BoxCar

You should always listen before sending. With no receive tones you would hear any traffic on the channel,

If the antenna is installed as part of the construction process it could be argued as an architectural feature.

The Litchfield repeater should be using TONE, not CROSS. Create another entry for Payson using TONE with 065 in the DCS field.

No. Some things are blamed on greenhouse gases and other on green men.

Using the input tone on your receiver is a personal choice. Often we amateurs will either set up our repeaters with no output tone or leave our receiver set to no tone (carrier squelch) even when the repeater broadcasts a tone. Again, it's a personal choice, but leaving the tone out when first setting up does simplify troubleshooting. However, amateurs have many more channels to play with and all of our repeaters are coordinated to prevent signals from one being heard on another.

Like Randy says, how do you define "Best". A handheld unit is not the best for attaching to an antenna for base station use. It will work, but not well. I would recommend you look for a 20 to 25W mobile radio with a 15A power supply. The mobile will require 7 to 8 amps of power draw while transmitting, and a 15W power supply will supply at least 11A continuously. For your coaxial cable between the radio and your antenna, use LMR400 or equivalent from one of the amateur radio dealers like The Wireman, Gigaparts, Ham Radio Outlet, or DXEngineering and not the cheapie stuff from Amazon. The antenna you use is the most important piece of the kit, and for that there are several recommendations on this site.

The antenna is more important than the power output of a transmitter.

Personally, I have both the Yaesu ft-4xr and the FT-65. Both a great radios and I'll carry one with me when I go out. I also have Baofengs, TYTs, and Pofungs from the Chinesebside but It's the Yaesus I would rely on for emcomm.

Cup holder or vent mount from Lido or Ram.

If the repeater is or has been active, it must be identified at least once every 15 minutes. If it is just listening and not transmitting, it does not have to be identified. Read through the rules for GMRS in Part 95 of the FCC regulations.

There are numerous coax switches available from radio dealers. Diawa is often cited as a reliable brand.

Being a 20W transceiver it won't draw more than 8 amps so the cig adapter is fine for temporary installations. If you are planning on mounting the radio permanently, then my preference is for the Power Poles.

Welcome @WSCD723 Yes, Ham Study is a great resource. The ARRL books are also a great resource and they include illustrations to illustrate many of the principles.

Talk to them just like you would on a phone call. "WRVM969 <Person being called's name> are you on?" As you are both under the same call sign, only one needs to give the call sign.

They are. A radial adds to the length of the antenna making a 1/4 wave into a center fed dipole with a total length of 1/2 wave.

The radials coming off the base of the antenna makes it a half wave antenna.

Yes, and some of them are even logical.

The itinerant frequencies can be licensed nationwide. For a frequency coordinator, I would recommend the Forestry Conservation group FCCA although any Part 90.35 Business/Industrial Land Transport coordinator can license the frequencies. A commercial radio shop will be well acquainted with the necessary coordinators. I'd also suggest they shop with the different coordinators, as they will often cut prices to get the business.

Please don't double post. Mr. Shannon already answered the question in your other post.

Your best bet would be a commercial license and commercial grade radios. Almost all the radio dealers can help you decide on exactly what radios and the number of frequencies you would need. My suggestion is for VHF itinerant band radios and frequencies, unless you are going to be in the same area for more than a year or two. Then you would want regular business channels still in the VHF band for coverage. Your HQ or base would need a base station and commercial grade antenna system. Be aware though that just having the radios doesn't mean you'll always have contact with your base or handhelds because of the terrain you'll be working in.

All the 50W rated radios I've seen (and used) all need better than 10 Amps but less than 15. I sure would like to know what radio you've got that puts out 45 - 50W on UHF and only draws 3A.

Plan on not being able to make contact with them via VHF/UHF frequencies.

Please don't double post. Two threads on the same question will lead to confusion on everyone's part.

Are you licensed for GMRS? Use the FCC's ULS website and search for others having a ZA license in your county.

Not really, you can have an easy $1500 to $2000 wrapped up in a good repeater's radio and antennas. Now let's guess about the power supplies.