2 way radio base station

#1

Hello all,

New user to the forum here. Started researching radios online and realized there is a lot of information out there :slight_smile: And a lot more than I know.

I am looking to start a base station at my house and be able to talk to friends about 5-10 miles away. From what I have researched so far, I think it would be best to get an antenna about 30’ off the ground and just connect via cable with a handheld.

Thoughts/things to consider with this limited amount of information?
What do I need to accomplish to reach up to 10 miles and still have clear comms?
Thanks,

#2

If you have a GMRS license, a HT with 4-5 watts and an antenna at that height would work very well. The only caveat to that is if you live in hilly/mountainous terrain. GMRS and other UHF/VHF is line of sight.
I use a Baofeng UV5R and an antenna at 25’ and I work a repeater at 32 miles. Higher beats more power most of the time. Hope this helps.

#3

If cost is not prohibitive, I would consider getting a mobile unit for the base station, something with 20W or so. You could always drive a an amplifier with an HT as well but the cost will become similar and a mobile unit would have more features.