320 & DC30 DISTANCE COMMUNICATION ?

[SHADOWHUNTER]

EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING WE STARTED A RACE ON A FRESH TRACK AND LOST COMMUNICATION IN SOME DEEP NASTY TERRAIN. BUT MY LAST GPS READING SHOWED MY ONE OF THREE DOGS HEADED TO THE TOP OF THE HIGHEST PEAK IN THIS MOUNTAIN RANGE. I CAME BACK INTO TOWN TO MAKE A LOOP TO CLOSE THE DISTANCE.

NOW GARMIN SAYS WE ASTRO USERS SHOULD HAVE A RANGE OF 7-9 MILES. PERSONALLY BEFORE I'VE HAD A RANGE OF AROUND 7 MILES. WELL YESTERDAY WHILE AT MY SHOP I HEARD MY GPS NOTIFY ME THAT I HAD LOST COMMUNICTION WITH MY DOGS. I IMMEDIATELY JUMPED IN MY TRUCK TO WHAT THE READING WAS. IT READ 3 DOGS AT 15.43 MILES! I WAS SURPRISED, BUT IMPRESSED, AND VERY HAPPY I HAD REGAINED COMMUNICATION. I PICKED UP MY DOGS AT DARK.

NOW FOR THE QUESTION? HAS ANYONE HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH A DISTANCE SUCH AS THIS? PLEASE GIVE YOUR FURTHEST DISTANCE EXPERIENCED

EQUIPMENT USED: 320, DC30( 4 yrs old), 18" TRUCK ANTENNA

[lukeyboy]

pick m8 up 53km over here and i was on top off hill with astro 220 and standard aerial

[rocky327]

wow.in upper wisconsin i cant get no more than two miles.some say its has something to do with the iron ore in the grown,or how thick the under growth is.i dont know i have the 220,320 and dc-30 collars with long antennas ..best a got at home is 5 miles