wayoverthere

Depending on the type and the power it needs to handle, it CAN be built in, especially with UHF. The higher frequencies need less space compared to VHF, while higher power generally means larger in either case.
This thread has a look at the internals of the rt97:
https://forums.mygmrs.com/topic/3314-retevis-rt97-heat-dissipation/

This is where a duplexer comes into play. The low port goes to the transmitter connector, the high port to the receive connector, and the middle port to the antenna's one connector.
I won't guess if this one is good or bad, but here is an example for visual...
https://www.buytwowayradios.com/xlt-dp-gmrs-50.html

If it works like my FT4X, one option would be to change the "lock" settings to only disable PTT, so you can still change channes at will. then just unlock when you want to switch to a channel you can transmit on. this is the route i go with the FT4X since i don't have any public safety channels programmed, but dial one up on the VFO occasionally when there might be something going on.
alternately, what i did with the baofengs and the LMR stuff is set them for duplex, with the intended listen only (public safety/commercial/etc) frequency as the receive frequency, and either GMRS CH 1 (462.5625) or MURS 1 (i forget the frequency offhand) as the transmit frequency.  Neither is strictly kosher, but GMRS1 is often a mess of kerchunks and call button tones from the kids with bubble packs (at least here), and I've never heard a peep on MURS.
CHIRP is pretty good about letting you just type in the transmit frequency directly, and calculating the offset, but if you're using Yaesu's you may need to calculate it yourself.

first question: yes, that's correct.  i'll share a real world example from the ham side (on 70cm, which is nearly identical, signal wise, to gmrs), with the caveat that i don't do much (if any) simplex on GMRS, as the family has ZERO interest.
using my base setup (which is a pair of mobiles and a base antenna in the closet) chatting with someone who lives in the next town up the highway via the local repeater, which is 23 miles from me. discover he's in town shopping at the moment, talking in on his mobile from a shopping center 25 miles from the repeater, and just 6.5 miles from me.  i switched over to the repeater input to see if i could hear him, but not much beyond an occasional burst of static.  i can hear the repeater clearly on a handheld inside the house, and can talk in with no problem from outside in the yard, but going direct just over 6 miles apart was no go.
second question: hard to say on "reasonable"...is it possible? absolutely.  it's going to be very dependent on height, but it's a little bit of a stretch to assume radio towers.  some may be one of the users here, with a 5 watt Retevis 'repeater in a box' on a 20' top rail mast, or mounted on a barn.  dealing with the high level stuff we have in CA, i've talked into a gmrs repeater over 60 miles out from the 3rd floor of a hotel with a handheld, and managed 75ish to a ham repeater in the same area from a high spot in the hills (basically clear line of sight over the valley), but those repeaters i'm working with are on foothill ridges at 3000-4500 ft above sea level. obstructions are the biggest challenge for a largely line of sight signal like gmrs.
here's a quick edit to the diagram in the first post illustrating my example (though i'm using gmrs frequencies in the diagram, illustrating hearing via the repeater was no problem, but listening on the repeater input, no luck.

Well put, and putting it nicely. It sounds like making more of a mess to me, and there's definitely an overtone of "hams are superior" in that document 🙄
While I wouldn't mind seeing digital voice come to gmrs, it'd probably be best relegated to a new channel or two (maybe require narrowband there), and for simplicity go with one set standard...there's already a good variety of radios out there with DMR, from cheap to LMR. Along that line, how about explicitly making part 90 gear a-ok too?
The one thing I wouldn't mind seeing that's definitely a concession to hams (and I'm not seeing any corresponding downside to gmrs, but let me know if I'm missing something) would be a pass on the 95e certification requirement IF the user holds both a gmrs license and a ham license, i.e. the ability to also use your ham gear for gmrs, subject to the usual power, mode and bandwidth requirements for gmrs.
Hey, a guy can dream.
 

I don't see any reason, with the right hardware, that a dual pl setup couldnt be implemented similar to what CARLA has on the ham side. One pl, your audio goes to the whole system, while another pl repeats on that machine only. If you key up the local pl, linked audio is muted until a set period after local activity ends, and the link resumes.
http://carlaradio.net/thesystem/pl_ct.php

There was a thread where the jeep owner mounted the antenna over the spare tire on a plate. Personally, I would prefer a 1/2 wave in a similar location (perhaps the base could be nearer the roof line) over the front bumper mounts. 
My understanding is that the AUS version of CB is UHF, and I can't explain why they all mount in that location other than "it's always how we did it". Keeping the coax out of the engine bay and away from other electronics, and putting the antenna as high as possible, with as much ground plane as possible would be my priorities. 

I don't see any reason, with the right hardware, that a dual pl setup couldnt be implemented similar to what CARLA has on the ham side. One pl, your audio goes to the whole system, while another pl repeats on that machine only. If you key up the local pl, linked audio is muted until a set period after local activity ends, and the link resumes.
http://carlaradio.net/thesystem/pl_ct.php

That sounds like a great idea!  

I don't see any reason, with the right hardware, that a dual pl setup couldnt be implemented similar to what CARLA has on the ham side. One pl, your audio goes to the whole system, while another pl repeats on that machine only. If you key up the local pl, linked audio is muted until a set period after local activity ends, and the link resumes.
http://carlaradio.net/thesystem/pl_ct.php

I don't see any reason, with the right hardware, that a dual pl setup couldnt be implemented similar to what CARLA has on the ham side. One pl, your audio goes to the whole system, while another pl repeats on that machine only. If you key up the local pl, linked audio is muted until a set period after local activity ends, and the link resumes.
http://carlaradio.net/thesystem/pl_ct.php

If my wife asks, I'm blaming @marcspaz for the 891 showing up on my doorstep.

