the mounting pole, underneath the vertical antenna's mounting point. Splay the tubes out evenly (60 degrees apart), then tighten all three U-bolts. This arrangement will create six (6) 2m long radials spaced 60 degrees apart.
To enhance the ground plane effect, simply clamp multi-stranded wire from one radial's tip to the next radial's tip, thereby forming a circle. The ground plane assembly will then look similar to a "wagon wheel" (or skeletal ground plane) when viewed from above or below. You could even add a (second) inner circle of wire to further improve the ground plane effect of this so-called "wagon wheel". This ground plane is often more effective than the ground plane performance of average suburban areas. Commercially manufactured multiband HF verticals are tuned for operation in average suburban backyards when ground-mounted on a metal pole only 30cm~1m long.

4. If you want to adjust the height of your multiband vertical to the optimum height then you should use a telescoping tubing mast. Many amateurs have found that it's best to test the antenna at every 50cm level of height (or at least every metre) when the antenna is mounted on top of a metal ground plane (e.g. on a roof). Check the resonant frequency (which is often the point of lowest swr) on every operational band and also check the antenna's receiving performance. A beacon is usually a good indicator, as most beacons are constantly transmitting.

The higher a vertical is mounted above a ground plane, the lower will be the effective angle of radiation. The higher the frequency, the higher the antenna should be mounted, in order to achieve a lower angle of radiation. You should record signal levels daily on all the operational bands of the antenna, noting signal peaks on those bands at different antenna heights!  

Check the antenna's receiving performance on each band over several days before making subsequent height adjustments. About 2.5~3m in height is best for average length 80~10m verticals (6~8m long) and 3.5~4m for longer (9m+ long) 80~10m verticals when mounted above a good sized metal ground plane, such as a metal house roof, carport or garage.
Thanks to Phil Haig for the above "optimum antenna height" info!