I got my first amature rig today, a 2m converted midland LMR, I took some scrap wire, a short run of coax, a plastic curtain rod thingie and some tape, 10 minutes later the thing was hangin by fishin line up in a tree, and I was on the air, able to hit repeaters loud and clear 70 miles away (being up on a 3,000' mountain might have helped a little bit.).