...It's quite funny how hams that are accused of disrupting peoples televisions or stereos claim that they are completely legal and the devices in question are suffering from "front-end saturation" BUT whenever it's a CBer? Hang the bastards!!!...

From what I recall, amateur radio is a *licensed* service, where class D CB radio is a *license-by-rule* service.  I'm pretty sure Part 15 indicates that solving interference to Part 15 devices by legal/proper Part 97 (licensed) amateur operations is the responsibility of the device's owner/operator.  Regarding interference to household devices due to non-compliant operations of 11m CB, it is the responsibility of the illegal CB operator to cease operations outside the rules.

For an affordable, no-nonsense, top-quality dual-bander, check out the Kenwood TH-G71A.  I've had one (purchased used on eBay) for three years, with only a broken encoder knob and antenna connector from a drop off an ATV.  The parts were easily obtained (via Pacific Coast Parts/East Coast Transistor) and replaced.
Browse the G71A reviews here on eHam...

Maybe if I type slower for you...
Momentarily press the FUNC button.  Rotate the SELECT knob until the multi-function menu *i* (MFi) is displayed in the lower left corner.  Above each of the MF keys (A, B, C) will be displayed something. A= MTR, B=ALC/MOD/SWR/PWR, C=DISP.  Press the A or B button until SWR is displayed above the B button, then momentarily press the FUNC button again.  The radio's vertical bar display on the left side should now indicate (crudely) SWR when you transmit.  I find the FM mode the most useful for determining SWR with the 857's meter.

Menu Item 061 is for setting the output for an *externally connected* analog meter, via the rear panel.

BTW, a great source for 857 info is the Yahoo Group FT857.

<The California Highway Patrol uses glass mount <antennas, among others

The only on-glass mount antennas I've seen on CHP vehicles are 800/900 MHz antennas for cellular/MDT use.  For VHF/UHF, they still use good old NMO mount antennas.  800/900 MHz on-glass antennas are a different animal than VHF/UHF on-glass units.

As for an answer to the original question: I started out with a drilled NMO mount on the trunk lid and a 1/4 wave whip for 2m.  It worked quite well, and it was easy to install a Larsen 2/70 NMO antenna when I upgraded to a dual-bander.

Here in the S.F. (Calif) Bay Area and across most of Calif, there are a number of 23cm repeaters.  Many of these repeaters are wide-area linked.  I know a few of the people who are repeater owners, and they have worked hard to build and maintain their equipment.

As said before, the cost of 1.2 GHz ham equipment makes ownership difficult for most hams.  And the relative difficulty in finding 1.2 gig equipment makes it tougher.  I was fortunate enough to acquire my Kenwood TH-59 and TM-541A at reasonable prices, a few years ago.  With no new 23cm rigs currently out there, most sellers seem to ask top dollar for the equipment.

Rumor has it that Kenwood will release a new 1.2 GHz FM mobile radio, but all I know is that it's just hearsay.  Maybe at Dayton?

Operating on 23cm is interesting and different.  The Icom 910H is a cool rig (SSB and FM), but out of my price range.  For now, I'll stick w/ FM repeaters.

I've had a Diamond X-50NA for about three years.  It is a workhorse. It cost about $100 at HRO. Even though I have several other VHF/UHF antennas up, the X-50 is the main one I use for local 2m/70cm work.  I recommend the NA N-connector version.  A good quality RG-8/U feedline can work ok for runs under 50 ft. For my X-50 installation, I use a 50 ft LMR-400 feedline and a 6 ft Heliax 1/2" Superflex jumper with a Polyphaser suppressor in-line.

A good portable for GMRS and 70cm ham use is the Kenwood TK-350 or TK-370.  They are 32 channel units, and can usually be obtained used for around $100-$150.  You can field program them (not as easily as a TH-G71A) or PC program them with software and an interface cable.  I have a few Kenwood commercial type UHF radios that I use on both GMRS and the 70cm amateur band.

As stated earlier, an amateur transceiver is not certified (previously known as type acceptance) for use in the Part 95 (GMRS, MURS) radio services.

I borrowed an FT-911 for awhile (until I got a Kenwood TH-59), and IIRC, the 12VDC battery was the power source that enabled the 1 watt output.  I actually have a Yaesu service manual for the FT-911 at home.  I can provide some info from it, if you like.

