I think a few people have missed the point of the question.  Let me retry:

For a ONE-TIME (or maybe a few more) antenna aiming, I need to communicate about 20 miles, from the top of a tower on an island mountain to another tower top across the water.

I need some sort of mobile (semi-mobile?) radio to make this happen.

I am not a ham.  I do not care to BE a ham (no offense, but getting a license isn't solving my problem).  I do not care at all about the implications of unlicensed broadcasting at higher-than-allowed wattage, because where we will be, NO ONE ELSE IS.

So, is there a rather inexpensive radio that I could buy and then perhaps "juice up"?  I don't know amplifier fundamentals, but I am handy with electronics (soldering, etc).  If I went the CB route, am I gonna have to tote a 10' antenna up with me?  That would be ok, but not desirable.  Regarding amplification, I could carry batteries for that, or it is even possible that we could run an extension cord to power each side of our temporary link.

Thanks so much for your previous advice, and for any more that may follow!

Hello!  Thanks for offering to help.

Here is the deal:  I will be working on two islands, 20 miles apart, needing to coordinate aiming of microwave antennas at each other.  How in the world can I talk from one island to the other?  

Telephones arent available.

All the 2-way radios I have seen are limited to 5 miles.  

Could I do this with a CB radio?  Some other hand-held device?  We are going to be in the boonies, so if I needed to amplify the output of this radio device, I can't see how anyone could possibly be disturbed (or even know).

This is going to be outside of the US, and in the boonies like I said, so stuff like licensing and restrictions really is a non-issue.  

Thanks so much!

Scott the Clueless