The arms race mentality has decimated generations of satellite personnel.
Currently, the simplest and most common configuration is KT8900-U7V4. Thanks to GH, you can now get this configuration for around $500. However, the 8900 is very prone to overheating, so if your battery drains quickly, it will likely fail.
If you really have no money, I recommend buying the large antenna U7V4 first to ensure continuous downward signal. If that doesn't work, find a good location, and then focus on practicing. I also have a handheld radio with a GX8500, which has 20W of UV output, but I don't recommend it right now because your money might not be enough to support this setup.
Regarding the issues with repeaters and direct-to-frequency communication, I can confidently say that the problem lies with your location and antenna.
To illustrate, I can give an example: the evening and late night hours are generally the most favorable times for U-band propagation, and I live in a location where the repeater is over 100 km away.
When I hold the handheld device, I can't properly cut off the signal. However, when I place the antenna on a conductive metal fence or other metal object, the signal strength is 59+.
This likely means that if you are unable to connect to a repeater, it's probably due to issues with your antenna and location.