BoxCar

i believe you are dismissing the Shannon Effect in stating you need solid copper core coax. The Shannon Effect (not our Steve's notes) states the higher the frequency, the electrons move closer to the surface of the conductor. That's one reason some coax has steel or aluminum cores and just a copper shell. The key figure to check in the cable's specs is the velocity of propagation along with the cable's loss.

You'll want this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0842B1WFS/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0842B1WFS&pd_rd_w=x2cE1&content-id=amzn1.sym.386c274b-4bfe-4421-9052-a1a56db557ab&pf_rd_p=386c274b-4bfe-4421-9052-a1a56db557ab&pf_rd_r=9YZT9E1TH5RETEYTT830&pd_rd_wg=YGa5N&pd_rd_r=342e6db3-d9e7-4982-9774-5635fddbabc5&s=aht&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM

They are fine with the exception of the coax. I recommend https://thewireman.com/product/cq-rg8-low-loss-4xl-lmr400-equivalent/ for coax ($1.80 per foot). If you order from the Wireman, you will need 2 PL-259 connectors and 2 installations. The connectors are either $3 or $6 each and there is a $5 install charge for each. The Wireman also charges for shipping so that's an added cost. I use coax from this vendor for my own site.

You could also be getting a "Knife edge" as a sharp peak will deflect a signal toward the valley behind it.

@WSDS356 You do know TQSL puts the same tone on both transmit and receive, didn't you? If you only want to send the tone but be able to hear everything on the channel, go to set TONE MODE to TONE with the code in theTONE column.

They are all about the same. The fact about FM is that all radios using analog FM are compatible. Don't overpay, but don't skimp either. The Radioddity 20W is good along with any other in the price ($20) range is what I would recommend. The Radioddity brand was provided as only a start, not necessarily recommendation. You will need coax with PL-259 connectors, LMR-400 quality and an antenna. Your situation, where you're talking only a few miles requires just a J-Pole style and my recommendation here is not an Ed Fong but an https://www.jpole-antenna.com/shop/462-mhz-land-mobile-gmrs-j-pole-antenna/,

No, a repeater is NOT what you need. Just a 20-25W radio set up in the house with an antenna 15-25 feet above the roof.

Lots of choices in this area. Keep in mind though the radio is only part of the purchase - You need an external antenna and mount which can cost as much (or more) than the radio.

Yup, others use Grindrr

It depends on what you expect. As you are just starting, a handheld radio provides a decent start. Your biggest hurdle is learning the terms sed and what they mean and apply to your situation. As you obviously have no experience or background in radio, start with an inexpensive unit. I would keep the cost less than $40 for your first unit. Read the manual that comes with it and spend time on Youtube with the tutorials and reviews. After you have played with the radio for a couple months and know its functions and features well, you might be ready to upgrade to a unit with higher cost and features. Don't get caught up in wanting bigger, better higher power unis until you know what you have and how to use it.

Maybe try holding the buttons and then power up the radio???

No, but almost no radios are manufactured in the US.

+1 on Atlantic Battery having the right battery.

There are ham groups in your area you can contact. Many hams (like me) are dual licensed for both services. Some clubs have both services on repeaters also. My home club is looking into adding a GMRS repeater to our primary site as an example. I would begin by contacting the Myrtle Beach club to ask for assistance. https://w4gs.org/For-New-Hams/

The answer is really pretty basic - it's what's inside of the radio. Transistors, chips, capacitors and all the other parts and pieces are all made to operate within an ideal environment. The wider the operating environment, the higher the cost for the component. Then there is the design. The oldest (and one of the best overall) is the heterodyne which mixes a known frequency with the received frequency and the resulting product is processed for the receiver. The newest design is SDR or software design which converts the incoming signal to digital bits and the processes them. The other design has everything inside an IC or chip. The SOC or system on a chip is the least flexible but very good within its specifications. No GMRS radios or handheld models use SDR so they are either heterodyne or SOC. The transmitter portion of the radios is pretty much the same no matter the receive portion of the radio. So, its the components and the care taken in fine tuning them that makes up the real difference.