It all depends on your goals.
100 watts and wire from the USA East Coast will work, EU, Caribbean,
SA and AF when west of the Mississippi hears only noise.
My QTH is in Los Angeles about 4 miles from the ocean. It's almost as
far SW USA as you can get from EU. Factor in extra hops and polar
absorption on 160 and QRO is a necessity IF your goal is to be heard
from here in EU and other long haul paths. QRO is the easy part. RX
antennas on a small city lot are quite another but even more important.
The other "secret" weapons are earphones, QSK and just plain listening
- a lot. IF you goal is chasing DX.
A shunt fed tower with no radials; some loop RX antennas; and QRO from
a very small lot have netted me 148 countries in 8 years on Top Band
including 20+ entities in EU.
Oh yes, the Pacific and Pacific rim is relatively easy from here. But
everything is relative.
73 - Steve WB6RSE
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