Adding to your post, a good home brew dual band antenna can be built for about 4 dollars. Here are the
PLANS. I have been using one set on chain link top rail about 25 feet in the air with a 5 watt handheld. I get 1.1-1.3 swr following those simple instructions.
Chain Link Top Rail makes great home brew antenna mast for about a dollar a foot. With a cheap handheld and that set up, I can easily hit repeaters 20 miles away.