WyoJoe

While this is not a spreadsheet, these are the basic things you need:
1. Receiver - This is the radio that receives the incoming signal on the 467.xxx (repeater input) frequency
2. Transmitter - This is the radio that takes the received signal and re-transmits it on the 462.xxx (repeater output) frequency
3. Repeater Controller - This is the device that connects the receiver to the transmitter, and may add repeater ID functionality, and other features. Some radios like the Wouxon KG-1000G have repeater functions built in, so only a patch cable is required to connect the receiver to the transmitter.
4. Receiving antenna - can be combined with the transmitting antenna when using a duplexer
5. Transmitting antenna - can be combined with the receiving antenna when using a duplexer
6. Appropriate feedline for each antenna
7. Source of power for receiver and transmitter
8. Duplexer (optional) - allows receiver and transmitter to both use the same antenna and feedline, eliminating the need for a second antenna and feedline.
 
While the items above are what is needed, there are a lot of nuances that come into play. While theoretically you might be able to build a repeater using any combination of each of the above items, many things just may not work well in this circumstance. Certain combinations work well, while other combinations just don't do so.
If you obtain a purpose-built repeater, such as a Vertex VXR-7000 or Retevis RT-97, it will combine at least items 1, 2, and 3 into a single device.
You can use a duplexer to allow the use of only one antenna and feedline for both receive and transmit. Of course, if you do, you'll also need the appropriate patch cables to connect the duplexer to the receiver and transmitter. The Retevis RT-97 includes a built-in duplexer, and on other repeater models a duplexer may be included, but often is not.
About the simplest way to get a repeater up and running is to use a purpose built device like the Retevis RT-97, along with a decent antenna and feedline, as well as an appropriate power source. Because it is a relatively low power unit, many people use it with a solar panel and 12V battery, rather than connecting it to the "grid." This is often done in a portable configuration using a "roll-up" J-pole antenna hoisted into a tree.
Overall, a repeater is, in many ways, like a car. A car has an engine, transmission, wheels, and so on, while a repeater has the parts mentioned above. It is a system of component parts, which when properly matched, performs well the function for which it was intended. If they are not properly matched, the system will not work well.
For more information, you might want to check out repeater-builder.com.
 

I suspect they are using "blister pack" or "bubble pack" FRS radios.

I didn't have to change any clock settings to enable wide band on my repeater. I just created a desktop short cut to the application and added the "-d" switch to the filename string in this format: <filename>.exe -d
That's what worked for me, though your mileage may vary...

In the case of the MXT115, if/when you are looking for more features and functions, an inexpensive upgrade is the Anytone AT779UV / Radioddity DB-20G / Retevis RA25 radio (each of these is the same as the others). For about $100, you get another small radio that puts out ~20W, offers narrow and wideband, repeater capable, and offers UHF and VHF receive capability. It can also be reconfigured so it will work on the 2m and 70cm ham bands, should you ever wish to pursue, or if you already have, a ham license. It also has a small, but useful, color display.
On top of all that, it even comes with a "Fun" button on it! What more could you ask for? Okay, the "Fun" button is actually the "Function" button, but the word Function didn't fit on the small button.

This makes me wonder, does the radio talk to the repeater about people? People talk about radios, so turnabout would be fair play!

Well, I think this thread has pretty clearly established that GMRS Channel 20 is considered by many to be the "official" travel channel for GMRS. Since this thread is about "un-official" GMRS travel channels, it would seem to me that 19 for highway conditions and 16 for off-highway use would both make pretty good "un-official" travel channels, each for their respective purposes.
As with every idea along this vein, they have to start somewhere. Once started, they need to catch on locally, then spread to other areas, gaining acceptance along the way.
With 4x4 clubs being pretty popular, each club could choose to adopt channel 16 as their "official" GMRS channel. I think this would be fairly easy to implement within the off-roading community, as there are groups within the community to promote the idea. While some groups may choose not to implement such a plan, I'm sure many would do so, just as they did with CB channel 4 years ago.
For highway conditions, the use of channel 19 would be a lot trickier. Even though this was the case with CB for many years, I think it would be harder to get this idea off the ground for GMRS. The main reason for this is that there aren't a lot of recognized groups to promote the idea. Maybe writing a letter to your local AAA branch would be a way to promote this idea. If they were to buy in, and promote the idea within their membership, you might have a chance of getting this idea off the ground. My expectation, however, is that they would most likely adopt the official or semi-official channel 20 instead, if only for the reason that it doesn't have the geographical restrictions near the Canadian border that are found with channel 19.

