It is just me, but making so-called DX contacts on digital will indeed get around poor location and antenna situations, but all of the heavy lifting has been done by Joe Taylor and such eliminating some of what has made Amateur Radio what it is. Making and experimenting with antennas for one. Learning how to listen in noisy conditions, staying on top of propagation condx are others. If just making a contact is all that counts, digital is fine but it amounts to little more than the fake QSOs on QRZ.com. All said however, even with digi, low power requires the best you can get for an antenna. Attic antennas can work well, even on the high HF bands, dipoles strung around a ceiling of a room can work surprisingly well. RF does not much care about passing thru wood and drywall if your wall studs are not metal.I'm am very new to this hobby, and have just been listening up to this point. Right now, I find myself most interesting in contacting countries outside the US. However, I don't think my current house is going to be good for an elaborate setup, and I'm antenna challenged (small yard, powerlines all over, etc). Another member made the suggestion below, and I was hoping to get some more advice. I'm guessing repeaters will come into play, among other things.
Basically, I'm looking to start out simple, and would like a very basic setup that's capable of contacting other countries. In short, DX'ing with a small radio. Not sure this is even possible, otherwise why would people build huge and antennas and whatnot, but thought I'd ask
Loops are an expensive but good option for limited space - no need to be high in the air.
Good luck ES 73, DE K2QWQ