Ten and twelve metres are great bands. When conditions are favourable, they are bands you can work the world on with relatively simple aerials. I use a CB aerial, see photo below. It’s a Sigma Venom 5/8 Wave. I’ve adjusted it’s length for the 10 metre amateur band but it can be adjusted to work on the 12 metre band. Notice the nylon string half way up the aerial on the right? That’s the west side of the aerial, where the wind comes from. The string stops the whole thing from bending over in high winds, simple but very effective
The base of aerial shown here is only six feet above the ground. It’s mounted on a fence post and yet, with only 100 Watts, I’ve worked Australia and Indonesia. I’ve also worked through many repeaters in Europe and the US.
Vertical or horizontal:
A horizontal antenna, such as a half-wave dipole or a Yagi antenna, will provide a directional radiation pattern good for communicating with specific stations in a particular direction. This can be good for working DX or communicating with other stations that are located in a specific direction.
On the other hand, a vertical antenna, such as a 5/8 wave, will provide a more omni-directional radiation pattern that can be useful for communicating with stations located in different directions. This can be great for local or regional contacts, where you want to be able to communicate with many stations in a given area without having to adjust the direction of the antenna.
Vertical antennas also tend to have a lower takeoff angle, which can be useful for communicating with stations that are located at lower elevations or over relatively short distances. This makes them a popular choice for those who want to work stations within a few hundred miles of their location.
The choice between a vertical or horizontal antenna for the 10 or 12 metre amateur bands depends on the operating goals of the user and the characteristics of the surrounding environment.