I have both the KG-UV9P and the KG-UV9G, and using the same cable I've used for my Baofeng and TYT handhelds, I've been able to successfully read from both Wouxon radios with Chirp using the KG-UV9D profile. I haven't tried writing anything to the KG-UV9G, but I had no problem writing to the KG-UV9P.

To be even more specific, the plus should be specified in the "Duplex" column and the 5.000000 should be in the "Offset" column as shown here on channels 23-30:

I would say that having to pay for shipping or a restocking fee to get a refund on a defective product would also be a reason. Even having to pay shipping to get a defective product repaired would be sufficient reason to do so.
In these cases, the purchaser was not provided with the product they paid for. It should not be incumbent upon them to pay anything for the repairs or to get the repairs made. It is incumbent upon the vendor to provide the (working) product that the customer paid for, and no customer should have to pay extra to get it. If the customer is not provided with the product they were promised at the agreed upon price (without added costs), then it is the responsibility of the vendor to make it right (at no added expense to the customer).
If Bridgecom is making customers pay anything extra just to get the product they were promised in the first place, they need to be reported. The BBB would be a good place to start. Perhaps the District Attorney (or a Consumer Affairs Bureau) in their jurisdiction would be another place to report them. Filing a dispute with the credit card company is another way to begin to resolve this issue. Posting unsatisfactory reviews on Yelp or Google is a way to warn others, and it may get their attention to where they reach out to resolve the matter. Finally, and especially if unable to resolve the matter in a satisfactory way, posting on forums such as this is helpful for others that may be considering doing business with that company.
I'm sorry to hear that there are companies out there that would engage in such wormy business tactics, but I know they exist.
Unfortunately, it's a sad reality.

You are partly correct. I was actually thinking of the 701, which is also a handheld antenna. The 701 is the short (~8") handheld antenna, while the 771 is the long (~15") handheld antenna. I think the zero in the 770 threw me off, and made me think of the 701. You are correct that the 770g is indeed a mobile antenna. The crazy thing about it is I have one (a 770g), but made this mistake anyway.
I stand corrected.
Thank you wayoverthere.

I suppose then, that the AT-779UV is waaaaay better!

My radio actually does weird things like that too. I tell it to display the channel name, but it displays the frequency. It doesn't seem to "take" until the second time I change the setting. I've found that I have to make the change from the front panel twice, too, because whatever I do in the software doesn't work correctly when writing to the radio. Basically, the only place it's been an issue is with the second VFO.
I typically use that VFO to monitor a local ham repeater, so if I forget to reset it after powering down the radio, the only thing that happens is that I don't get to hear that repeater.

I suppose then, that the AT-779UV is waaaaay better!

It may sound like a silly question, but do you know that the repeater is still active? It is not uncommon to see a listing for a repeater that is either not there, or is programmed differently than stated. Are you able to hear other users on the repeater?

I would say that having to pay for shipping or a restocking fee to get a refund on a defective product would also be a reason. Even having to pay shipping to get a defective product repaired would be sufficient reason to do so.
In these cases, the purchaser was not provided with the product they paid for. It should not be incumbent upon them to pay anything for the repairs or to get the repairs made. It is incumbent upon the vendor to provide the (working) product that the customer paid for, and no customer should have to pay extra to get it. If the customer is not provided with the product they were promised at the agreed upon price (without added costs), then it is the responsibility of the vendor to make it right (at no added expense to the customer).
If Bridgecom is making customers pay anything extra just to get the product they were promised in the first place, they need to be reported. The BBB would be a good place to start. Perhaps the District Attorney (or a Consumer Affairs Bureau) in their jurisdiction would be another place to report them. Filing a dispute with the credit card company is another way to begin to resolve this issue. Posting unsatisfactory reviews on Yelp or Google is a way to warn others, and it may get their attention to where they reach out to resolve the matter. Finally, and especially if unable to resolve the matter in a satisfactory way, posting on forums such as this is helpful for others that may be considering doing business with that company.
I'm sorry to hear that there are companies out there that would engage in such wormy business tactics, but I know they exist.
Unfortunately, it's a sad reality.

