RST Engineering wrote:

But since we aren't trying to squeeze the last fraction of a dB out of
the arrangement, and even though a balun still guarantees SOME
reflected power except at the precise center frequency of the antenna,
then simply connecting the dipole ears to the coax and stripping the
reflected power from the sheath with single-turn chokes in the form of
ferrite beads slipped over the coax right at the antenna does a
credible job of making a simple, lightweight, and nearly bulletproof
antenna.

Jim

Which reminds me, one old time method of matching a balanced antenna to
a co ax feed was with an extra coax matching section so the center
conductors connected to each half of the dipole, then the coaxes were
joined appropriately.

Probably too mutch fiddle factor, but rather than stoppering the base of
the dipole with ferrites, what would happen if you placed the stoppers a
quarter wave back on the coax? I never tried this out, but it's just
possible some of that extra gain might get into the coax?
Did you ever try this arrangement?

Brian W