WSCN901

nevermind... opened this and it didn't show me all the replies until after I responded.

For a windows machine, I'll second the old Thinkpad route. Those things are absolute tanks. I'd suggest taking a look at CHRIP to see if it supports your radios. If so, you can use pretty much any computer out there. CHIRP has versions designed for Mac and Linux, and a Chromebook can run Linux software. I wouldn't look at Linux unless you're willing to spend a little more time playing and learning, but going that route would open up some really interesting possibilities... You could go as far as building a handheld Raspberry Pi like this to use while in the field: https://github.com/ByteWelder/Decktility

Wait... you're the evil Satan that kills thousands of innocent baby hams a year with your dangerous spurious emissions! Begone, foul beast. The power of Chris compels you...

Idiots... the US manufactures many, many idiots per year.

If you decide that you want to put up an antenna to try and reach this repeater, there's a web site that can help if you know the height on the antenna you're trying to reach. You can put in your location and the tower's location, the tower's height, and then see what the terrain between the two points is like. This is the site that helped me figure out that I'd need around 1,200 feet of antenna height to talk to the repeater next to the in-laws. https://www.scadacore.com/tools/rf-path/rf-line-of-sight/

It's like a BMW vs KIA... Yeah, there can be differences in features and creature comforts, but often the difference is more about dollars than how far you'll go, and there are laws that limit how fast you'll get there.

I picked up an H3 myself for a few different reasons. One of the first things I did is to see what all frequency licenses the FCC has granted in my area. Programming those in lets me use it as a poor mans scanner to listen to local sheriff and fire, county schools, and the local airport control tower. There are also a few different GMRS repeaters in my local area that I have programmed in and used to reach people in the surrounding counties. It's gone out with me a few times on family and scouting events, where I've used it to both keep up with the kiddo and keep and eye on the weather in an area where there's no cell coverage. As far as your coverage area goes, my initial guess is you'll be good. The main towers I hit are only about 6 miles from me, but there is one a bit over 20 miles away that I'll use at times. It's more about antenna line of sight than it is distance.... remember, people have actually talked to the International Space Station using a homemade antenna and a little 5 watt handheld like the H3.

Is that just because of what many CB users are looking for?

Is it wrong that I picked up a UV-5R to use at times when I'm worried about damaging my nice and shiny TD-H3?

You don't reason with jammers... you beg big brother FCC to do something about it in hopes that they'll use their one enforcement act a year to send the jammer a mean letter, which someone will then post on here as proof that the FCC is going to send $50k fines to everyone that keys up a UV-5R on GMRS frequencies.