How right you are in my area being horrible for radio! It is a big challenge making things work but honestly, I have much fun trying.
I appreciate your advice on using filters. Believe me, I have tried and do use several!
I also found the old RS tv and fm traps to help greatly. But, since they shut down the analog signals my interference from that area dropped to nothing. I'm lucky that I don't have any nearby FM or TV stations but I am overwhelmed by cell type towers.
I once was given a ride to get a part for my cell phone. The place is only 2 miles from here. Being as I was not driving, I was able to actually look at stuff as we drove along. I counted at least 18 cellular antennas atop towers, high tension power line towers, buildings etc..
I was amazed! And I'm sure I missed a few at that. I've found that the Uniden and GRE radios both suffer easily from desense in the low and high bands. My Icom radios handle it just perfect but they do not have all the nifty features that the scanners do. I've always wanted to install a CTCSS module in/on the R7000 and 9000 but never did.
I think my only true option would be to move like you said! But my location is so darn close to work that the gas savings alone make it worth it. I use a line of sight 902 -928 MHz FHSS radio link between my apartment and work. It provides telemetry for a lightning detection system as well as the entire set of mechanical equipment status at work. I'm the facilities manager at a country club so this data is very important to me. Yes, I could do it over IP but what the heck! Radio is fun so I do it that way.
For filters, I use many. I use those made by PAR electronics for the 152 and 158 MHz paging ranges as well as one for FM broadcast radio although the RS model you mentioned works as well if not better. I also sharply filter HF below 30 MHz for the VHF stuff. My biggest gain came from the 152 and 158 filters. Paging signals were wiping out VHF High but after I put those filters inline, I can now hear VHF High like you.
Right this minute, the noise floor is very high for VHF Low but high is fine. This is normal here in the evenings and it seems to rise with the humidity but only at night.
I also have some of those huge cavity type notch filters made by Decibel Products.
It all helps but you wind up at a point were you might as well just use a portable and rubber whip. My VHF High is so quiet that I could amplify it if needed.
The powerline interference is another issue and is the worst of my problems but I feel they will fix that as it does interfere with police and emergency radio. The VHF Low band high noise floor is another issue that I can usually work around with filters but it seems like each day requires tinkering with different filter and attenuation combinations.
Should I move, I will definitely choose a good location for radio! That 1000' mountain you mention sounds perfect! We have what they call a mountain here, Taum Sauk mountain. I don't know the elevation but it is the highest point in the state. I drove there before and it has several towers atop plus an unused fire tower. I'd love to own that fire tower!
Same here for skip, nothing all day.
I seem to recall that my best skip times here were during the late afternoon like 3 PM up until almost dusk for Low band. And UHF TV was good just after sunrise for an hour or two tops. I never did much work with VHF High and skip. I think I have more fun with that experimenting with various beams and relying on regular ground wave signals.
HF and below is a whole other story but I do it and enjoy it plus I generally have good results now that I have a working noise canceller and decent antennas!
I use a Yaesu FT-1000 for my main HF receiver and love that radio. I also have several others I use for HF and below but the FT-1000 beats them all. Plus, it was given to me free by one of my employee's whose amateur neighbor had passed away. I offered to help the guys widow sell it along with all the other gear they gave me but they insisted that I keep it. All total, the FT-1000, two HF mobiles - FT-840 and a IC-725 and several 2 meter mobiles and portables which were all Kenwood. Plus a slew of accessories for the above and other misc. electronic components. Tons of fun and all free!