WRXB215

Just because it has a "brand name" and costs $600 doesn't automatically make it commercial quality, or good. J-poles have been used for decades and are proven to be reliable and good performers. Go ahead, spend $600 on something that probably wont work any better than a "crap" $30 J-pole. Not my money. 

They are, but some people would try to tune them. I think I would not. 

I find GMRS to really be this, as described above; a tool in support of activities, not the activity itself.
 
I use it for camping, hiking, caravanning, skiing (that's a big one), occasionally at outdoor places like amusement parks, and more recently sailing since ship-to-shore communications are so highly regulated over Marine VHF. I can't help but enjoy it as a hobby in and of itself, but recognize most people just buy a couple (or more) radios and go about using them in their activity.

The new question pool is already available to download for free. 
But honestly if you learn and understand the concepts in the old test you should be able to pass the new test. The concepts haven’t changed. 

A reminder that the Extra question pool changes either next month or July. Wait to buy any Extra study guides until they have been updated.
I passed my General test in January and went ahead and took the Extra test. I got 50% on the Extra without even studying for it. I need to start studying again for the Extra.

I bought that Commscope DB404b and wish that I hadn't. I just thought  "it's expensive, so it MUST be good". Was a waste of money. I went with a Comet 712efc instead and it performs much better than that db404 
Using an Icom IC-FR4000 repeater, TX/RX Systems 28-70-09 duplexer (pretty much the same as the one you listed, but older) and 1/2" hardline

You could save a crap-ton of money and get one of these: https://www.jpole-antenna.com/shop/462-mhz-land-mobile-gmrs-j-pole-antenna/
It's what i use for my small 2 watt repeater attached to LMR-400 coax. At a measly 30 feet at 2 watts with 2-3db gain, it does 5-15 miles in town with tons of crap in the way. I am in a horrible spot honestly. At 60 feet i could probably double my range. Best $30 i ever spent.

Not in my experience.  I have several boofwang and tyt radios in the trucks. None of them have these issues. The Tyts do especially well on signal reports.  I think 1/2 the time people need to just speak up.  I’ve used radios all my life.  Some very expensive professional radios and some extremely cheap junkers that make uv5s look really nice.   The biggest thing I’ve always had to tell people is speak up. 

@WRZB774 lots of us here have both a GMRS and amateur license. They both have their purposes and you may find one or both fit your needs. One thing to consider is who you want to communicate with and if they have the same interest as you in being licensed for whatever radio service you are using. You mentioned family and GMRS is ideal for this because they can use your license to communicate with you. It looks like you have a few repeaters around you that you may be able to reach. This can greatly improve the distance you can communicate. Some are open, some are members only. You may want to see if you can reach some of your local repeaters and if your family members can reach them from their locations. As for which radio, well that is a whole different thing but I personally started inexpensive while I got my feet wet and found what I liked and wanted in a radio. Then I started getting more radios. Then I got my amateur license and got even more radios. Beware It can be habit forming. Good luck and welcome to Mygmrs.

Repeaterbook is primarily for ham repeaters. They added GMRS but isn't very well populated yet and will likely never catch up to myGMRS.com for GMRS repeaters. For GMRS, like @WRQC527 indicated, myGMRS.com is the gold standard.

I'm not sure about "most" but for a UV-5R I've done several tests in my neighborhood and the stock antenna doesn't cut it from my house to a particular point at the end of a bike ride. Both the 701 and 771 do make the trip with the 771 a little clearer than the 701.
Mind you there are a lot of trees and houses full of f...furniture in my neighborhood.

It works.

Maybe Repeaterbook hasn't updated their tables/data base yet.  Your licensed was issued a little over a month ago. Just be patient. 

The tests really are not that hard if you've got some background in radio. A friend of mine did Tech and General in one sitting and his "Elmer" (mentor) said  that was "precision studying" when he scored perfect on Tech and missed 2 for the General. However you work it to get that ticket, do it. But cue the SadHam caterwauling about a) 13 wpm code and b) traveling to some FCC office and c) how much easier the tests are now...  Many elements of ham radio and GMRS are not mutually exclusive, and it's never a bad thing to have one more tool in that toolbox!
 
Dave  WRJG283/N0TXW

Congratulations!

Take it all the way to extra. Just passed my extra exam. It feels good to completely finish something. 

No, but I do have strobes for 2 of my vehicles because I do volunteer field communications work for for DHS/FEMA, DoD/USMC, the Commonwealth of Virginia, Loudoun county and Price William county.  However, they are hidden. Not a 'wanna-be' look.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hb0eyScO9lA

There some repeater owners that have implemented repeater access control by using assigned PT-T ID. Without the proper permission and your assigned PT-T ID, using the MDC1200 signalling feature, you will not be able to access the repeater. If you misuse the repeater system by being a badboy your PT-T ID will be removed from the system will lose your rights to access the repeater system.
It is my understanding that there is another owner in the area may be implementing some sort of the same type of control.

On GMRS repeaters and people using GMRS radios, NO to all.
However if you give your callsign, anyone listening can very easily look it up on the FCC website and see your name and address unless you have taken steps to conceal it.

What, exactly do you mean by "nothing but static" ?
YOU hear static, or people are reporting that you sound like static? Or, something else?

Just because you can hear them does not mean you are close enough for them to hear you.   You may be right on the edge of the uv5s ability where you can open the squelch but not get a good useable transmission through.   I’d try moving closer to the repeater first.   A better antenna may help as well.   A hand held has anywhere from 1 miles to 30 or more.  But it’s all about line of sight and antenna 

I was really close to buying that radio. I like the control mic. Programmability wasn't quite what I wanted so I ended up with an AnyTone AT-778UV. Still like the idea of the RA86. Retevis has it on sale for $92.99 right now.

Based on this white paper I believe you would want DC Block:

Mine did not come with a programming-cable.. Scathing video review to follow..

They have been making changes to the website and may have introduced a bug. Have you used the "Admin Contact" link to let them know you are having a problem?