SteveShannon

That’s much more likely as well, but the measures described in R56 and the Reeve presentation that I occasionally post protect against that as well. . 

Sometimes, yes.
They need to be properly installed, the rest of the site equipment needs to be properly grounded/bonded and protected. They are not magic. If you don't do the rest of the job right, tossing in a Polyphaser is just a waste of money.
If you pay attention to the rest of the job, install the surge protection properly, you will reduce your chances of damage to something closer to zero.
Search up the Motorola R56 standard. There might even be a video or two on it. It's a heavy read, but you will find out what you need to know to do it right.

Here's a link to the R56 standard:
https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Lands_ROW_Motorola_R56_2005_manual.pdf
 

It’s software. It works in the same radio ham version so why not have it programmed in the GMRS version. It’s the same radio. It’s not a function the GMRS isn’t allowed to have. 

The CW-ID will only transmit the ID when someone transmits something and AFTER it has been at least XX seconds... In other words, if the repeater is quite/nobody is using it for several hours there will be no CW-ID transmitted until the next guy uses the repeater.  

Is it possible that you are misreading the cable, and it's really "RG8/U 95 foam" ??

Here's the latest (2017) Motorola R56 guidelines : https://wiki.w9cr.net/images/4/4a/68P81089E50-C_Standards_and_Guidelines_for_Communication_Sites_R56.pdf

And to answer the OP question "Do arresters work?" yes, but how and why they work is largely misunderstood. Here's a short description for the lay person : https://noji.com/hamradio/pdf-ppt/noji/Noji-Article-Lightning-Arrester.pdf

You really aren’t.  You’re lecturing people and whining about what you perceive as a problem caused by “old hams”. Get off your butt and petition the FCC.  

I looked it up earlier this year and there were something like 13 thousand more active ham licenses last year than the year before.  That doesn’t point to it going away.
Basic testing is necessary in order to ensure that people have learned the bare minimum regulations and a small amount of the science.  Many of the most basic questions that people ask when they become involved in radio are those things that a person learns while studying to pass the Technician test.  Not only that but the questions are all publicly available. Eight year old children pass the test.  Some ham clubs even have one day cram and test days where a person goes through the material for a while and then immediately tests on it.
The test is truly not a barrier unless a person is unwilling to put forth any effort at all.

I have two of the DB20G radios. It’s not as simple as loading a different codeplug, as least on mine. First you must reset the radio with a two finger key press while powering it on. That wipes the memory of all existing channels. You also must choose which frequency ranges where you want your radio to operate. In my opinion if you were to ask the FCC if this nullifies the certification I believe they would tell you that it does, but I have not asked them. I would not ask. The regulations are clear. 

Nope - still doesn’t work that way.
I understand what you mean.  You’re just changing the configuration and there’s no reason that doing so should affect the certification, but the regulations say something different.
c)No GMRS transmitter will be certified for use in the GMRS if it is equipped with a frequency capability not listed in § 95.1763, unless such transmitter is also certified for use in another radio service for which the frequency is authorized and for which certification is also required. No GMRS transmitter will be certified for use in the GMRS if it is equipped with the capabilities to operate in services that do not require equipment certification, such as the Amateur Radio Service. All frequency determining circuitry (including crystals) and programming controls in each GMRS transmitter must be internal to the transmitter and must not be accessible from the exterior of the transmitter operating panel or from the exterior of the transmitter enclosure. 

Well said WRXD372. I appreciate everyone chiming in. I'm going to go and enjoy the holiday now. Thanks everyone.

You really aren’t.  You’re lecturing people and whining about what you perceive as a problem caused by “old hams”. Get off your butt and petition the FCC.  

Without knowing why the rule exists, I would absolutely be in favor of a regulatory change allowing a type 95E certified radio to be used for ham radio as well. Maybe I would change my mind if someone explained the reason for the regulations. 

You really aren’t.  You’re lecturing people and whining about what you perceive as a problem caused by “old hams”. Get off your butt and petition the FCC.  

OMG, thanks my good man that just cleared it up!😀👍

462 is always the output (your RX) and 467 is always the input (your TX).
If you have a 'real' GMRS radio you dont need to worry about that, you just pick the correct repeater 'channel', which will already have the tx and rx setup.

Program your channel to transmit on 467.725 and receive on 462.725. 

Nope - still doesn’t work that way.
I understand what you mean.  You’re just changing the configuration and there’s no reason that doing so should affect the certification, but the regulations say something different.
c)No GMRS transmitter will be certified for use in the GMRS if it is equipped with a frequency capability not listed in § 95.1763, unless such transmitter is also certified for use in another radio service for which the frequency is authorized and for which certification is also required. No GMRS transmitter will be certified for use in the GMRS if it is equipped with the capabilities to operate in services that do not require equipment certification, such as the Amateur Radio Service. All frequency determining circuitry (including crystals) and programming controls in each GMRS transmitter must be internal to the transmitter and must not be accessible from the exterior of the transmitter operating panel or from the exterior of the transmitter enclosure. 

Once you modify if, it is no longer certified for use on GMRS.

You really aren’t.  You’re lecturing people and whining about what you perceive as a problem caused by “old hams”. Get off your butt and petition the FCC.  

It says nothing about monitoring another frequency.  It applies to transmitters. And you must also read all of the regulations in the context of the general rules regarding personal radio services. For instance:
§ 95.337 Operation of impermissibly modified equipment prohibited.
No person shall modify any Personal Radio Service transmitter in a way that changes or affects the technical functioning of that transmitter such that operation of the modified transmitter results in a violation of the rules in this part. This includes any modification to provide for additional transmit frequencies, increased modulation level, a different form of modulation, or increased transmitter output power (either mean power or peak envelope power or both). Any such modification voids the certified status of the modified transmitter and renders it unauthorized for use in the Personal Radio Services. Also, no person shall operate any Personal Radio Service transmitter that has been so modified.
As for repeaters I’ll copy and paste a regulation that allows for devices certified for other uses in a few minutes.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! 

To quote Mayor Vaughn...
"as you see, it's a beautiful day, the beaches are open and people are having a wonderful time" 🥳💥🧨🇺🇸

None of those is an attempt to conceal or disguise meaning.  

I keep reading over and over that the FCC doesn't require any sort of testing or type acceptance for ham radio gear.
Yet I have the July QST magazine in my hand with the new Kenwood TH-75A on the back cover and down at the bottom of the page it clearly says:
THIS DEVICE HAS NOT BEEN AUTHORIZED AS REQUIRED BY THE RULES OF THE FCC THIS DEVICE IS AND AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE UNTIL AUTHORIZATION IS OBTAINED.
I think that the second most misunderstood regulation in ham radio is the type acceptance, manufacture authorization rules.
As a ham operator you can build your OWN gear.  You can sell that gear to others.  No testing or type acceptance required.
Manufactures don't have that.  They have to meet certain requirements.  Type acceptance, or some level of testing to be approved for sale in the US.
Yes, there are requirements for MANUFACTURED ham equipment to be sold in the US. While that might not be 'type acceptance" testing, there is indeed testing that has to be done for manufactured equipment. 
So, not only is the idea that runs around some circles in the ham community that they can cut the TX block out of their ham radio to talk to the police "just in case" but the lack of a requirement for testing of manufactured ham gear is also not technically correct.