Really, as I regularly get anywhere from 4-15 miles range with my HT around
here on simplex. Even further with the mobile rig on simplex at 40-45
watts, as far as 20-30 miles on average. At home, (better antenna and the
height advantage) have gotten even further with 40-50 watts! Must be
something wrong with your equipment.



Yes. Except that 2 meter and 440 MHz radios, especially small ones,
have limited range of only a few miles. They depend on repeaters to
relay their messages long distances, and the repeaters run on electric
power.

Yaesu VX-2R
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/ht/0176.html
snip

--
"I can't describe how I felt when I picked up that rifle, loaded
it into my little car and drove home. It seemed so incredibly
strange: Sarah Brady, of all people, packing heat."
- Sarah Brady, explaining how her son avoided the Brady criminal
background check by getting her to buy the sniper rifle for him.
Source: New York Daily News, Mar. 21, 2002, "Gun control advocate
may have violated gun laws"