20 meters is known as the HF work horse band.
It has attributes that allow you to talk world wide on a pretty regular
basis.
dependant upon propigation, you can have consistent communications with
anywhere from 1000 miles to 12 thousand.
Each of the HF bands exhibit certain attributes that make them more
desirable for either relative short distances, or long distances.
For instance, 10, 15 and 20 meters all exhibit dx characteristics which
allows for long distance contacts on a regular basis dependant upon
propigation.  However, 40, 75/80 and 160 are generally used for
communications within about  600 miles from your QTH.
This is all because of the way the signal propigates and bounces off the
ionisphere.
certain wave lengths bounce differently when they get up into the upper
atmosphere and thus they can go farther then others.
you should be studying all this for your license.
So, if you want say european, australian, asian or african or carabean
contacts then you would most likely use 20 or 15 meters..and possibly 10,
but only during the peaks in the sun spot cycle when propigation on 10M
allows for that.
On the other hand, if you want to talk within your state or a few states
away, then you would probably use 40 or 80 meters...occasionally, there will
be european or other DX on 40 and 80, but it isn't as common as on 15 and 20
meters.
All this said, since 20M will allow for closer communications, you will have
no problem using it to communicate across the US or to canada or even
several states away, say from either coast into the midwest or southwestern
areas.

Hope this answers some of your questions.
Don't feel afraid to ask ham related questions.
73
Colin, V A6BKX

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gery Gaubert" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2006 2:02 PM
Subject: update


> My dad's neighbor went over today and they put the hfv6 vertical in a =
> hole in the ground and got on 10 meters and talked from Louisiana to =
> California without any problem.  He says once I get an auto tuner and =
> they get the antenna mounted to my roof that I will do better than that. =
>  What I am wondering is the distance beter on 20 or 30 meters or just =
> how does that work?=20
>
>