The present disclosure includes an embodiment of a miniaturized antenna system and methods for compact multi-band transmission and reception of radio signals in a high-frequency (HF) band. An embodiment of the antenna system may include a plurality of shortwave antennas arranged in an antenna cluster, one or more controllers, and one or more monitors. The embodiment of the antenna system may allow the antenna cluster to operate effectively without a plurality of switches over a plurality of HF band frequencies. An embodiment of the one or more controllers may include a frequency testing and acknowledgement circuit that may determine and confirm which frequencies are propagating. In an embodiment, the methods of operating the antenna system may include determining selected frequencies, selecting a shortwave antenna, switching between a transmitter and a receiver, transmitting a radio signal, receiving acknowledgement signals and configuring the antenna system in response to receiving the acknowledgement signals.