If you dont need the radio to be transportable I would go for a base set, some of the portables can be overloaded with an outside ant, and most important get an outside ant high as poss, I have a 1/2 wave on my chimney I can pickup manch twr/apch 25 miles away no probs, my local airfield is liverpool that comes on 5x5 inc aircraft on the ground.
Nick.