My goal is to listen to San Diego Public Safety including the channels that were recently encyrpted (Escondido Police etc)...My question is, Can you listen to encrypted channels with this radio, and if you can where should I take it to get repaired and programmed? Thanks in advance!
XTL5000's are older radios now. You may be able to find a Motorola shop that can repair it, or find someone on line that is willing to assist. However, bench time at a radio shop that would be able to repair one of those is going to be expensive, as in probably a few hundred bucks. You might be able to send it to the Motorola Depot. They used to do flat rate repair at one time, not sure if they still do, and what it would cost. Probably a few hundred bucks.
And no, as was pointed out, it's not going to allow you to listen to encrypted channels. There are a number of logistical and legal issues in the way of that happening. The radio would need to be the right band split. The radio would need to have proper flashcodes to enable what you want to do with it. You'd need to program in the trunking system correctly. You'd need to have access to the encryption keys.
No system administrator is going to give out encryption keys. That's a career ending move for any technician/administrator. Even if you somehow got them, it's easy for the agencies to change keys and you'd be in the dark again.
Seriously, the cost of getting the radio repaired, then buying the programming cable, tracking down bootleg software, then learning the very complex nature of the software, you'll either go insane, pull all your hair out, and/or end up throwing it all in the trash.
If you were looking for advice on what to do next, I'd say sell the radio as is, make it clear that it's throwing a FL 01/90 code. Someone may buy it for parts.
Take that money and put it towards a scanner or Unication pager. You'll be better off in the long run.
