"Handheld" is overly constraining if range is a concern. A radio you can carry on a bag and an antenna you can carry in another bag can work similar stations 5

"Handheld" is overly constraining if range is a concern. A radio you can carry on a bag and an antenna you can carry in another bag can work similar stations 50 miles away on VHF if you're willing to go up a tall hill on each side and elevate the antennas with telescoping poles. Similarly for (unreliable) worldwide communication on HF (with the antenna being a roll of wire). A luggable or car mounted radio is orders of magnitude better than anything you could handhold.