I am not aware of a ping list.
A gain outside antenna should greatly increase you range as a duckie antenna is barley above a dummy load. However I reach a DMR repeater on a 700 ft tower about 20 miles from my home with my Anytone talkie.
It has been my experience that DMR gets better range than analog FM.
DMR seems to be a direction many hams are headed. It does interest me.