I don't see any reason, with the right hardware, that a dual pl setup couldnt be implemented similar to what CARLA has on the ham side. One pl, your audio goes to the whole system, while another pl repeats on that machine only. If you key up the local pl, linked audio is muted until a set period after local activity ends, and the link resumes.
http://carlaradio.net/thesystem/pl_ct.php

Linking has similar issues on HAM too, except there we can usually switch to other repeaters.  For HAM temporary, user-initiated linking is an alternative.  I don't know if that is feasible with GMRS linking systems, but if so, would be better than permanent, full-time linking.  Linking just at scheduled times is another option.

It's in the product description (first paragraph) for the UV980P now, though I don't remember seeing that part in the past.
https://www.buytwowayradios.com/wouxun-kg-uv980p.html
Yeah, it's been a couple of few months since I looked, the 1.25m version was listed last time, but I put off grabbing one...not there when I checked today.

That was both. Here is a screen shot of the specs from Buy Two Way Radios.

Funny you should ask...  Cricket Ventures worked with Wouxun to develop a GMRS mobile radio that now know as the KG-1000G. I worked with Danny from Cricket Ventures in 2020 to do an unbiased eval of the only prototype in existence at the time.  Man, I fell in love with that radio the moment I turned it on.
 
Anyway, per my communications with Danny, the electronics of the KG-1000G are indeed the KG-uv980 with different firmware.  While I have never used a radio that was marketed as the KG-uv980, with the success of the KG-1000G, I have to think the KG-uv980 is a rock star, too.

@Lscott it's really just a trash copy of the Yaesu FT-8900r.  I think they sold a ton of them after Yaesu stopped making the 8900, based on Yaesu's reputation instead of their own.

Welcome!
I have and like Yaesu, but Yaesu doesn’t make a radio certified for GMRS. They make great ham radios though.  People will say that certification isn’t important, and as you progress you might even decide that it isn’t, but for someone trying to get started it sure makes it easier to use the radio without having to worry about violating a regulation.  Others will tell you that it doesn’t matter if you violate the regulations because the FCC doesn’t enforce them anyway.  Statistically there is some validity, but I still like to know where I stand with respect to regulations.
Wouxun is arguably one of the best GMRS radios made and certified for that purpose. The people who have one like the KG1000G Mobile Radio.  It’s a 50 watt radio.  As far as I know all mobile GMRS radios have a UHF connector for an external antenna.  They have to.
Several of us have purchased the Radioddity db20g, which is a tiny 20 watt GMRS mobile radio.  It’s small and easy to use, plugging into the cigarette lighter.  Like the Wouxun it needs an external antenna.  It’s about $100, unless you wait for a sale.  I bought two of them directly from Radioddity for $87 each.  It’s sold under a couple other names as well. Firmware might vary based on brand.
These forums have lots of discussions about what radio is best.  There will never be universal agreement.

This is very helpful and encouraging information! Being a brand new GMRS user, i mainly wanted/needed clarification on the expectations for use, which seem straight forward. For myself, i did not get into this with thoughts or hopes that i would meet or socialize with large amounts of people. that being said, not against it either. I can see where this could be a lot of fun, especially with groups or individuals that you may know personally. I would like to Thank Everyone for their kind words and positive feedback to this thread. Happy New Year to All.
Side note: When i started this thread, i had submitted a request for access to a local repeater in my area but had not heard back from them. i was advised to have patience and give it some time. well, I'm happy to say. You were correct! I was granted access today.  Thanks again everyone. Cheers!

I have brought this up before not in a "dont do it way" but more in a let us set expectations way. I have in no way intended for it to be a discouragement at all from trying equipment or talking to random people I have done both of these things. You are free to do whatever you want to do with GMRS, (as long as you follow the rules). I just dont want to see people disappointed when no one replies to their call to talk. 

I completely agree with you regarding the "radio police". I also think that the guy who proposed this just wants to turn gmrs into ham on different frequencies. He suggests raising the limit on certain channels to 100w. I could totally foresee the overly obsessed ham guys scolding a gmrs user because they're trying to see how far apart they can talk. IMO. Ham is great and so is gmrs, but they are separate and should stay separate.

I am glad I was able to catch this whiten 24 hours of it being listed by that individual. He did respond to the Cease-and-Desist email we sent him. I believe he has unlisted everyone's repeaters he listed as his own. Again, just wanted to share light to those unaware of this happening. 

It does sound like you're getting into the repeater; that brief bit of silence follow by the beep is one form of response (courtesy tone) letting you know the repeater heard you.
Not receiving a response isn't super surprising, as some repeaters are quieter than others, and some people stick to their group, and may not respond to "strangers".
One thing to watch when testing with a second radio is to get some distance between the listening and transmitting radios. The strong transmit signal can temporarily "deafen" the receiving radio; it adjusts to a strong signal close by, and may not hear the repeater's signal from further away.

To be fair, there were legislative reasons the fee for ham licenses stayed zero as long as it did, along with some administrative hoops to get their <stuff> together to justify the fees and get the payment processes in place.
It'd probably get more traction to argue the cost of administering gmrs licensing should be adjusted to reflect actual costs than trying to get a structure where the license costs nothing.