X2 on going with a fixed mount and a good antenna. a hand held is good for a very short distance or around the docks. but just doesn't have enough range for erie. and remember the antenna is the heart of the system. get a good antenna to start with and you'll be happy. the Shakespeare 5225 xt is a great antenna. about 110.00 on ebay.

I bought a cheap radio and a cheap antenna when I started. and I thought it was good, but I wasn't real happy with it. then I kept reading how important the antenna was. so I started doing some research and found the same information. I kept the cheap radio and upgraded my antenna. boy am I glad I did. my system is a whole new world. I can talk much farther than I could with the cheap antenna.