We study the effects of channel coupling in the excitation of Be-11 pr
ojectiles incident on heavy targets. The contribution to the excitatio
n from the Coulomb and the nuclear fields in peripheral collisions are
considered. Our results are compared with recent data on the excitati
on of the 1/2(-) state in Be-11 projectiles. We show that the experime
ntal results cannot be explained, unless very unusual parameters are u
sed.