it’s going to be a while before I can build a proper base at home. But I live in a black hole, almost no reception of any kind, no ota TV and barely FM broadcast radio. Other than better HT antennas what are my options. I feel like some external antenna would be better than nothing even if I’m tethered to it. I just hate to start drilling holes in stucco for a temporary solution.
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There are a lot of options for you. Look at VHF/UHF Base Antennas as a category. Diamond and Comet are the two big name brands. I have one mounted to the side of a shed with a Satellite Dish arm mount that I use for APRS reception. That’s about a $100 option for the mount and the antenna.
Another option is to buy or build a J-Pole antenna. You can look online for instructions to build one out of copper pipe or ladder line. I just bought a ladder line one at Dayton for $35. You could hang this from a string in a tree if you don’t want to drill holes.
Good luck and let us know what you decide and how it works.
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Thanks great advice. I suppose at some point I have to get coax into my house so there’s at least one hole 
Is a 5W HT going to benefit from an antenna like that?
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Anything that gets outside and higher should benefit. The trade off would be line loss from the coax. I’ve never done the math.
MFJ makes window and vent feed through units if you don’t want to come through the walls. Antenna Accessory Window Feedthrough | MFJ Enterprises Inc I haven’t personally used them, but I have friends who have.
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I have a Mitsubishi split unit right outside my office window that I stuck a mag mount on.
I’m using this in the window, works great!
Chip
W1ECG
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So I put up a Diamond SG7900 on my patio cover. Worked amazing for reception but the <5w that it actually put out wasn’t enough to open the local repeater. I used the same cable to get through the window.
Now I just added an FTM-400 with 50W and I’m in business. I love this radio, I have one in my truck too.
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