I’m looking at Tram stuff, and I know they can be hit or miss. I want something big so I can do simplex from home, I have a small ground plane antenna currently… it can’t seem to do much simplex. Repeaters aren’t an issue.

I'm looking for something similar while saving...  Christmas has put a hurt on me...

I'm looking at either the Comet GP9 or the comparable one from Diamond. Not 100% sold on either.

Mine will go on top of a 10' pole on top of
my 25-30' tower next to the house.

Also gotta get a box/enclosure for the base of the tower,
lightning arrestors,
LMR-400
and a bunch grounding goods...

X50.

OP, its what I use.  It rocks.  

Promise to post pics, and I'll send you the twin lead you need to make one.

EDITED to add a better video:



EDIT 2: F it. Build a yagi for 2 meters and 70 cm (Download the cheapyagi.pdf from the link)

https://www.worldwidedx.com/threads/homebrew-1-2-ghz-10-element-yagi-antenna.35899/

As noted, Tram can be hit or miss.  Comet, Diamond or Browning won't steer you wrong.

I like the Tram units, but any Comet will be GTG. Personally I'd stick with the shorter ones,
there's not that much benefit for the hassle of installing the tall higher gain units.

You aren't going to significantly increase across ground the range by getting a better antenna or by putting out more power.

The primary thing that will get you further, assuming that is what you are talking about with simplex, is height above terrain.

If you have tall trees, the cheapest way to do that is with a slimjim antenna, homebrew or bought, and a chord over the top of a tall tree and pull the antenna up as high as you can get it.

A lot will depend on the surrounding terrain at your location. If you want to get on the other side of a hill or ridge, the antenna will have to be higher than the hill or ridge.

Even if the terrain is perfectly flat, you are still limited by the curvature of the earth and the higher you get the longer the signal will reach out. A typical hand held transceiver  (HT ) to another HT is about +- 6 miles range over a flat treeless terrain like a large field of grass or over ocean. ( 6 feet high to 6 feet high over flat terrain ). Realistically in a suburban or forested environment it is half of that to 1/4 of that or less about 3 to 1.5  miles unless you get above the trees and building which block the signal but not as much as dirt.

If you were to get high enough to get the distance you want, and it is a long distance, then power and antenna gain in the horizontal will help. But first you have to get the height to get LOS

VHF / UHF is very much limited by line of sight ( LOS ). You have to get LOS before antenna gain or power will make a any significant difference.

If your antenna is at 20 feet, getting a new antenna isn't going to do much.

If your antenna is at 20 feet high, getting ANY antenna to 70 feet will be much better.

44 dollhairs and has held up for years.

I've had very good luck with the Diamond X50's.  

I like the tall high gain Comet and Diamond designs. While LOS is the propagation method, multipath is a thing and better RX / TX helps if you are in a location with lots of small mountains / tall buildings that you can bounce around vs being blocked by a mountain range or hollow. I know with the small mountains I am surrounded by my GP9 hears a lot better on simplex than the 1/4w I had at the same height agl.

I've had a Comet GP-3 on a mast attached to my chimney since 2005. It seems no worse for the wear and performs well.

Any thoughts on the Diamond X200 dual band antenna?  About 10' tall or so.

I plan to put it at the gable end of my house over the garage, see pic.  (Ignore the reference to the F22A, it's not dual band).

I've been running one of those for almost a year and a half.  I've been pretty happy with it, and would buy again.

Thanks!  

I have one up for ten years.  I wouldn’t go to the larger one.

I'll second the recommendation for the Comet GP-3.  I've had one for 15+ years. It works great and has survived all kinds of weather.

My comet GP-6 has been a rock star for going on 15 years.

This. I have the GP-3 on the top of my tower that I run my Yaesu DR-2x repeater on and it really surprises me with the range that I get with it.