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And has been stated, you are entitled to your views on radios, but those of us who are regulars on this forum are very tired of your rant and claims of hitting repeaters 200 miles away with your handheld.

or a left group??

The coax used is as important as the antenna. The signal going through coax is always reduced by a constant amount. The amount of loss depends on the coax itself and is expressed as a loss measured in dB per 100 meters. Choosing low-loss coax such as the Times Microwave LMR 400 or LMR 600 improves the amount of power reaching the antenna. When you subtract the coax loss from the antenna gain (if any) you can then calculate the amount of radiated power. Your transmitter is limited, by regulation, to a maximum of 50W of power but there is no regulation on the amount of power radiated from your antenna.

Non-binary

How far away is the repeater and is the path between your radio and the repeater clear?

The cheap connectors have inferior dielectric between the poles as well as poorer grades of metal. The dielectric won't handle high power (KW range) as well and the center pin can more easily shift causing impedance problems if they are moved frequently. For the most part, if you use one and it stays in place there will be very little, if any, difference in the overall performance of your radio.

you need the kenwood software and cable for that radio.

Recommending a radio is like recommending a church. It depends on what you want to accomplish as your journey progresses. You mentioned thinking about getting a ham license as a goal. Personally, I think amateur is the way to go, as the technician level license is easy to obtain. Yes, it requires study, memorizing answers and passing a 35 question test over the material, but the benefits are access to a much greater number of repeaters and systems. If that is your goal, then my recommendation is for an amateur handheld that can be unlocked for use on the FRS/GMRS frequencies. My recommendation for an amateur handset in this case is a Yaesu FT-65 or FT-4XR. Both are 5W units and can be unlocked by entering a code from the keyboard on the unit. The instructions are easily found on the Internet.

Welcome WRZB774. First off, it's unlikely you will be able to transmit and receive over 1 to 3 miles reliably with any handheld radio. So much depends on the antenna connected to the radio and its height above ground and surrounding obstructions. There are a lot of factors in even connecting your radio to an external antenna that make improvements to coverage area. The biggest factor is your antenna's height above ground followed closely by the antenna type, coax type and length. Your radio, and all GMRS radios, are line-of-sight plus about 15% due to atmospheric bending of the radio waves. That's why height matters so much. Your antenna type is also a major factor but consider the fact that almost all antennas do nothing to increase the range or strength of your signal. Antenna gain figures are bandied about by all manufacturers, but remember there are two ways of reporting figures. Gains of 2.15 dB mean nothing as this is a figure measured against a theoretical antenna that doesn't exist. This is dBi. Dbd is a measurement against a real antenna and is always 2.15 dB above dBi. The next limiter is the cable between the radio and the external antenna. All coax, the type of cable needed, resists the passage of radio signals resulting in loss. Loss is measured in dB or decibels and is a logarithmic value. 3 dB equals a factor of two, meaning the signal either doubles in strength or is divided by half. Different cables have different loss values depending on the type. RG8 type cables are the worst for loss and the common RG193 found on most antenna mounts provides an acceptable loss when the cable length is 20 feet or less. Increased power just floods you coverage area with more signal but does not increase distance. Only antenna height will increase the radio's signal horizon. Have fun.

Batteries with different voltages and capacities are available from Hobby stores catering to the remote control people. I used 3.2V, 7.4V, 12V batteries in the airplanes I used. Capacity ranged from 250ma to greater than 12A. These batteries do not have an internal balancing circuit, so one has to be provided externally. RC battery chargers have them built in.

Wonder if it could be one of the Chinese test frequencies.

Only when drinking a Lone Star.

Cable loss is loss period. It's the amount by which the signal is reduced going through the cable. It doesn't matter the direction, it affects all signals, incoming and outgoing.

For what you are going to spend buying pieces and parts, consider the BTECH RPT50 (https://baofengtech.com/product/gmrs-rpt50/) It's all together and the only thing needed are the cables, power, and antenna. At $1500 for the repeater that you KNOW will work, it meets all your needs. Run it at 25 W for longevity.

Power must be referenced to dBl, the imaginary laser operating in free space.

Your statement about losing 180 degrees of radiation is incorrect. An omni antenna has a larger lobe facing the ground plane and will still radiate in all directions. The increased radiation is from the opposite side of the radiation pattern.

She's also known as Notarubicon.

There are a multitude of discussions on after market and supplied antennas. Your mileage will vary depending on whether or not you keep the stock antenna or go add-on.

Another story is the commercial shipboard operators called the amateurs "ham fisted."

The toaster part works best with a 1K 11 meter amp feeding it.

Probably the best 101 level training is the ARRL Technician book. Yes, its geared towards getting an amateur license but the theory is basic and applies to all types of radio and electronics.

No, I don't know what is carried on the cable. My best estimation is that the signals are a combination of analog (voice) from the microphone and either DTMF tones or digital codes from the keys. PTT is probably either voltage or ground to key the transmitter. Someone with an Oscope could breakout the wires and examine the signals. I don't have any test equipment more sophisticated than a VOM and SWR meter.

The setup needed for repeater use varies depending on the make and model handheld you are using. Check for user manuals for your HH units as they will also have the necessary steps to load in repeater channels. Also, remember the axiom High in, low out. Your transmit frequency is always the higher frequency while you receive on the lower.

There is no difference between different Ethernet cables with differing Cat labels. The ratings have to do with the capacitance and coupling between the pairs in the cable, which affect how well the cable handles data bits. In actual practice, a Cat 5 cable handles data up to 100 Mbps as well as a Cat 6. For extending a radio's faceplate from the radio body, a Cat 3 cable has all the capability needed. The distance limit, 100 meters, is based on the resistance of the wire to current flow.

With line-of-sight radios (UHF and VHF frequencies), added power means you have better reception in the area covered rather than greater distance. The distance (farz) depends on how high the antenna is above the surrounding ground. An antenna 6 feet above ground level (AGL) can reach a repeater many miles away if the repeater is on ground higher than you. That' why so many repeaters are located on high hills, buildings, and mountains. Height more than power equals distance.