To be even more specific, the plus should be specified in the "Duplex" column and the 5.000000 should be in the "Offset" column as shown here on channels 23-30:

I suppose then, that the AT-779UV is waaaaay better!

https://bettersaferadio.com/meet-the-new-wouxun-kg-uv9g-pro-gmrs-two-way-radio-shtf-scanner/

The UV-5R fits the bill, except it's not type certified for GMRS or FRS use, and it doesn't offer USB charging. There is another model that is type accepted, and that's the UV-5G/UV-5X GMRS radio. It looks nearly identical and has the same form factor. As you might have already figured, there are two different names for this model: UV-5G and UV-5X GMRS. Unfortunately, there is also another model called UV-5X that is not a GMRS radio, and it has a different form factor. If you stick to the GMRS model that looks like a UV-5R, you'd be fine.
Anyway, these radios cost about $60/pair, and offer the low cost and small form factor desired by the OP. They do require charging cradles, but once charged, they last quite a long time on the included battery. There are also spare battery options available, including high capacity batteries for even longer run time. In addition, there are multiple antenna options available should you decide to upgrade, but beware that these radios require an SMA male antenna as opposed to the UV-5R's SMA female antenna. These radios also offer the option of Chirp programmability in case that's needed or desired.
The Tidradio TD-H5 (also sold as the Radioddity GM-30 and Pofung P15UV) offers similar functionality, but also offers USB-C charging. It is a little larger than the UV-5 series, at about 1/2" longer, and perhaps up to 1/8" thicker. Overall, it's not a much larger radio, but it feels a little bigger. As of now, it is not Chrip programmable, so to program it requires use of the front panel (for some functions) or the factory software.
The G11S (aka Pofung P11UV or Retevis RB27) may be another good option, although I haven't ever used or even seen one. In a quick search, I was unable to find the actual radio dimensions, so I can't compare the form factor. The simplicity of the radio may be better for kids, though, since it doesn't have the full front panel.
Something else to keep in mind is that the "bubble pack" radios from Midland and others are not compatible with repeater use. While this may not be a consideration at this time, you may wish to use a repeater in the future to increase your coverage area. The UV-5 series, TD-H5, and G11S radios are all capable of working with a repeater. This is just something to consider for the future.
Any of the radios mentioned would be fine for the intended purpose. I'm not a fan of the bubble pack radios because their battery systems aren't very good, and they don't offer the same functionality of other similarly priced GMRS radios like the UV-5G/UV-5X GMRS, TD-H5, or G11S.
 

This kind of reminds me of the grapevine in the movie Johnny Dangerously:
 
In all seriousness, though, I think this type of communication would be better handled on ham radio, as you could get much longer "hops" than with GMRS.

I'm not sure what kind of roof your RV has, but for the SUV, I'd recommend a mag-mount Nagoya UT-72G or something similar, with the appropriate adapter. If your RV has a steel roof, the mag-mount antenna would work on it, too. Otherwise, you'd need to figure something else out, or mount a steel plate to the roof on which you could place the antenna.
In addition to the mag-mount antenna, I'd recommend that you get a decent speaker mic for mobile use. This allows you to clip the radio to something where it will stay put, and to manipulate only the speaker mic when talking.

I set mine up with 16 channels, most of which were programmed to the same repeater pair (462.625 Tx / 467.625 Rx). The way mine is configured, I have six pre-configured tones (4 are CTCSS, 2 are DCS), with two channels for each tone (1 high power, 1 low power), all programmed to the same repeater pair (46x.625). With the change of a channel, I can select either high or low power, and any of the pre-configured tones should there be interference from other users. I then used the remaining channels to use the adjacent frequency pairs (46x.600 and 46x.650), with selectable power levels for each. They are slightly outside of the optimal frequency for the duplexer, but will work if needed.
That configuration allows me to change the required tone, power level, or even the frequency pair, with just a touch of a button.

I'm thinking that the signal is going through the Highway 154 corridor, more or less around the mountain, rather than over it. My experience with GMRS is that the signal will go over or around a small hill, but it won't go over or through a large mountain. Although it's largely line of sight, there is some wiggle room, so to speak. Even though it still has to go over the pass, there is likely enough wiggle room to allow the signal to get through.
Glad to hear about Jocko's staying in business. It's a long-standing tradition for many to go there when in the area.

I don't want to burst your bubble, so to speak, but I do want to make you aware of some of the realities of GMRS. Many, but not all, GMRS users only want to talk to their family members on the radio. If you hear them on the radio and try to contact them, they may not be interested and may not answer you, or they may have their radio set to only open the squelch when the proper code or tone is used.
GMRS differs quite a bit from amateur (ham) radio in this regard, since most hams get on the air to talk to other hams. Hams are generally looking for someone else to talk to, while GMRS users mostly want to talk only within their group.

I don't want to burst your bubble, so to speak, but I do want to make you aware of some of the realities of GMRS. Many, but not all, GMRS users only want to talk to their family members on the radio. If you hear them on the radio and try to contact them, they may not be interested and may not answer you, or they may have their radio set to only open the squelch when the proper code or tone is used.
GMRS differs quite a bit from amateur (ham) radio in this regard, since most hams get on the air to talk to other hams. Hams are generally looking for someone else to talk to, while GMRS users mostly want to talk only within their group.