ScanRiverside.com

cvrules90, "free" and Riverside County DO NOT MIX. They can't afford enough radios for line staff, let alone to give out to the public.

cvrules90 wrote:I think what should happen is that all scanner hobbyists should be given free radios if they pass a background check. Encryption goes in place so that crooks can't follow police force comms while holding up a bank for example. If someone has a clear background check, there's no excuse why he or she shouldn't be able to have accesss to encryption.

And not just in RVC but wherever encryption is the norm. Especially OC where all police forces are encrypted.

LOL... ok.

What you don't seem to understand is that "encryption" is not a "mode" where, if you get an encryption capable radio, it'll just work. You can go on eBay right now and get a P25 phase II encryption capable radio right now, today. You can also buy the keyloader. This is stuff in current listings. So, the technology is readily available to the public.

What you don't seem to get, however, is the encryption part, and how it works. You won't decode it unless the radio is loaded with the proper "key". It's the key that makes makes and breaks the code. Even with the keyloader, you're not going to ever get the key to enter into the radio. And the point with the keyloader, and OTAR (over the air rekeying) is that it enables the system administrators to change the keys whenever they feel a need. Which could be daily if they so desire. So, if you were to manage to get a lucky guess, load the radio with a key that works, and decode encrypted communications, as soon as they rekey the radios, your radio has just been turned into a brick. I forget how many QUADRILLIONS of possible key codes there are, but needless to say, if you were to get one lucky guess the first time, you won't get lucky a second time.

It gets worse. The real radios, like I mention are on ebay, require a system key just to program them to a trunking system. P25 Phase II systems like PSEC will require advanced system keys, which is a USB dongle plugged into the programming laptop. Without it, you can't program the system into the radio. You can program conventional stuff all day long, though.

But wait! It get's even worse than that. The system will require that particular radio ID be authorized into each and every separate site in the system in order for it to affiliate, and receive traffic. Pick a random ID and plug it into the radio, and it it's authorized, it's probably a dup, and the system admin WILL find it, and kill your radio. If it's not a dup, it's probably not authorized, and the radio won't ever hear a thing. Even if the transmissions are in the clear.

So, buying an encryption capable radio on eBay isn't such a hot idea, even though they're out there.

As to free radios, no one is going to give away free radios. Who's going to pay for it?? The taxpayers are already pissed off about feeding the hungry children of crack whores and other deadbeats. You really think they want to buy radios for a bunch of radio geeks? The background check idea won't work. The idea behind encryption is to control who gets to listen. Background checks can be flawed. They can miss a threat (Edward Snowden, for example), but the real issue is, with hobbyist access to encrypted communications, it's only a matter of time before the bad guys get a hold of it.

The whole idea is incredibly naive, and it's not going to happen. When RSO goes encrypted, you'll need to find something else to listen to. Period.

Another issue with "leasing" encrypted radios is that the system admins would no longer have control over the information. Someone with one of the leased radios could then start providing a "stream" online so his friends or other co-workers could listen in on their smartphones or desktop computers. Whoever is providing the "stream" could also make $$ off selling passwords to the audio stream for enthusiasts to listen in. Why would a media agency lease 10 radios for reporters when they can lease one and stream the audio on their own internal server and allow ALL their reporters access to the audio stream on smartphones.

What's a dup anyway?

"zz0468" is probably referring to a "duplicate" radio ID number. This triggers an alarm at the system administrator's console basically indicating there is a "cloned" radio on the network.

N6AJB wrote:"zz0468" is probably referring to a "duplicate" radio ID number. This triggers an alarm at the system administrator's console basically indicating there is a "cloned" radio on the network.

I hear that with EDACS radios, they have a disable feature that if one's stolen, they can be disabled from both RX and TX (like your company can disable your cell phone or your bank can lock your debit card).

Yes, both EDACS and Motorola radios can be disabled. It makes them appear dead, no tx, no rx, and nothing on the display.

And yes, a dup is short for duplicate.