For reference: with my TH-59, it needs the 9.6VDC battery to enable the full 1 watt output.  On the 6VDC pack, the max output is about 0.5 watt.

Interesting in that you want to use an SO-239 type of pass-through for the antenna co-ax.  Why not just run the cable through a grommeted and sealed hole in the body?  I've done many mobile installations that way.  I think the extra connector could eventually be a trouble spot.

I have never run a separate negative wire to the battery for any mobile radio equipment power.  In twenty years, no problems.  I just make sure the battery connections and cables are well maintained and I use a single-point body ground for all the dash-mounted equipment.

You didn't say if the phones were all cordless or part corded/part cordless.
When I started on 6m, it was with a 1/2 wave horizontal dipole mounted low on the roof.  It also happened to be over the area where our main TV and cordless phone (2.4 GHz digital) is.  At higher power levels (>20 watts), audio modulation would come through the TV's stock speakers.  Near 60 watts and higher, the *page* function would activate on the phone.  Placing a toroid choke on the wall wart power wire at the phone base solved the phone problem.  Switching to a 3-element Yagi and mounting it higher up and further away from the TV/stereo area solved the TV audio problem.  I was about ready to open up the TV and place ferrite chokes on the speaker wires.  Oh, I also put a snap-on/wind-around ferrite on the mini system stereo's power cord, as it had some problems before the antenna move.

I'm not sure if I'm causing any TVI to my neighbors, though.  The area is virtually all either CATV or satellite TV.  No complaints so far.

I have a base-loaded Larsen NMO antenna for 6 meters. I haven't really used my 6m radio mobile, but I have the antenna if I want to.  You usually need to choose whether to tune the antenna for either 50.2 OR 52 MHz, as the <2:1 SWR bandwidth seems to be very narrow for most 6m antennas. Most 5/8 wave base-loaded 2m mobile antennas will tune up well on 6m, too.

For my TH-G71A, I got a 1000 mAh 9.6V NiMH battery.  It happens to be a W&W Mfg brand battery.  I also got the W&W Master Charger 1a, with the G71A charging cup. The MC 1a is a rapid/trickle type charger that does multiple battery types (NiCd or NiMH).  It can do a 90% charge in less than two hrs.  It runs on 12-16VDC input.
I also have the Kenwood AA cell holder/battery pack for the G71A. It makes for a good low-watt RF output emergency pack.
I also try to run my G71 at the 1/2 watt or 50mW RF outputs to minimise heating up the radio.

Repairing an SMA antenna connection: $60?  I broke the SMA connector on my TH-G71A.  $14 to PacParts ($8 shipping - ouch) and a bit of time to open the case, remove the old SMA, and install the new SMA.  I wouldn't pay someone $60 to replace a simple external connector.

That said, I like the Diamond SRH519 antenna on my G71.  It's worked quite well for over two years, and it's not too large.  Keep the physical load on the SMA connector light, and it should last a long time.

I found that when testing/transmitting on higher freqs on an *opened up* transceiver, the SWR was extremely high.  This was with a typical dual-band VHF/UHF mobile on a dual-band antenna.  The antenna (or di/triplexer and multiple antennas) that you'd need to cover transmitting on the 2m, 70cm, and 471 MHz ranges would probably be an engineering feat.  I think it would be difficult to get a good match on 443 MHZ and 471 MHz, with a common 2/70 dual-band antenna.

I no longer perform any *opening up* of the tx range on any VHF/UHF radios that I acquire.  I have a few commercial VHF and UHF radios that perform well (and legally) on the VHF or UHF freqs out of the amateur bands, as well as on the 2m and 70cm bands.  I am licensed to operate on the GMRS (UHF) and some VHF fire freqs when working in my official capacity.

Sticking with a stock tx range dual-band radio and a well-tuned 2/70 antenna should offer the best reliability and longevity for the radio.

Thanks for the info.  The price of the relay isn't too bad.  The current run is Belden 8257 RG-8/U.  Rather than run a second length of RG-8, a single run of LMR400 or 1/2" Heliax for the dual 6m antenna setup would be nice.  It would also require only one Polyphaser suppressor instead of two.  I already have a run of 1/2" Heliax (for a tri-band 2m/440/1200 antenna) and a run of LMR400 (for a dual band 2m/440 antenna) also going to the same entry/exit point.