Recieving only one direction

[WRJW518]

My antenna is Midland – MXTA26 MicroMobile® 6DB Gain Whip Antenna – Quadruple Signal Output – 32” Antenna at 20ft above house.

My brother antenna is UAYESOK Fiberglass GMRS Base Antenna (462-467 MHZ), 7.2dBi High Gain UHF GMRS Repeater Antenna also 20ft above house.

We are 30mile apart. I have midlan 15W transmitter and he can hear me just fine. 

He has 40 watt transmitter and I can kind of hear him.

I know my antenna is tuned to 1.5swr. I don't know his antenna condition. 

Is he picking me up just because his antenna is better or would you be more suspicious of his tuning?

[WRYZ926]

I'll second the Comet CA-712EFC, it is an excellent antenna. I am using a 35 foot run of LMR400 to connect the CA-712 to my radio and SWR is 1.0 to 1.3 throughout the band. The 1.3 SWR was on the repeater channels while the SWR on channels 1-22 was flat at 1.0 to 1.1.

3 hours ago, WRJW518 said:

I also realized my antenna Midland – MXTA26 MicroMobile® 6DB Gain Whip Antenna – Quadruple Signal Output – 32” Which is designed to go on a car. I am new to this and didn't realize the magnetic base antennas are using the car metal as a ground plane.  My antenna is mounted on top of a 30ft metal pole,

And yes using a mobile antenna without a proper ground plane is part of your problem. Antennas need some type of ground plane. Base antennas have short ground plane rods at the bottom for this reason. I also highly suggest that both of you get better coax designed for UHF frequencies. LMR400 is what you want to use.

[WRJW518]

There are many vendors claiming LMR400 such as (9Bolton400 Cable (BT512167) - LMR®400 Equivalent) Are they really equivalent?  What do you suggest?

[tweiss3]

19 minutes ago, WRJW518 said:

There are many vendors claiming LMR400 such as (9Bolton400 Cable (BT512167) - LMR®400 Equivalent) Are they really equivalent?  What do you suggest?

DX Engineers 400MAX is equivalent to LMR400 superflex

[AdmiralCochrane]

Your brother's antenna wire length and quality might not be as good as yours.  Total coax length is important on GMRS.  Unless his radio is right under that 20 ft antenna height, he may need LMR400 equivalent as well. 

[SteveShannon]

46 minutes ago, WRJW518 said:

There are many vendors claiming LMR400 such as (9Bolton400 Cable (BT512167) - LMR®400 Equivalent) Are they really equivalent?  What do you suggest?

Most are pretty similar in terms of loss/length, but some have a solid center conductor and some have stranded. The solid conductor cables are stiffer and cannot be bent as sharply. 
Some have copper clad aluminum center  conductors that are lightweight. 
For the most part these details are not terribly important but depending on your circumstances they might be. 
Sorry to possibly add confusion. 

[WRWE456]

I also use with great results the DX Engineers 400MAX. It can be purchased terminated with UHF or type N connectors. I use type N. You will want a short length of something like RG8X between the 400 and the radio as 400 is very thick and stiff.

You want to keep the run as short as practical to minimize loss. Mine are 50'.

[WRJW518]

By the way, I love the San Jaun Islands. So pretty. Excellent boating. Looked at moving to Roche Harbor area many years ago

[PRadio]

20 hours ago, OffRoaderX said:

It is my understanding (which is open to correction by others) that your SWR affects your transmission far greater than reception. But I am unclear if the correct word is affects or effects..

In this case it is affects. You can affect a change, that will have an effect. 

[WRJW518]

I are a engineer so can't help with affects of English on effect.

[gortex2]

Id go with the TRAM over the antenna you linked.

https://shop.mygmrs.com/products/tram-1486-uhf-fiberglass-base-antenna

Personally I use the Laird FG series for control station and base radios but many claim the TRAM to be a good basic antenna. I like the KISS method the Laird gives me.