Private call on MotoTRBO

[wbswetnam]

I have recently gotten into decoding DMR. I use a tapped Radio Shack Pro-96 scanner linked to a computer running DSD+. With this set up, I have been monitoring the MotoTRBO traffic on a local police department near me. A few times I have noticed "private call" listed among the voice traffic received with DSD+. I did not hear any audio with this "private call". What is this? Is it an encrypted transmission?

 

[WA0CBW]

A private call is a radio to radio call between only 2 users. None of the other users can hear the call. It could be encrypted as well.
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[PACNWDude]

If you find a way to listen to that, many people would like to know how....

With more MotoTrbo radios in the Public Safety arena, you may see more "Private Calls" in time.

 

[WA0CBW]

You can listen to private calls (with a computer and software and a scanner) but encrypted private calls (or group calls) probably isn't going to happen. Private calls on trunking can be monitored just like group calls.
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[Forts]

I have recently gotten into decoding DMR. I use a tapped Radio Shack Pro-96 scanner linked to a computer running DSD+. With this set up, I have been monitoring the MotoTRBO traffic on a local police department near me. A few times I have noticed "private call" listed among the voice traffic received with DSD+. I did not hear any audio with this "private call". What is this? Is it an encrypted transmission?

If they are shown as very brief transmissions they were likely erroneous decodes by DSD+. Every once in a while I'll see private calls pop up as well when I know first hand there aren't any taking place. I just chalk it up to a dirty decode.

 

[JRayfield]

Those 'erroneous' private calls could be ARS (Automatic Registration Service) transmissions. Those are very short and are done as 'private calls' rather than 'group calls'.

John Rayfield, Jr.

If they are shown as very brief transmissions they were likely erroneous decodes by DSD+. Every once in a while I'll see private calls pop up as well when I know first hand there aren't any taking place. I just chalk it up to a dirty decode.

 

[madmilkman]

How to progamm my dp3600 motorola to TX only in private call mode only. Or do i need every time to go to menu and choose between different contacts?

 

[WA0CBW]

Since private call is a radio to radio call you have to "select" which contact you are making a private call to.
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[Forts]

Depending on your model radio you can also program a button to initiate a private call to a particular contact (ie long press P2 = Private call to contact 'Steve').

 

[Flyham]

Depending on your model radio you can also program a button to initiate a private call to a particular contact (ie long press P2 = Private call to contact 'Steve').

Programming a contact in as a mode/channel will also work. Just bear in mind that it will take up a channel space. This shouldn't be a problem unless you have low channel capacity radio.