gortex2

Your going to need to give us some more info on that question but if you mean Mhz they are all in the LMR range and not GMRS

If they hold a license your correct. If it lapsed or expired they are no different than any other GMRS user. Accept the interference or work with other licensed folks to resolve. Again under 2 watts no license is needed.

No requirements to have morse code id on a repeater. As long as user ID's. The box is made to hang on a line between telephone poles so you can get some clamp style kits for it but for what GMRS users are doing i agree.

NMO mount is for mobile use. They make a NMO-N Mount that allows you to use any length cable you would need.

You wont find a plug and play box other than Rich's. Thats as close as there is.

You said your antenna was on your roof rack. As long as its made out of metal a 1/4 wave will work fine. If your worried buy the 6" aluminum disk that they sell.

There is an entire thread on this. Rich from mygmrs sells the entire kit.

Jut order a NMO Mount with the cable. 90% of the NMO mounts come with 16' of cable reattached. That should be plenty for any size vehicle.

1/4 wave will be fine...Ive had them flattened on ambulances that went under low hanging buildings and trees. Just bend the antenna back up and continue. Its $5

Just grab a standard 1/4 wave antenna. It will work fine and be out of the beating area. A puck antenna is as effective as a handheld radio.

As others said...batlabs... http://www.batlabs.com/rick.html The RICK is very basic. Make sure your M1225 is set for Pin 8 COR (PL/CSQ Detect). Set dip switch in RICK. It a pretty simple devise. Used hundreds over the years with x-band repeaters, in band and everything in between. First came out for the Maxtrax but can be used on everything including current radios with proper cables.

Samlex and Astron both sell a battery backup power supply. Both cost more than the radio. Your best bet is a GEL battery and a DC PS with Battery Revert.

Again a GMRS 1/4 wave is not 7". Thats my point. Its 6". 7" will get you in the 40 =\- mhz range. for 460 mhz its 6". Ive worked on UHF public safety for decades and yet to see a 7" UHF 1/4 wave.

Thats not a 1/4 wave antenna.

a UHF 1/4 wave is 6". Not sure why you say they are all over 7". Not in UHF. As for the phantom think of that as a rubber duck jammed inside a pepper shaker. If you have local repeaters that are good it will work ok but are junk for any distance.

The base of those is just like a standard NMO and open under the plastic. They will fill up with water in rain and wick into the cable.

Most of us use the Larsen NMOKHFUD NMO Mount. It isn't 100% waterproof but way better than the others. I normally slip a piece of self sealing heat shrink over the cable and I have yet to have one get water in them. My JK is at least 10 years old and still works fine. They work really well. https://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=264_266_291&products_id=1125

1/4 wave UHF is solid and great off road. Run it on both my JT and JK along with work trucks. All go off road.

XTS/XTL Series and now APX

Not sure what your trying to do but your not going to get a vanity call sign in GMRS. Thats a HAM radio thing.

For NMO hole saws the Laird or Ripley is what you want. The Ripley is actually what Motorola sells. For crimpers get a decent set. In the end they will last years. I got mine from Tessco almost 20 years ago and all three sets are still going. I know DX and other places have decent ratchet crimpers for 1 or 2 here and there but if your doing more than 1 a week spend the money. Also double check the dies that come with it and has the right ones for connector you are using.

I'll be in UWARRIE this weekend for the JJ Academy. Will post my findings. Last year only 2 guys had GMRS and most of the chatter was on FRS channels.

On a mobile or portable 1 minute TOT is more than adequate.

I have run a 890 (actually 690, 790 and 890) in my old truck when I was in NY for SAR work. They were great radios. All of mine were remote head. Rock solid. I probably would still use them but we switched to MDC identifiers for SAR and didn't want to cobble encoders in them. At one point my 690/890 was dual deck single head.

See the thread above. While you can put up a cheap repeater if you want one that will get used and works well you need to spend some coin. Lots of info in the link above.