My first operating was on 160 when I got licensed in 1957.  Around 
Chicago, at that time, there was a lot of local activity and a lot of 
help for a kid who really didn't know what he was doing!  My best 
antenna was a 40 or so foot center loaded vertical, with a three 
spoke capacity hat, with the elements about three feet long mounted a 
foot or two above the loading coil.  I only had a couple of radials 
down, was limited by a very small city sized lot, perhaps 35 by 100 
feet.  The antenna was directly outside the shack window, located in 
the basement.  The antenna was intentionally tuned long, so an old 
variable capacitor in series with the #12 wire feedline from the 
antenna brought the system to resonance anywhere in the band.  My 
best DX was a San Francisco station on c w, running about 25 
watts.  There were 50 watt power restrictions on the band at that 
time, due to LORAN, an old timey navigation system used, I guess on 
the Great Lakes.
Good days.  Lots of fun and lots of things learned.
Pat, K9JAU