POTA and SOTA are both very popular facets of ham radio, and both present unique challenges to operators.

Never heard of POTA or SOTA? Read this first: WHAT IS POTA AND SOTA?

This list of antennas will highlight the common portable bands: 10M-40M. Any larger and the antenna can be very large and unruly, especially for portable operations.

Endfed
Endfeds are very simple portable antennas that can be very effective. Some operators use a kite string handle to wind the wire and mount the balun on it. A simple fishing weight and a tree can allow you to get the end up high. Higher is better.

Don’t forget your radials!

Vertical
Verticals can be very effective portable antennas, but there are some things to watch out for.
First is coils. Antenna coils are a great way to shorten a vertical, but the coils affect your receive and transmit capabilities.

Some operators like to use wire mesh netting as a ground plane.

Some common brands
Wolf River coils

DXcommander series

Dipole
Dipoles can be very effective antennas, but there are some important points to consider. First is the antenna’s height. For DX contacts, dipoles should be up at least half a wavelength – 30 feet or more. If you want NVIS contacts (<400 miles distance), height is not a major factor.

Some parks and locations do not allow antennas to be put into trees. Look into the park/forest rules.

There are rigid

Common Dipole Brands
Buddipole/Buddistick

Hexbeam
Hexbeams are fantastic antennas, but can be the most difficult to set up on this list. Not only will the antenna need to be assembled, but it would also be best to mount it on a mast, which adds weight.