Hi;
Some of the recent posts bring up some good questions.  
Supposedly if you transmit into no antenna nothing should happen 
but I'd rather not cound on it.  Being a 480 owner I realize how 
easy it can be to inadvertantly change antennas.  That's one 
feature I wish they'd left out.  A separate antenna switch isn't 
that costly and makes things easier.
As for the hissing amplifier, hissing is never good.  Didn't 
appreciate my old icom amplifier.  If you gave it to much drive 
it just shut off with a nice audible click.
As for the 43 foot vertical there are a number of questions.  As 
I seem to understand things the plan is that the antenna isn't 
particularily resonant anywhere and you rely on a tuner to make 
things fly.  This infurs that your tuner is doing what it should.  
Not real comfortable with this approach.  I'd rather the antenna 
be somewhat resonant and the tuner just give you more band width.  
The jury is out because the 43  foot verticals are becoming more 
popular.  In general people seem to operate them with a remote 
tuner at the base.
Not that familiar with the al811h but if its only rated at 600 
wats why bother if your radio is rated at 200.  Trippling the 
power doesn't seem to be worth all the trouble.  I have found 
that going from 100 to 600 wats does make an appreciable 
difference.
Just my two cents.
If you have room for the 43 foot vertical I'd save my pennies or 
20s for a steppir vertical.
   richard
sent from my braille note