wayoverthere

Let's break this down, even if you only have one radio:
Cost -- RT Systems @ $25 vs. Chirp (Free) vs. Supplied Software (Free)
Convenience and Time savings --  RT Systems @ Very quick and easy to configure allowing you to save multiple profiles if you travel or have different needs.
                                                           Chirp @ If available for your radio is okay, but not as efficient to use.
                                                           Front panel @ Just an unnecessary pain in the ass.
Ultimate overall savings -- RT Systems vs. Two bean burritos from Taco Bell, Pepto Bismol, toilet paper, and missed time from work. Everything considered, it looks like RT Systems is a real bargain.
 
 

I see your point of view, but I look at it from another metric beyond radio value: How much of my own time and aggravation does it save?
Usual answer: "A lot!"
It is SO much easier to program radios using external software than it is to input all of the minutia via a keypad and multi-layer menu.
I buy RTSystems stuff for every radio I own that allows software programming and consider it a very worthwhile investment. Not only do I get RTS capability, but the cable facilitates use of CHIRP, VX7 Commander and other aftermarket programming software. For most of my radios each software provides slightly differing ability to make changes.
Your comment about having multiple radios IS spot on. I have a few duplicate radios and it's nice to be able to make changes in the computer, save the file and then just dump the changes into the radios at 30 seconds each.

along with those of use that are just straight up using it as an inexpensive ham radio

Well, I tried it.  It worked exactly as expected, finally making it possible to create channels based on frequencies imported from RepeaterBook or other online sources. I inserted channels and that worked.  I think I tried every menu.  There were no surprises. 
The radio I tried it with one of my two Rdioddity DB20G radios.  I read from the radio first and saved that as a working file.  Then I did an import from RepeaterBook of all the 2 meter and 70 cm repeaters within 100 miles of my zip code.  I created a new file with those channels, then inserted a blank line at the top for our club's simplex channel.  I programmed that channel and discovered that when creating a new channel it defaults to Low Power, which is about 6 watts for this particular radio. I changed that to High and wrote to the radio again.
Everything worked exactly as it should. For me the lack of decent CPS was my only complaint (well, also how they labeled the FUNC button). After reading their cautions about using the AT779UV software with similar radios and their comment about having to correctly plug in the programming cable I had a tiny bit of trepidation.  Neither of those things presented a problem.  It worked with the driver that i originally got from Radioddity, using the cable that shipped with the DB20G. I did nothing special a far as plugging in the cable.  Load the driver first, before plugging in the USB end of the cable.  Have the radio turned off when plugging the radio end of the cable into the microphone socket.  Of course the radio requires a power source.  It does not get its power from the USB port. I used a battery.  I also connected a dummy load so I had no fears about transmitting.
For me it was definitely worth the $25.

I fight the urge with the Vertex stuff...there was one I had my eye on, but apparently software and cables for that are NLA, along with a p25 mobile that only seems to be available in 450-512, not 400-470...
(Edit: it was the vxd-720, which looks to be a near twin to the moto xpr6xxx series)
i did give in on a Midland P25 handheld, though. something new to futz with. Have it in hand and it's a nice solid little device. Haven't had a chance to dive into programming yet.

I fight the urge with the Vertex stuff...there was one I had my eye on, but apparently software and cables for that are NLA, along with a p25 mobile that only seems to be available in 450-512, not 400-470...
(Edit: it was the vxd-720, which looks to be a near twin to the moto xpr6xxx series)
i did give in on a Midland P25 handheld, though. something new to futz with. Have it in hand and it's a nice solid little device. Haven't had a chance to dive into programming yet.

I fight the urge with the Vertex stuff...there was one I had my eye on, but apparently software and cables for that are NLA, along with a p25 mobile that only seems to be available in 450-512, not 400-470...
(Edit: it was the vxd-720, which looks to be a near twin to the moto xpr6xxx series)
i did give in on a Midland P25 handheld, though. something new to futz with. Have it in hand and it's a nice solid little device. Haven't had a chance to dive into programming yet.

Good luck...currently waiting for my 935h to ship 🫣 I was debating between that and the Q10H for want of more 220 gear, but the price difference and the fact that I already have a 6m (vx7r) handheld left me giving the 935 the nod.
Truth be told, I have another 220 handheld (uv7d), but it's vhf (1.25 and 2m) only...current plan is to throw that in the truck with an amp.

You'd look at the listing for the repeater to see what tone it wants for the input.
On your radio/software, it may be called PL tone, or it may be called ctcss. My btech/baofeng stuff shows the menu item as "t-ctcs" (transmit ctcss tone). Some radios just use the straight tones (like 141.3), while others like many Midland and the wouxun kg935g use codes that correspond to the tones. For the latter, there is usually a table in the manual that shows what code matches which tone.

