This weekend's going to be good for playing radio. Especially so on VHF as its both the VHF field day and the third VHF Backpackers competition
http://www.rsgbcc.org/cgi-bin/contest_ru...4backpack3
These two events are effectively emergency communications radio preparedness training.
If you have access to a VHF rig that has SSB capability you'll make LOADS of contacts and will be surprised how far your signal will get out even from a modest antenna. I use a vintage Yaesu FT290R (2.5w) for the backpackers competitions and usually can get contacts across the SE England, midlands and into the Continent from an operating spot at 600m ASL, near to Reading.
If you can get up onto a high-ish point, even with an FM hand-held there's a good chance of making interesting contacts. Read the link above to prepare the right information to exchange.
Antenna. I am VERY impressed with the performance of the Diamond Super Gainer 7900. This can be mounted to an appropriate mag-mount, and for portable use you could mount it on a telescopic pole, with suitable ground planes attached to the mount base.
The one I have has 1:1 SWR on both VHF and Ham bands, and surprisingly, also at PMR446 frequencies. On both UHF and VHF I can reliably open repeaters 80 miles away from me using an un-modded UV5r (4w)
http://www.diamondantenna.net/sg7900a.html
Home-made three element Yagi beams constructed of waste pipe and aluminium dowel fro major DIY stores also work surprisingly well. These are really easy to build. As a support glass fiber* telescopic roach poles work well and can be easily erected by strapping them to fence posts etc using a bungy cord. You'll need an SWR meter and patch cables to get this sort of antenna tuned.
J-Poles: My sadly departed father was a great fan of them, but I've never had great success. There are many on-line tutorials for making roll-up versions out of 400ohm ladder line.... but I've never succeeded in building one that tunes correctly. The idea is great, but the implementation somewhat more difficult. Maybe buying one ready made and tuned is a viable idea. Again the good old fiber glass* roach pole is a good support for this sort of antenna.
* Important that its Fibre glass NOTCarbon fiber! Anything longer than 3.5m is usable, but big is most definitely best in this instance.
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