Ofcom intention to legalise SSB CB in 2013

[Lightspeed]

as someone that has not looked into comms just yet (so much other stuff to do first!) would this open up hand held comms over a 30 - 50 mile range with a good chance of a few hills/moors being in the way?

In a word, no. Sorry Ike

Maybe you'd have achance of that sort of range using a 5/8 wave base antenna ( approx 7m tall)