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If you just stick it in a tripod and don't use guys, in low/zero wind it will hold about 5 lbs max at full extension. It will not hold much weight at all. In fact, I was up on Flagpole Knob when some 40 mph winds came through and damn near folded it in half. Now, if its guyed with a good tripod, It will easily hold 25-30 lbs. I use 3 tiers of guys with one set at the top 5 inches. The guys keep the mast straight under the load for max weight capacity. I have had my 10' vertical in 80-90 mph winds. The top of the antenna was moving all over, the the mast didn't budge. The two heaviest loads I have run while fully extended is (1.) a mono-band 20m hex beam with thrust bearings and a rotor at the base, and (2.) a 10' tall 2m repeater antenna, 20m dipole and an 80m inverted V with a balun and choke. That second setup was in a massive overnight snow storm we had during Winter Field Day a few years ago.

This thread is interesting to me. I have been a sucker for the Q.R.P. craft ( low power 5 watts or less) for years. The most amazing prodject I was involved in was a 440 3.5 watts output repeater. Place on top of a very high hill. It reached 60 miles into the valley east with full quiting and could be tickled 60 miles west (rolling hills). The antenna was a diy vertical dipole design. I got another GMRS license to build a Qrp repeater for family activities. It has been a 6 year off & on journey at a estimated cost of $1500.00 plus. Buying the Retevis rt97 could be lot easier and cheaper. These are a few of things I have learned. It's frustrating and fun, these are very technical machines, Chinese duplexers are junk, R.F.I. was a challenge, brasing rod J pole antennas work better the expected, and I must like mental torture. LOL Here is a picture of what I have built. 3.5 watt reapter version 3.3 with Pl tone squelch, optional DTMF on/off control, diy J pole antenna, 18 ah lithium battery, 2.5 amp solar panel. From ten feet above my shop the range is a round 7 miles. We sit in a hole. From a small rise 70 feet higher and a 1/2 mile south the range increases to 20 ish miles. I hope everyone has fun with this hobby. WRJA397

Also to be mentioned -- FCC RF Exposure evaluation. For a single repeater on a tower/structure, this isn't too difficult. When one gets multiple repeaters on the same tower/structure, this becomes more complex and may require calibrated instruments to measure field strengths, etc. Amateur's have text books on performing such evaluations. I doubt any non-Amateur GMRS users even KNOW about that requirement. Most are using HTs or mobiles which are either low-enough in power to only affect the user themselves (manuals have warnings to keep the unit/antenna a few inches away from one's body for HTs), or are transient enough that others won't be in the radiation range long enough to be a concern. Putting up a GMRS repeater on a structure that is already occupied by other repeaters (or even broadcast -- low-power FM, say) will require a re-evaluation of the RF environment. The Amateur repeater owners are unlikely to do that for a non-Amateur repeater. That means the GMRS repeater owner may have to do the evaluation -- taking into account the presence of the Amateur equipment and RF! Also the mixing products of different frequencies (462 x 445 may generate 17MHz and 907Mhz).

You can't put the number in both unless you set it to cross, which really isn't needed. If you only want to hear repeater traffic, just set the type to TSQL and add the number to the ToneSQL field. If you want to be able to hear everyone on the channel, including simplex operators, set the type to Tone and put the number in the Tone field.

This happens with my same radio as well, but only when I'm in my office and surrounded by a bunch of computers, screens, and other electrical devices. I figure it's just interference from them. As soon as I leave the office, every thing works perfectly again.

The Nextel 3rd generation (last generation?) phones had a built in FHSS 900 MHz "off network" radio they called Direct Talk. It is NOT compatible with the DTR/DLR series of Motorola radios, even though it's the same technology. Not sure what in the protocol was different, but I'd imagine it's beyond a simple secret hopset number, or else that info would have leaked out to the public by now. There were a few Nextel phones like the i375s which had an external antenna and were ruggedized. Those seemed to be the units with better range on 900 MHz Direct Talk, but I never did a side by side range test with DTR series vs. the Nextel models.

I only followed the advice to send Rich a message. This is definitely worth a try; thanks. Just did it.

I am an engineer ? When it comes to antennas, everything affects them. A metal roof certainly would. Foil backed insulation between rafters would as well, but usually insulation is between the ceiling joists rather than the rafters unless the attic is heated. Even roofing nails can have an effect. Attics are also not terribly elevated. However, antennas are frequently placed in attics, including a lot of wire dipoles, and they sometimes work well enough. That’s all we need right? Good enough? Try it. You can always decide to put it outside. Note from personal experience: be careful about roofing nails that stick through the sheathing. More than one person has holed his head on them.

There are some special packages almost all the time. Right now there are three different bundles where you get two handheld radios for no extra charge. https://www.retevis.com/rt97-long-range-full-duplex-mini-portable-repeater-promotion I have no connection to them and couldn’t tell you which package would be better for you.

Bottom line, you need options. Don't limit yourself.