While grounding the mast may not do as much for the noise as you would 
wish, it will make the antenna perform more like the specs say it 
should.

This is because it depends on the grounded mast to partially replace 
radials.

I know it's a half wave antenna, but without a ground, you are losing 
a lot of rf back down the coax.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Howard Kaufman" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2011 8:36 AM
Subject: imax-2000 continued.


As I would have suspected, the imax is a great transmitting antenna.
Receive is not as good.  True, if I can hear it I can work it, but the 
noise
floor is higher.  I am wondering if I ground this mast to an earth 
ground,
if that will help.  The noise is a constant s8 on fifteen meters.  The
vertical doesn't get out well on 20, but is s units better than the 
zepp on
17 and up.  I have never used a vertical before.
H T Kaufman MSW LCSW
Adaptive Technology Instructor