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The only reason I'm interested in P25 is to RX LEO/EMS frequencies to keep track of what's going on same as I monitor DPS on NFM. You'd be surprised at all the stuff going on on the roadways.

This is at least one of your problems. Imagine sitting next to a window air conditioner while your wife is talking to you at normal speaking voice from another room. Without the AC you would probably hear her. But with the AC, even though her voice is no quieter, the AC is making it very hard to hear her, because it's dominating your hearing. The radio that is transmitting TO the repeater is transmitting at maybe 5 to 15w. That's a very loud window air conditioner, to follow this example. The repeater is the quiet voice in another room. Your receiving radio is sitting next to the window air conditioner, in this example. It cannot "hear" the repeater because there's a very strong signal next to it. This is called de-sensing. The listening radio is desensitized by the overwhelming output of the nearby transmitting radio, preventing it from hearing the very distant radio (the repeater).

In addition to bonding to a water pipe (and a jumper around the non-conductive water meter), my electrical service has a ground rod in the floor under the panels. From there, I have #4 wire through the basement wall to outside, where it runs in an "L" pattern about 100' to the back of the house and then along the back wall. Every 16' I have an 8' long ground rod that the #4 passes through via clamps. That #4 then comes up the back wall of the house about 6', where it is connected to the lightning protector for the antenna.

That's the type of ID used for P25 digital voice mode. Not without a real P25 radio, or a hot spot with the P25 protocol built in. Note P25 radios are expensive. Some used radios people have them priced like Gold Bricks, and IMHO they are way over priced. You can buy really nice used DMR and NXDN radios far cheaper than the P25 stuff. For example this is a section of Kenwoods 2024 catalog. Look at the cost to add P25 conventional verses DMR conventional to one of their top tier NX5000 HT's. Note they come out of the box enabled already for NXDN. https://comms.kenwood.com/special/nx_5000/common/pdf/nx_5000_brochure_2016.pdf The price is shocking to say the least. Other manufactures will rape you just as bad. P25 radios are expensive, I'm guessing,for a couple of reasons. One it's a requirement for many emergency communications systems, and its used by just about every government agency. Second, and I don''t know if it's still true or not, but there were/are government grants to cover some of the cost of the equipment. Of course as soon as the government starts handing out money the prices go up because the manufactures figure the end buyer isn't footing the whole bill so the cost, to them out of pocket, isn't as big of a deal.

I've tried to hit 725/Shaw Butte which I normally would hit easily but lately I've had no luck with it. Even on our list there's only a couple repeaters in the Metro Phoenix area.

No worries, I was sure you were only trying to help. I purposely didn’t quote your post so it wouldn’t be saved in mine.

I've done pretty good flipping certain Hytera Radio Equip.. Mostly Hytera Repeaters. I do weekly search's on the stuff and have noticed a huge decline in Hytera equip adds over the last month. Then yesterday i got an email from an ebay seller i've worked with telling me Ebay is restricting Hytera related adds. Not only do i see a decline in Hytera stuff but other manufactures i.e. Motorola, Kenwood etc.. Apparently Hytera is on the Homeland Security radar over networking issues..

Not sure what CCS7 is. I understand DMR and P25. Also, another question, will I be able to RX P25 channels?

You can go on eBay right now and find serialized firearm receivers, suppressors, and any number of highly illegal things... They do not care at all. Call me cynical but somehow I can't see them cracking down on radios in any meaningful way. If the ATF can't get them to enforce the law what chance does the FCC have.

I live in Califailure.. Ebay does have capability to censor adds based on states and their laws.

I agree. I don’t understand.

That's sort of interesting. You have two different ID's that both show as working for DMR/P25. Not sure why the first one shows for DMR/P25/CCS7 since your DMR ID should work for that already unless they are maintaining two separate databases for DMR and CCS7.

You have to use the OpenGD77 CPS. You want to. That’s the whole point of going to OpenGD77 is to be able to use the much simpler CPS.

