Planning to install a multiband HF vertical on an 18-foot tripod and struggling with radial implementation. Should I install quarter-wave radials at the elevated feedpoint or does the height eliminate the need?

Reading conflicting advice - some say you need LOTS of ground wires for anything more than a glorified dummy load, 60+ radials isn't going to cut it while others suggest elevated mounting changes the requirements entirely.

Using a 10-40m vertical with IC-705. What's the real-world experience here?

Cut 1/4 wave wire radials (4 at least) sloped down at 45 degrees - but this will only be good for a narrow bandwidth around the frequency you tune to. Elevated radials are still essential for proper operation.

I run a ZeroFive ground plane antenna 10 feet off ground with NO radials for 8-9 years - works fantastic! Height and antenna design matter more than conventional wisdom suggests.

Ground mounted vertical with 60 radials doesn't quite match a dipole for DX in most cases, and for stateside contacts can be down several S units. At 18 feet you might get away with fewer radials but they're still needed for efficiency.