>>620230You'll find that with 2m/70cm (VHF/UHF) frequencies that line of sight and elevation are vital to increasing range. Driving/walking to a high point and broadcasting from there with your current setup will bring better results. My best power/distance contact was at 100 miles on 1W of power, though I had to climb 1500m above sea level to make it happen.
Another option is to build a simple 1/4 wave ground plane antenna (
http://www.hamuniverse.com/2metergp.html ) and stick it on a pole, or mount it on your roof/balcony. This is one of the simplest antennas to build and can give very consistent performance improvements. More power will help, but the cheaper option is to just get the antenna up higher. Be sure to use good quality coax.
