Assuming the station you are communicating with is properly set up as well, communication with stations in the 40+ mile range should not be at all unusual. For example I was talking with a friend at lunch while I was just north of the Johnson Space Center, and he was fishing off of the Texas City Dike in Texas City, a distance of just shy of 25 miles. His rig is similar in configuration to yours except for where the antenna is mounted. He has a gullwing box and has the antenna mounted in the middle strip, toward the middle of the bed, away from the cab. Neither of us is running any sort of amp aside from amplified microphones (me, I like how it makes me sound).

I believe your Cobra should have a Dynamike, or Mic Gain control, which does the same thing as my power mic loudness wise, just inside the radio instead of the mic. The power mic is also a Dynamic Noise Cancelling mic which I believe your model radio should have stock.

I would think that if your grounds are all good, and your SWR is down to 1.1 on the channel you talk on mostly (or accross the band would be best) you would be good to go! Your 2 mile talk range might just be because you are talking with friends close by, but your rig REALLY should give you LOTS more range. If you have the hankerin' to do so, get out there on one of the days when you hear folks calling from places far away. You might just catch some skip and make contact with a station half a continent away!

 

40 miles is not reliable at all mobile to mobile...25 isnt either. Both can be achieved but not on a consistant basis. At night you may get that range but rarely during the day. 5 miles is streching it for a consistant contact when the skip is rolling and Ive seen times when you cant talk across the street. CB relies heavily on skip conditions

 

I do agree that CB, or HF communications relies on skip pretty heavily. I am lucky enough to live, and talk, along Galveston Bay. HOWEVER, sensitivity of the transciever, and the antenna system have a LOT to do with it as well.

My TRC-503 with mag mount on my Saturn reliably gets 5ish miles. The TRC-465 (Uniden PC-122) with 102" on the truck reliably gets 25-40 miles depending on which way I am pointing (I talk further behind than ahead). I am not at all unhappy with it.

I must admit though, when I get away from the gulf, or from the bay, my distances go way down...

 

Nice man! Might have to mount mine there...