BoxCar

For just you and your friend, a pair of FRS radios will work between your locations as outlined. A repeater on your balcony will probably overload your HH radio when you try to connect through it. If you both get licensed ($35 for 10 years) then you can go to GMRS, or, you both could study for a week or two with one of the many license prep manuals and the YouTube videos to pss your Amateur Tech license exam and use existing amateur repeaters across the country.

Yes.

Maybe Socalgmrs swallowed a bag of cow manure and is just regurgitating some. OBTW, he's the only entry on my ignore list.

I'm surprised they haven't gone metric as the numbers would be larger.

LMR 400 available from many different suppliers. Antenna depends on height, and need.

Helene took out most of the towers in western NC because the power was lost. Very few cell sites have any type of backup power.

If I remember correctly, most states have laws against having both ears covered while operating a vehicle. That would depend on an officer classifying a bicycle as a vehicle which, technically, it is.

The rules don't prevent a 3rd party from operating the radio with the license holder present. 97.1705 states who may hold a license while 95.1743 excludes minors from responsibility for improper operation. Further complicating the scenario is the question of operating on FRS channels. Is the station still a GMRS unit or is it an FRS unit? Notwithstanding the fact the station equipment meets the specifications of a GMRS unit as it is not handheld and has a removable antenna makes it exceed the FRS equipment restrictions. However, this is all moot if the instructor provides FRS handheld radios to contact his station.

Do you handle the PTT with a non-ham?

As I understand the rule, you are not sharing your license so others may operate independently as family. It's a single station, with you present allowing another to talk over the radio. As long as the students don't try to operate personal radios under your license it should be good. Also, the rules are silent about who may talk on a station with the license holder present.

The issue is operating legally. As long as you control the station, students can operate it as a GMRS station.

You won't get any real help without telling us what city/state you are in and what radio you are using.

Asking for help?

If you are pretty much set on a HH, I would look to Yaesu, Anytone, or TYT as alternates. These can all be unlocked for GMRS and have about the same capabilities but can be lower in price. One of the low-price GMRS "suitcase" repeaters would be sufficient for covering 5 miles with a decent base antenna or a good mobile antenna with a ground plane.

Those radios are spec'd at 3.07W according to their FCC data. It's doubtful you would get more than 5 miles of distance between them with outside antennas 20 feet in the air. I doubt you could get more than a mile or two across the reservoir with them in simplex (on the same channel). They don't seem to be repeater capable so were pretty much a waste of money IMO. Your best bet would be to contact a local ham club, explain what you are trying to do, and ask for help.

I recommend a good flashlight and lots of batteries as you start down the rabbit hole.

Welcome

The activation code would be different for the two versions. You get a code for the version purchased.

There a too few channels available on GMRS/FRS radios to attempt setting one aside for emergency calling. Setting CB channel 9 aside worked, after a fashion, but too many people just see it as another channel to use. The major problem with GMRS/FRS are the privacy codes. Not all radios come with no codes set and not all users no how to set or clear codes. This wasn't an issue with CB as that service didn't have CTCSS available.

Base station antennas will have wind load information as it is critical in many installations. It may not be readily available on a retailer's site, but the manufacturer will list it in their brochures for the product. Yes, there is a difference between a mobile and base antenna. The radiation patterns will most likely vary with the base having a more defined pattern closer toward the horizon. The antenna length also comes into play as most mobiles are base loaded while base antennas tend to be center loaded.

Are you certain you are on a repeater channel? Simplex channels are also on the repeater output frequencies so they look the same as repeater channels but don't have the transmitter offset.

BS - just because it's what you would do, it would be overkill for this situation. Excess power doesn't do anything for this farmer except waste money. Why use more power than what is necessary? Power isn't always an acceptable answer and usually invites trouble as it pollutes the airwaves with unneeded RF. He wants to build a system to solve his problem, not build something that provides coverage for anyone in the area,

Like my memory - slip sliding away

c

Welcome to the zoo!