You should also be thinking they are holding their radio sideways instead of antenna straight up. Antenna polarization is a real thing. Not important standing right under the repeater, but it makes all the difference in the world out in the fringes
In 1963 my father bought a CJ6A (same chassis as the M170) with a worn out motor and put a Buick V-6 in it. We used it for decades until it was totaled by an idiot driving on the wrong side of the road. No one was hurt other than the Jeep.
I agree, you can't go wrong with a Mossberg. I have a 590
Now that we have derailed this thread, the question is whether to start a Radios/Jeeps/Guns thread or to continue to mutilate this one.
I'm talking about
One would have to monitor the channel bare with no tone, then switch to your channel with tone ... how could you keep monitor without tone on while using tone unless you had dual receiver? Not all radios have dual and not all users would begin to be able to do this.
Should be, but I'm pretty sure this is above the skill and understanding of 999 out of every 1,000 GMRS licensees. Probably above the equipment capability of the majority as well.
I have noticed the same while working at the Norwegian Embassy compound. Particularly when the VP was on the move. When the big black vehicle motorcade was in motion, nothing with an antenna seemed to function.