Hi All: 

I'm really getting scared off by this vertical thing. It seems like the more research I do, it looks like more and more that an expensive outboard auto tuner will have to be added, either at the base of the antenna it self or in the shack. 
It would add around 300 bucks to my antenna pushing it over  the 1K mark. 
Ie: package 1, DX Engineering Thunder Bolt with Unon and self supplied radial kit and attachments, would come to 724 put up, trusting my FT-450's tuner. 
Package 2, Hustler 6-BTV, with self supplied radial kit and attachments 920 put up, trusting my FT-450's tuner.  
Package 3, Butternut HF-9V with self supplied radial kit, 870 put up, trusting my Ft-450's tuner. 
Now add 300 to these proposed solutions should my Yaesu's tuner won't tune, gets out of hand.  
Now add in the Nay Sayers who are waiting to rip me to pieces with "I told ya sos" should either of these ending nothing but an expensive post in the ground that radiates RF. 
But thousands of verticals are in use. Could thousands be wrong? 
I'm thinking I should just shoot a commercial G5RV or Radio Works Carolina Windom up in the trees and forget it. LOL 
I certainly won't have to worry about maintaining tree supports unless they get uprooted in a major wind storm.  
So what if I have to have someone solder my wire once a year and don't hear them complain that they have to take a run out to Michael's place and fix that Damn antenna! LOL 
What the eyes don't see, or in our case, what the ears don't hear, the heart won't feel! LOL 

73: 

Michael De VO1RYN 

P S 
If it doesn't cost me a grand and only 300 at the most, it would be kind of worth it?