Hi Gil,

Thank you SO much!!!  I will try to digest and understand everything you said. LOL  We ordered the radio today!

So come and visit sometime!  Funny that you lived here. :D

Cheers,
JoJo

Hi Gil,

We live in a house in a suburban area of Largo, FL (not rural, but no skyscrapers anywhere -- mainly single-story homes and a few two-story homes here and there). There isn't a hill in sight, never mind any mountains. The population in Largo is around 85,000. This is Pinellas County, a peninsula in the Tampa Bay area, and we are 15 mins by car from the Gulf of Mexico.

We'd like an antenna for the car (perhaps with a magnetic mount) that would work in emergency situations such as evacuating, and an antenna for the house that would just work for whatever, something we could put out on the roof (and hopefully not have problems with lightning -- this is basically the lightning capital of the U.S. [Clearwater, FL, which is right next to us -- same difference!]). We don't want to have antennae inside the house.

Thank you!

Cheers,
JoJo

Hi!!! My husband and I are brand new to amateur radio. (I've had a GMRS license for about 16 years, for what it's worth!) I'll be studying to get a Technician and General radio license.

After much research, we've decided to get an Elecraft KX2 Transceiver. We'll be using it in the house, and worst case, in the car. The intention is preparedness more than anything else.

We'd like to know what type of antenna(e) would be best suited for these uses!!!

Also, any other accessories that are needed? Not looking for "would be nice" but rather "would be necessary".

Thanks much!!