I took my technicians test yesterday and get my call sign sometime tomorrow my current set up I have is there a retrevis rt95 with 25w power paired with a mag mount. My HT is a boafeng UV 32 with a nagoya 771 and an abbree 42.5" antenna. I’m a skywarn member and am curious if I could hit a repeater about 30-35 miles away. Any advice or tips would be amazing.
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It’s all about the environment and line of sight to the repeater.
I hit a repeater with a 3db gain mag mount antenna on top of my car, with an Alinco DJ580 hand held 50 miles away. For Reference, Daytona Beach FL to Leesburg FL.
I would not expect that on an everyday case. Environmental conditions change, as does line of sight.
One of the great things about ham radio is experimentation. Once you get your call. drive around and check it out. That is the fun of it..
Congrats on entering Ham radio. Your actual learning begins after your test. The test is merely a key to the door.
Stay Safe, 73
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it sounds like you are interested in mobile operations rather than setting a fixed station. 30-35 miles is questionable with an HT (regardless of brand). I recommend investing in the best antenna you can with the 25W radio. You didn’t indicate wheter you had a NMO or UHF connector for your antenna mount. I recommed a comet high gain antenna. This one is NMO mount, but I beleive Comet has it also in UHF Mount: Comet CA-2X4SRNMO Dual Band Mobile Antenna 144/440 MHz – High Gain VHF UHF NMO Mount Antenna.
You need a high gain Antenna. If you are looking for a Fixed station antenna I recommend a Comet GP-9. Becareful selecting the correct cable connector so you do not buy the wrong model (the wrong coonector).
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I have the exact same set up (rig wise) hooked up to Astron RS-35M Linear power supply I MacGyvered the antenna by grounded it into my rain gutter. (I live in HOA so I had to hide it) Anyway I hit most of the repeaters about 30 miles away. The furthest one in Christmas and I live in the Four Corners area just to give you an idea. Anyway that one is part of Sarnet and I was able to reach someone on the panhandle about 430 miles from me. But believe or not for some reason i can’t hit the repeater in Clermont must be I am in a valley? IDK Anyway look me up on 443.050 73 KR4KVE