Interesting. I guess it’s possible that because you live somewhere else that your eBay results are censored. Is that your state government or eBay’s doing?

If my radio comes with GD77 installed do I still use the factory CPS or is there one made just for GD77 that I'll need to use? Also, would it be possible to add a DMR section to the Forum?

The simple answer is no, don’t invite the lightning into your house. Which is the most direct way for a lightning induced surge to get to the service ground? The box where your surge suppressors are is also connected to your service ground, but if running from the mast ground to the service ground is straighter, then that’s what you should do. Motorola R56 is the bible of station grounding, but most questions related to home amateur radio equipment bonding and grounding can be answered with this document: https://reeve.com/Documents/Articles Papers/Reeve_AntennaSystemGroundingRequirements.pdf On page 3 is a diagram that shows a bonding conductor running from the mast to the antenna discharge unit and then to the service ground. On page 10 it shows a bonding electrode running from a tower to a grounding electrode and then to the service ground electrode with a separate ground conductor running from the antenna discharge unit and the service ground, so it can be done either way.

Randy, Looks like you are 100% correct. The seller sent me the same page Ebay sent him notifying him of their denialing of allowiing him to sell Hytera stuff. Kirk, The link below is what eBay sends. Evidently eBay searches for key words RD-982, or Repeater. The word Hytera itself does not trigger the response below. Notice this dates back some time. https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist

Try looking at the MyGMRS listings instead of RepeaterBook. AZ shows 59 without stale or offline option enabled in the state and 125 with stale and offline enabled.

Here's a pic of what I have. One I.D. will do 3 modes and the other will do 2.

Do a web search for "Motorola R56" and you will find a PDF of a guide used for professional radio sites. This has an entire section on grounding, something that is often neglected until a lightening strike or power issue takes out most of the equipment. As to your questions, I would not recommend running through your floor joists....better as short and direct a run as possible. Don't go near your gas line either. As direct and short as possible with heavy gauge grounding wire, from your radio to a copper ground rod. Rod to bonding box and on to service ground should be fine though, unless you have hundreds of feet around your house for that too. Look at the amateur radio book/website you must have studies at some point for your license.....it will have some guidance for grounding as well. Keep it short and simple. Good luck.

I know this has been discussed and just read a 3 page discussion but it did not answer my question. I am setting up my shack with GMRS and Ham. I understand the grounding and bonding but have a bonding wire routing question. My home was built in 1972 and the service ground from the breaker box connects to the copper water pipe inside the house where it goes through the concrete in the basement. That line runs 5’ under the ground. My grounding rods are about 40’ away on the end of the house. Can the wire for bonding the service ground and mast ground rods be run through my floor joists? It will also pass close the duct for my heat registers. Is that an issue? I read a post somewhere that said not to but have only seen that once. I can’t go in front of my house or I would have to tear up a lot of asphalt and concrete. Going all the way around the back to the front would be about 150’ and pass close to my gas line and gas meter unless I go further out in the lawn. A second question. Should that bonding wire run directly from rod to service ground or can I run it from rod to bonding box where my lightning arrestors are then from the box to the service ground? Been doing a lot of reading and get more confused as I read more. Can’t find anything that really covers my situation.

big difference between HYT and Hytera. Yes HYT is manufactured by Hytera but as a different enity. HYT radios and software are down low in quality and options. HYT is basically another Baoefeng.. Hytera produces commercial stuff competing with Motoroloa and are actually good radios.. And yes, Hytera, like most Chinese companies, have stolen technologies, most notably from Motorola to win some dominance in the U.S. Lots of school districts and low budget cities and counties used Hytera Radios until Motorola sued them for stealing their technologies. However, that doesn't stop me from latching onto their repeeaters, which are pretty damn nice.

you live in Montqna

Sweet, I'll have to give it a try.

That would do it. It doesn't say anything about recreational use, but they probably don't sell enough for that purpose to be worth shipping them.