Another newbie

Hello, I came to this forum because I know next to nothing about radio comm other than using green gear in the Marines. I want to know what is a cost effective way to have decent comm in the civilian sector. I have a pair of midland 1050’s right now they work pretty well I think anyway. So what can be done to these radios to make them reach out a bit farther. I saw a YouTube video of angry amature putting a different antenna on a radio similar to mine what would be the gains of a mod like that? Thank you.