http://www.hamuniverse.com/yagibasics.html
(best one for antennas, has calculators for figuring out how to make any one of a dozen types of antennas for whatever frequency you desire)
For VHF and HF you’re going to want to try and run some wires up and across trees basically. I did that and hooked an RTL-SDR up on it and have gotten what I think is Japanese (I’m southern USA). If you are wanting to aim it, tune it, basically ‘scan the airways’, the wires idea won’t work. Yagi’s are extremely narrow shooting and recieving when built correctly. VH and HF you’re going to probably want to go with a dipole setup, of some sort (old “bunny ears” on old tv’s)
But, after re-reading, you don’t need a SWR meter. You don’t need 90% of the stuff listed. Just like you don’t need more than one light per pocket and room and vehicle. But you probably have more anyways don’t you? All of us do, lol.
But the fella that said a SWR meter is correct. To get an idea of little changes/big results, CTRL + ALT + DEL and bring up “Task Manager.” Once it’s up click “Performance.” Have a video going or something that has a steady pull on data from the internet. Then click Wi-Fi. You might have more than one, some crazy numbers attached, and other strange stuff. Just find the connection for your Wifi. Now, with your video playing, put your hand inbetween the antenna and your router. Try a cookie sheet. A glass of water is REALLY effective. Move the antenna a couple inches and watch what happens. Now most newer routers have beamforming where it takes it’s regular ol antennas and through constructive and destructive interference (think wave action in quantum mechanics double slit experiment done with water, for example), can strengthen the signal on it’s own without needing adjustment. But it will give you great insight to how critical antenna design, construction, use, utilization, and semi-frequent monitoring of desired connections are.
But yeah, the site I posted at the beginning of this message is hands down the absolute best one-stop site for what you are seeking to do. Been there, done that. Not being a wise-ass. It’s really been here and over there and everywhere but where I should have been and ‘done that’ after I did wrong a dozen times.
And as for an antenna, for what you are wanting to do, and with the frequency range your equipment can operate in, and for the love of god, trust me on this and you can check online calculators, but the best antenna for you is what’s going to be called a “discone antenna”. It looks like a cross between a cone and a yagi and a single dipole. Make sure to get your polarization correct- as in Left Hand or Right Hand polarization. You’d be amazed how many people build it backwards, but, we use one kind of polarization here on Earth and with satellite communication, we use the opposite. Very important because having it backwards will render your antenna, now matter how badass tuned it is, pretty much useless. People use discones in/on their vehicles and a bigger nicer setup of them in their attics. CB’s you can use a whip, but for handheld broad range, you’re going to want a discone and for the love of god stay away from the Yagi. It will NOT do what you want, it will pick up “echoes” and “reflections” causing you to chase ghosts thinking you’ve amost got it tuned it and there the signal drops off the face of the earth because you were tune to an echo….yuck. That discone I told you about? It’s damn near IDENTICAL at the frequncies you’re interested in when compared to a yagi- EXCEPT a discone doesn’t have a field of view like a coffee straw. Just go the site I posted. It’s FAR too much info for me to drone on about as a one-sided monologue.
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