AdmiralCochrane

Cool. I am not going to tell you about the Maybe, maybe not

If I ever get to Southern California ...

Ok, exactly what "information" did you get access to by having a GMRS license?

So, you only got your GMRS license to gain access to forums that restrict access to licensed users and no other reason?

Could be the antenna and not the radio

On most bands, but 60m has 5 discrete channels assigned to amateurs as secondary users

There is a lot of redundancy between the 2 tests. My advice to any newcomer would be to study for both. It is quite possible to get a test with huge overlap and only need to guess on a few. If you can score 100 on Tech, you can PASS General

Most areas don't have much 1.25m traffic. My area has ... some. Actually a fair number of repeaters, but so few people have the hardware you don't often hear anything.

A year or two ago (much later than 2018) when I purchased my 9800 both were available and after evaluating and looking at specs and reviews I decided to go with the Plus. Earlier models have trouble with one side of the radio going bad, but I haven't heard any examples of this happening with the 9800 Plus. If you have real concerns buy the cat, not the copycat: Yeasu 8900 I own an older 9800 with one side bad, a newer 9800 Plus and a Yeasu 8900 (the 9800 Plus Plus Plus, LOL)

Knowing how to use it is important. There are actually minor things that can reduce range that are simple to learn how to overcome, but people in general, think you can buy accuracy, range, performance and strength; just like those 1940's Jeeps outdoing the tricked out V-8's. Knowledge often outflanks strength and money.

Yes, a tree. Make it 50 trees and even 50 watts might not push 65cm a mile.

Line of sight is more important than power delivered to the antenna; it's possible to hit 40 miles line of sight with less than 5 watts.

Yeah, I'd bet the sammich that does not come to pass in the allotted time frame.

Want to wager a ham sandwich on that? Need to define "soon" before the wagering

Exactly. The change was to instruction to judges/courts that legal challenges to regulations are now allowed, where before, courts were not allowed to consider challenges to regulations. Each and every change depends on an individual court case challenge to that particular regulation. Some are calling this a power grab by the judicial branch. In a small way it is, but Congress still has the power to limit what courts can do; this is written into the Constitution.