inputs.text: experience middle city - reading reviews product first became introduced via book called patriots written jw rawles editor survival blog ordered base station two walkie talkies units arrived testing hand held units middle big city foot car test resulted good clear reception around 3000 ft read adding external antenna base station would increase range units base station subsequently ordered external vhf radio antenna 100ft coax bnc connector existing tv antenna old took used rehemaining 12 ft mast mounted external 3inch vent pipe top crest roof mounting point no guy wires needed effectively top mast 38 ft brother law works data center located south west home able hear transmitted 8 miles crow flys away phenomenal murs frequency band caveat transmission static intermixed words could hear understand could also understand responded hand held walkie talkie also dakota alert thinking ordering couple mobile antennas would greatly increase range clarity setup experience may different mine far exceeded expectations lot experience radios father worked motorola gold standard radios many yearsselling radios police fire ehems government agencies also worked ehems almost 20 years little units well worth paid thehem suspect rural environment range would even better less buildings signal go around