Ian

thank you for the advise I was talking to someone who dabbles in radio and is pretty knowledgeable in radios. he told me to look into VR-N76 radio pretty easy to use etc. have you heard or know much about them?

Would have been even more hilarious if the FCC replies with their "advertised claim" of "up to 20 miles" using FRS radios they see no need to grant the waver. 🤪Maybe we would get some more realistic range estimates on the packaging from manufactures.  😆

Instead of a $499 RINO, I will just tell my buddies to stay in the same vehicle as me 🤣

The RHINO uses 5W, while Midland's waiver allows for 50W usage, and to allow for mobile radios with detachable antennas to be used.

Yes. They have a very nice couple of GMRS radios that have full maps and display your buddies on them.  You can send messages as well.
https://www.thegpsstore.com/Garmin-Rino-755T-Handheld-GPS-with-FRS-Radio-and-Topo-Maps-P4959.aspx?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiIOmBhDjARIsAP6YhSVYNu1RFB0RsbBYg5hgBllGY173cGXr7mVRm5gnkIV5O9UDmFi1_CEaAheNEALw_wcB

With no display, I'd hate to try to feel my way through 30+ channels. I'm good with 12-16 channels selected by a knob, but I wouldn't want to have more than that. I think of knob-selector radios as being for non-radio people more than for radio dorks. I have some Arcshell AR-5s (similar to Baofeng 888s) that I pass out for US Cavalry Association events, and stuff that seems obvious to us can be a challenge for non-radio people. Getting everyone on the same channel was more difficult than I expected, and that's the only thing besides volume that a user can change. 😆 In general, most GMRS radios should be as plug-and-play as possible, IMO. Obviously the 500 is marketed toward the more advanced user, but I kind of wonder how many advanced users would go for this instead of some of the less expensive options which have a screen. I suspect anyone capable of programming a radio via software will balk at the $90 price tag as opposed to a $14 Baofeng. I certainly would.

I can see where it might work well for that purpose.

Ultimately, my goal with a garage repeater is essentially a chunky base station radio with a pocket-sized "terminal".  But I live in a coverage gap between all the repeaters in the area.  When conditions are good, I can occasionally hear one ID.  95% of the time, I hear nothing from them; 100% of the time, I can't open them up.
 
I think there's a role for the garage repeater, but that role goes away if there's preexisting good coverage.

I intend on operating these as two-channel radios, having explored the programming software (it's browser-based) already.  "The one repeater that I can reach" and "a simplex channel".  I recommend looking at the programming software before deciding to blow these off.
For all the complaints about these being too simple, if I'm close to my computer I can swap codeplugs at will, and these are to compliment radio-dork radios, not replace them. 
 
  
Actually, they appear to be identical across the Trailblazer lineup, save for color, and removable as well.

I intend on operating these as two-channel radios, having explored the programming software (it's browser-based) already.  "The one repeater that I can reach" and "a simplex channel".  I recommend looking at the programming software before deciding to blow these off.
For all the complaints about these being too simple, if I'm close to my computer I can swap codeplugs at will, and these are to compliment radio-dork radios, not replace them. 
 
  
Actually, they appear to be identical across the Trailblazer lineup, save for color, and removable as well.

That's what happens when unsophisticated users go radio shopping, they have little idea what they need, and what performance metrics translate into a good radio design. So, they go for the cheapest option. Then get disappointed with the poor quality in some cases and mediocre performance. With luck they find their way here where they can get some better opinions and radio options.   
I think the cheapest I've paid for a few of my mid range analog commercial radios was about $25, seller had no idea what they were selling or thought the radio was defective.  At the upper end I've spent about $400 on a combo FM/DMR new Kenwood UHF HT.
https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/263-tk-3170jpg/?context=new
https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/290-nx-1300duk5/?context=new
I do have experience programming a collection of radios.
https://forums.mygmrs.com/gallery/image/249-my-radio-collection/?context=new
The bug-a-boo with many of the commercial grade radios is finding the programming software. Personally myself I've had far better luck with Kenwood radios. I have a good size software archive of many of the older programming packages. I've had a harder time finding software for Motorola, and Icom radios.
 

Even worse is the strange mean comments that come from you.  I'd rather put up with kids having fun 

GMRS was envisioned as a service for use by the general public for personal use, particularly after the 2017 rule changes that eliminated new business licenses in the band. 
Since that main target for GMRS was general public use, assumed non technical users, the simpler the radio the better. Less crap for people to mess up, get frustrated, and quit using the radio.
I would say if one is a knowledgeable user, then perhaps going with a quality commercial grade radio is a good move. Much more in the way of features and more customization options. All the radios I use for GMRS are mostly used mid to higher end commercial grade radios. Some are even digital enabled, used on the Ham bands in that mode since currently it's not legal for GMRS use.

Gmrs is going to turn into CB after all lol. But really those business frs radios by Cobra have fantastic audio quality and nice loud speakers. Unfortunately they never lasted very long as the fixed antennas constantly get broken off by nearly everyone who uses them. 

I'd like to be able to see the map with __all__ coverage circles __at the same time.__ Should make it much easier to tell where repeater coverage is required!

The Cobra Trailblazer lineup is out, and soon-to-be-on-Amazon, and the Trailblazer 500 looks really exciting to me.  A UI that can be pared down to just the couple of repeaters you care about / can reach, and it's based on their older business-focused FRS radios so accessories are already available, plus they sell the older PX650 upon which this is based at Wal-Mart, so I expect this to be the first repeater-capable handie you can buy at Wally World in a while…

My parents are both in their 70's. They dont go on jeep events but wanted a radio to talk on my repeaters. The Midland is perfect for that. Why would I buy a crazy complicated CCR to put in there vehicels that they would totally baffled about. I mean I still can't get my father to swtich from his flip phone and holy crap when someone sends him a text and the "darn thing beeps at me".
You also dont realize the amount of farmers that use midland. I've installed a dozen repeaters (LMR) for farms that are using Midlands in all the tractors and equipment on the farm. They are simple and last. 
If your using GMRS as HAM lite then your right there are better choices. But for simple communications they serve a purpose and will sell more than all the other vendors combined this year and next year. 