The cigarette lighter plug is not that big of a deal and easy to either remove or get an adapter as shown in the above post. A few 20 watt radios from different manufacturers come with the lighter adapter.

I see he left his calling card

You guys did me right with the recommendation for the Comet SBB-1. I finally got around to putting it through its paces. It was spot-on all the way up and down the 2m and 70cm bands. The highest SWR I got was 1.3:1 with most of them being 1.0:1. It even did well on the GMRS frequencies, which are technically "out of band" for this antenna, but I'm not going to argue with those numbers. It's on a mag mount in the middle of my roof, which is probably a factor, but the Nagoya was too, and its performance was okay, but not impressive.

My guess the coverage should be at least Fresno to Bakersfield and then some and I wouldn't be surprised if it covered Madera to the foot of the Tehachapies and the Ridge Route.
Mt Lemmon 725 overlooking Tucson is about the same elevation as Park Ridge 7500+ and will communicate up to South Phoenix which is over 100 miles. The Towers 575 in Crown King is also the same elevation of Park Ridge and Mt Lemmon which is over looking Prescott will look towards the south I believe to Casa Grande and maybe a little beyond which should be about 125 miles.

It will die down in a couple weeks. My neighborhood is with all the kids having fun with their new toys.

The latest update fixed it for me, so everything moved over nicely. Now when I update it’s much easier for both.

Good to know...I have RT for my 2730, and I've been eyeing the id50/52 (not that I really need more radios, but the near repeater thing would be nice)

I’m also a fan of RT Systems software. While there may be occasional bugs, the company does work with the customer to resolve issues promptly when you contact them.

I had a code plug I like for the Icom 2730 and when I picked up the ID-50 I found issues when pushing that code plug to the handheld. RT claims the fields should populate to correct fields, but I didn’t find that to be so. A quick call to RT and a couple revisions over the next day, and problem solved.

Nothing is perfect but I’m a definitely planning on using them moving forward.

You're on the right track with repeaters, for the most part. With linking declared "not allowed", you and the other station would both need to be in range of the same repeater. Previously, it was allowed to connect repeaters to each other across the internet; if you were in Maine in range of a repeater that was connected to another repeater in PA, you could talk to someone in range of the PA repeater and vice versa.
On your tones, you'll want to set the tone mode for that repeater to 'tone' rather than 'tone sql'. That way you send the tone on transmit, but the radio isn't expecting to receive one back (opening the squelch).
Think of tones as a filter.  Tone squelch only lets through signals with the right tone, be that hearing your buddy across the field, or that other station over the hill via the repeater. If the sender doesn't use the tone the receiving radio is expecting, it doesn't get past the filter.
In the same vein, even for the reoeaters that do have an output tone, you can choose to run without a receive tone (known as "carrier squelch). You'll hear all signals on the frequency above whatever threshold your squelch is set to, since you effectively have no filter in place. If there's no other traffic on that frequency, no issue, but it can be nice to sell which signals are simplex traffic and which are from the repeater, since the repeater output frequencies are also simplex channel frequencies.
 
(Sorry that turned out longer than intended, hope it helps.)

The only ones I'm aware of that's similar, dual band, and good quality, are the CompacTenna
Laird does make single band phantom antennas, but not dual band, as far as I know.

Merry Christmas! With the right adapter it could be even shorter  

Ok, so I dug the mag mount antenna out and tested that as well as retesting the others. Here's what I got this morning:
Mag Mount: SWR 1.19, 45 Watts
Ghost: SWR 1.36, 50 Watts
MXTA26: SWR 1.10, 46 Watts
So apparently it was the meter or operator error 😜. Needless to say I am both pleased with this morning's results and a bit embarrassed by my panic.
I certainly appreciate you guys helping me sort this out, as well as your patience!

I was thinking the same...back to the ground plane and no mount, and see if the swr goes back to the high 3's.  if so, it would seem like the mount is the issue, in some way.  if not, that would point to something is awry with the meter.

If you have a multimeter, disconnect from the radio and antenna/mount and check continuity on the outer connectors end to end, the center pin end to end, and do the center to outer.  First 2 should have continuity, 3rd should not.
Same story connected to the mount...center pin on the mount to center on the cable, outer threaded to connector on cable.
I tried one of those Nagoya ground planes and didn't see good results, but that 19.99 is saying a broken connection or short to me too

I was thinking the same...back to the ground plane and no mount, and see if the swr goes back to the high 3's.  if so, it would seem like the mount is the issue, in some way.  if not, that would point to something is awry with the meter.

So, just the power up screen?  Maybe it is the meter. Try taking it all the way back to where you started. Do you have a local friend with a radio?
I'm going to bed. Maybe someone else can think of something to try.