[ErnBatavia]

If a cheap walkie talkie would work for a distance of 10 miles,

I've tried four different varieties/brands....None of 'em - even the ones that tout "15 miles!" - work over two....and that's a straight line, unobscured stretch.

[Marcella]

“I’ve tried four different varieties/brands....None of ‘em - even the ones that tout “15 miles!” - work over two....and that’s a straight line, unobscured stretch.”

That is not encouraging news.

[steve86]

My "26 mile" units did two miles at most, with any degree of usefulness.

So I've switched to a 2M HAM radio similar to the model in comment #18, but a different brand.

It will, BTW, communicate with the GMRS/FRS radios like my old "26 Mile DIVIDE BY 10 set".

[Calamari]

The primary issue is antenna limitations on the walkie-talkies. The stock "rubber duck" antenna on most FRS, GMRS and CB handhelds is not suited to long range communication. Those antennas have zero or even negative gain on an RF signal and are designed to present a good RF match to the transmitter section of the talkie. For long distance communication with low power talkies you need "gain" antennas but there are restrictions on the FRS and GMRS services that preclude enhancements to the antenna system on the talkie. A CB handheld is limited by FCC regulations to 4 watts of Amplitude modulated RF and by its nature is normally a short range communications mode but you can add an external antenna that would increase your range but likely not to 10 miles.

Amateur radio offers a lot of flexibility on antenna systems, the amount RF power allowed,the modes of operation, the frequencies that can be used and the choices of equipment.