"Dave Platt" wrote

I'd expect a 36-mile range only if you're standing on top of a
mountain, talking with someone else who is also standing on top of a
mountain, with a clear line-of-sight between the two mountain tops.

Where I used to work we used Kenwood Freetalk FRS (1/2 watt) radios. From
the ground, I was able to "work" a co-worker who was at 8500' some 38 miles
away, but I had to position myself between buildings so that I could
literally see the mountain. We were not quite full-quieting, but pretty well
up there. Those radios are pretty impressive.

Howard