For anyone who may have been wondering, yes this radio is usable at GMRS frequencies. Full app control, including transmitting and receiving of audio (android only), and even text messaging from the app which makes it just as simple as texting on your phone normally.. You can actually link the radio with your phone, set the radio, and just walk around with your phone.
It's also just an overall very high quality radio.

Also 95.377 specifically says tones or other signals:

§ 95.377 Tones and signals.
Personal Radio Service stations that transmit voice emissions may also transmit audible or subaudible tones or other signals for the purpose of selective calling and/or receiver squelch activation. These tones and signals are ancillary to voice communications and are considered to be included within the voice emission types, e.g., A3E, F3E, and G3E.
(a) Tones that are audible (having a frequency higher than 300 Hertz), must last no longer than 15 seconds at one time.
(b) Tones that are subaudible (having a frequency of 300 Hertz or less), may be transmitted continuously during a communication session.
 

If you buy the $18 Baofeng and it does exactly what you hoped it did, there's definite case to be made that it is in fact the "best" GMRS radio.

1.  It really depends on the repeater how much traffic you hear, but the nature of Famished that you only hear one transmission at a time. Let us know if I misunderstood your question.
2. Tune to the correct repeater channel.  Program the repeater’s input tone or code into your radio as the TX CTCSS or DCS. At first, leave the RX tone empty so you hear all traffic; you can always go back and set it if you receive too many transmissions that don’t come from the repeater.

My understanding is that UHF is better at penetrating dry structures than HF or VHF (which is why cell phones work in buildings), but it’s worse at penetrating water or water bearing vegetation, which is why leafy trees affect it. 

I'm going to close my post out with something that will piss some people off, and others will say I don't know what I am talking about... so if you don't want to read all of the post, you may want to skip to the END.
 
The reason CB went to the wayside isn't known for sure, but I have a few ideas.  Modulation type isn't one of them.  I think there is zero chance of CB replacing FRS.  I don't think it could even take a significant part of the market, and I will explain why.
First, people get extremely frustrated because their mobile CB radio performs so poorly, with regard to range.  As mentioned above, that is almost always due to the antenna.  The primary problem is, the average DIY person doesn't poses the tools or skills to properly install a CB and antenna, nor verify if it is working correctly.  This wasn't always the case, but somewhere in time, this common knowledge kind of vanished, leading people to think they can just bolt on the antenna and life is good.
Then, there is the size of the antenna. The shortest proper length for a CB antenna is 104 inches.  That's not a type-o... that is over eight and a half feet.  Not everyone is willing to put an antenna that big on their vehicle.  So, you see everyone using a compromised antenna... like the 4' and even 3' firestik antennas.  I own a 4 footer and a 1 footer, but I know they are only going to work for a mile or less. 
FRS is at a frequency that only requires a 6" antenna, and the installation is way, way more forgiving.  Just by it's nature, its not common to incorrectly install an FRS antenna.  And when manufacturers put even shorter antennas on them, say a 3", it's no where near the compromise made in CB with a 3' antenna.
So, you take a radio and antenna that doesn't install correctly easily and complicate that install with an antenna that more resembles a dummy load than an antenna, and yeah, the performance is gonna suck.  Creating an even smaller, overpriced version in a handheld doesn't sound like a good time, either.
Now, there is also another issue to deal with.  While there are FM CB radios available, FM quality on CB is no where near the audio quality of FRS.  FRS radio uses a lot more bandwidth, which means the signal can carry more data, aka higher fidelity audio.  Many people will prefer FRS just because it sounds better. 
 
END
Now to upset some people... I believe that a properly installed mobile CB and antenna or a quality CB handheld will outperform an FRS radio 100% of the time.  I also believe that a properly installed mobile CB and antenna AND a quality CB handheld will outperform their counterpart in GMRS radio a vast majority of the time, when it comes to P2P comms.  The two top reasons why GMRS has made it to the top of the pile is due to repeaters and the frequency used is ideal for heavily wooded and dense urban areas.  While generally, I believe CB is superior in many cases, it seems that US radio use in dense woods and cities are the most common use cases... hence GMRS (and FRS) win over mobile and handheld CB.

When PG&E first started putting in “smart meters” they had a frequency that was tripping early GFCI breakers (Zinsco to be exact). Some homes had to be fitted with newer GFCI outlets to replace these breakers. My understanding is they later changed their operating frequency. There were RF issues with early arc fault breakers as well which the breaker manufacturers addressed in second generation arc fault breakers. 
While some GFCI outlets have been installed in non grounded homes it is not and does not provide grounding but rather for ground fault protection, nor should it be used as such.  The GFCI looks for a difference of current between the hot and neutral and trips if it becomes too much (I believe around 3 milliamperes). I have seen surge suppression plug strips catch fire when they were hit with a surge but had no ground to suppress to. Energy has to go somewhere. So just a note of caution there. I would not plug a surge suppression into a non grounded circuit. 

I feel your pain.   The Zetron community tone panel we are using on both repeaters have a mode where it will repeat all traffic (like a carrier squelch mode).  However, if the incoming tone is one that is enabled, it will encode that on the output.  Otherwise it just uses no encode or a single encode code I set for carrier or "wrong code" traffic.   This does not impact our users as most run tone squelch, but allows me to hear all the maritime trash.  Or the unlicensed users...
 
G