Batboard

Hi all:

We are able to read our MOTOTRBo radios, but as the cps says, the encryption password is blank. The dealer will not give us the password even though it is our repeater, building, land and etc. We bought ten used XPR6550s and are trying to add them to the system.


73s
Eric

Thats just the dealer trying to make you go through them to put them on your own system

I would just put a new encryption key in all the radios if possible

I'd sit down with the dealer and ask them why...something fishy is going on.

Gathering 115 portables doesn't excite me.

@thebigphish - yes, they want to be in control of where and when I buy them. I've found several dealers that sell them in the $750 range instead of $950.

Time to find a new dealer. Update your password (more accurately, your key) across all units.

You're still paying too much IMHO but it's your money so spend it as you see fit

The key cannot be read. That would be silly. Think about it. 1 radio gets lost, compromised somehow, and now someone not only has access to your encrypted communications but can reprogram your key into additional radios.

This is just a basic security measure, not being able to retrieve the key from the radio and your radios wouldn't be very secure if you could retrieve the key out of them now would they??

Where there's a will, there is a way. Will WinHex or Depot not read the encryption key?

If you are good at hex editing, maybe. I honestly don't know.


You can buy those radios from any dealer. i would inform your dealer if he wants to sell anymore radios, he needs to cough up that password. If he chooses not to, buy your radios elsewhere and change your key so that your soon to be previous dealer cannot monitor your comms.

Unless you can open the chip by stripping a layer or two off and actually monitoring the comms inside the chip, extracting the encryption key is impossible. You CAN program a new encryption key if you want. Extracting the radio password is doable, but not the key.

Reprogram all the radios or pay the dealer to program your new ones. Your choice.

Edited because I was half asleep.

Why do you need to have your radios with encryption what is your company hiding

....Really?

i'll bet it was that same dealer that suggested the encryption so they could lock them down

ssd wrote:Why do you need to have your radios with encryption what is your company hiding

Yeah, really? That's a silly question.

Taxi cabs and competitors?
Power companies?
Railroads (coming soon to a rail line near you)
GOLD MINES!

ANYONE with a proprietary interest in preventing theft of IP or other business interference will want encryption. Particularly on the Trbo platform where it is FREE.

HLA wrote:i'll bet it was that same dealer that suggested the encryption so they could lock them down

I never could figure out why dealers password protected radios, it just pisses the customer off. Particularly when its a radio shop that is no longer in business, or the radio owner wants to add more systems to their radios from another vendor.

This happens a LOT in the mining industry. Some mines jealously password protect their radios. Doesn't do a bit of good, just an extra annoyance for any radio shop worth its salt.

I never could figure out why dealers password protected radios

So you have to go back to them

...suggested the encryption ...

Yes, the dealer did.


A friendly letter from our lawyer cleared it all up.

The encryption is for SWAT/DTF and a couple other talkgroups. The police dispatch is forced to use the encryption on their talkgroup, but we went the extra step for the citizens. We bought an XPR6550 and CDM1250; and made a 45W analog output 100ft up with DB224. We used the analog license currently held so no one would have to change their scanners or handheld frequency/PL tone.

Wow, nice to see that someone actually is in favor of the citizens being able to hear what's going on. Bravo!

Have you noticed any issues with comms on talkgroups that have encryption enabled? There are several systems in my area (utilities as well as public safety) that have been using privacy, and some of them have had it removed due to various RX issues. Whether or not the encryption was actually to blame, I have no idea..

There are several issues with encryption in MotoTrbo, and most of it relates to matching firmware versions and correctly programming radios.

Our experience is enhanced encryption tends to sound more "digital" than un-encrypted Trbo. Fringe areas can make it worse. We use it for in-progress calls only.