For many with small gardens or difficult neighbours, antennas can be a problem. The biggest antenna I have ever used is a CB halfwave. I have never used an HF beam. Despite this, I have worked QRP DXCC with 10W SSB. Most times I have used just a low wire dipole.
One "antenna" I have found useful is the earth-electrode "antenna" in the ground. This has proved very effective on VLF, LF and MF. Only last evening I was copying Italy on it on 630m and the night before there were lots of stateside stations spotted on 160m FT8. An advantage is the XYL and neighbours do know even notice it is there at all!
Another possibility is to use the coax outer feeding maybe a VHF antenna via an ATU on the HF bands tuned against ground. Such antennas can be quite effective. OK against a beam on a tower this maybe an S-point or 2 down, but for the lack of neighbour hassle is a tall tower and big beam worth the fuss? This is a hobby after all. If you don't work DXCC entity 247 does it really matter? Get a life!!!
See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/antennas/earth-electrode-antennas .
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