"Michael Coslo" wrote

I might suggest picking up a tuner such as one of the MFJ 300 watt ones.
Then get ladder line, and throw a general purpose dipole in your trees.
That for my money is the best starter antenna going, and can service you
long after you're a newbie. Some do not like to have to tune the antenna,
but I can say that It is possible to contest with such a setup.

I think it's even more than a "starter" antenna -- it's great, loads on just
about any frequency, and if decently in the clear will work quite well. When
I move to a place with the room for a hundred footer up in the trees, it
will be the only antenna I'd really ever need for HF. However, I think a
ladder-line fed antenna needs a tuner (i.e., transmatch) that has a pretty
beefy balun. I had the MFJ-948 that gave me lots of trouble using a 55' long
dipole with ladder line. I learned how to make a bigger and better 4:1
toroid balun to replace the dinky one that came with it... then it worked
really well. Right, Cecil? ;-)

Howard N7SO