Making Private Calls

There are actually four types of calls on DMR: "Private", group, All-Call, and Data calls (Text Messaging).

The general feeling of most network operators in the Amateur networks is to discourage "Private" calls because they tie up time slots and other users will not know why.  If you really feel you want a "Private" call use your cellphone. The use of All-CALL is also discouraged except for emergency type use. Data calls (Text messaging) uses very little bandwidth and works fine locally but may not work across the bridges unless they are configured for it.

A repeater operator can also implement RAS (Restricted Access to System) with Key Authentication and keep all the Non-Mototrbo radios from using the system (as they do not support this technology), this will also keep non-authenicated radios from listening to group calls on the RAS enabled repeaters. RAS also allows the repeater operator to lock out individual user IDs, or only allow access to authorized user IDs.

In Canada, encryption is allowed in amateur radio unlike the US.

"Private" calls are not really private, my radio has the option of allowing me to hear ALL calls on a time-slot.

Dstar vs Dmr rx only

You can make your own minds up from this, my icom 5100 is rx via raspi the dp3600 is rx via gb7mb both work great , I would have done fusion also but not a sausage on it up here ..a dead mode

Toronto on the DMR network of 130+ repeaters

It's great to have Toronto on the network of 130+ repeaters now. Our growth has been very strong over the last 3 years. We are in 11 countries now with over 2200 users. We expect Italy to be online very soon. We're offering something that is very new and innovative at http://dmr-marc.net. If you want to join us, we're a tech savvy crew and we have some real neat tools to make sure our network is very reliable and efficient. We only require the MOTOTRBO repeaters since we want to commonize the architecture to a compatible top level and achieve the highest reliability so that our volunteer staff doesn't have to spend hours troubleshooting issues. However, Since DMR is an international standard, you can use several mobiles and portables from Motorola, Vertex Standard, Tait, Kirisun, Hytera, Simoco, the Harris radios that are made by Hytera, and other smaller Chinese startup DMR manufacturers. Do some digging as Dave suggested and you will find the radios are sold by tiers. Some radios lack features and are dirt cheap. Some have all the bells and whistles and cost more. I've seen DMR radios go for as low as $200 new and as high as $625 new, depending on what features you get and from what distributor. XPR8400 Repeaters are less than $2000 USD and contain all you need to get on the network aside from a duplexer and antenna Do your homework and talk to someone who has a TRBO system on the air and ask them what they think. Don't just take our word for it. 73.

DMR just my opinion

DMR is great. I can drive across the state of Michigan and be in coverage of the 12 linked 

DMR repeaters, the radio will 'roam' from site to site without changing channel!
comparing prices d-star is NOT cheap either

DSTAR HT's : id51a $640, IC91 $540, IC92AD $555, ID31 (monoband) $300
DSTAR Mobiles: IC-2820H $944, ID1 $950 ID880H $500
compare that to the price of motorolas DMR's
DMR HT's: XPR7550 $700, XPR6550 $629, SL7550 $700
DMR Mobiles: XPR4550: $550 XPR5550 $600
Also motorolas xpr3500 series is a cheaper DMR radio line with less features then the 6550/7550's

Its true moto makes you Buy CPS, Hytera i think is FREE.

Canadian DMR C-Bridge Launches

On February 23rd, Canada took it’s first step toward the creation of a national amateur radio DMR network with the launch of the first inter-provincial DMR networking server. This server, known commonly as a “c-Bridge”, which is manufactured by Rayfield Communications, will serve as a network hub for Canadian amateur radio DMR repeaters, allowing them to reliably link to one another and to the larger DMR-MARC global network using the Internet. The Canadian c-Bridge is located in Montreal and is currently supporting several DMR repeaters in Ontario and Quebec, including the VA3XPR digital DMR repeater located in downtown Toronto.