D-STAR reflector questions

I have some questions about D-STAR reflectors and I urge others to post their own questions in this thread too!

So, say I am connected to a repeater near me (KJ66BWR B in Malibu, CA – part of PAPA). I have it so that I can link to reflector 12A which I believe connects to a bunch of other repeaters around the area. I see a whole list of reflectors on this dstar info site. Can I link to ANY of these listed reflectors through that Malibu repeater? Would I just program in for example reflector 10c in place of 12a in order to reach out to New England?

Also, one more question…How does the linking and unlinking of reflectors work? If I’m unlinked, I’m only talking on the local repeater I’m assuming. But once I’m linked to the 12a reflector, that means that everybody connected to the 12a reflector can hear me and talk to me? If this is true, then why don’t I hear a ton of people talking on the 12a reflector at one? Wouldn’t it get crowded fast? Right now I can only reach that Malibu repeater and I’ve only been trying the 12a reflector so I’m just curious how to branch out further to talk to people in another country or across the USA.

I’m using an ID-51a plus handheld.

submitted by /u/getoffmylawn14
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