Baltimore City Police Encrypted soon

[SpectralContent]

Hoping they adapt the Broadcastify Calls platform for the feed. Atleast delayed transmissions would be organized better and no calls would be missed as would with one big conglomerate with every talk group stepping on each other.

One recent article made a comment that BFD has upgraded equipment for encrypted use as well. Do we know if encryption/delay stapplies to the whole simulcast system or just police as has been the plan from the get go?

 

[maus92]

Encryption starts at either the subscriber unit (field radios) or at the console, and is decrypted by the same devices. The intermediate networking, telecom and RF equipment simply passes the encrypted voice as data (1's and 0's) and could care less if it is encrypted or not. The fire side AFAIK is not encrypted, save for a few admin tgs. You would need to add encryption to subscriber units (by replacing the XTS/XTL5000s) with current models and properly optioned, and replace dispatch consoles with the current MCC7500 series.

 

[SpectralContent]

Encryption starts at either the subscriber unit (field radios) or at the console, and is decrypted by the same devices. The intermediate networking, telecom and RF equipment simply passes the encrypted voice as data (1's and 0's) and could care less if it is encrypted or not. The fire side AFAIK is not encrypted, save for a few admin tgs. You would need to add encryption to subscriber units (by replacing the XTS/XTL5000s) with current models and properly optioned, and replace dispatch consoles with the current MCC7500 series.

I am aware of how encryption works. One article hinted that fire upgraded equipment with the intention to encrypt as well, which seemed odd. Thus my question. I wouldn't think it would make any sense myself. Maybe it was just out of the limited knowledge that these news sources have on the interworkings of encryption that the ability to encrypt does not mean they have to be encrypted.

 

[empire550]

I am aware of how encryption works. One article hinted that fire upgraded equipment with the intention to encrypt as well, which seemed odd. Thus my question. I wouldn't think it would make any sense myself. Maybe it was just out of the limited knowledge that these news sources have on the interworkings of encryption that the ability to encrypt does not mean they have to be encrypted.

There is a lot of encrypted assets out there that a fire department would need access to for them to justify upgrading equipment without actually encrypting their channels. State event channels, other jurisdictions, PD etc.

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

Looks like the feeds are already up on Broadcastify separated by district.

 

[KR3LC]

Listening to BPD Southern District and dispatch is in the clear. No portables are being heard though.

 

[Spleen]

It seems entirely random...I fired up SDRTrunk thinking I'd get pretty much dead air, but no. Some transmissions do show up as encrypted, but there is a lot of traffic that is not.

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

Switchover did occur at 3am. Dispatchers told officers to use their new radios and if they had issues with their radio to head to the radio shop. Dispatch is still in the clear. Some BPD are using their old radios for unknown reasons (maybe they forgot to bring their new radio?).

All new radio traffic is now encrypted. Per users in the field, all old radios can hear the dispatcher but can’t hear field users using the encrypted radios.

My guess is once they ensure all users are using the encrypted radios, they will make dispatch encrypted.

 

[resnickm]

Switchover did occur at 3am. Dispatchers told officers to use their new radios and if they had issues with their radio to head to the radio shop. Dispatch is still in the clear. Some BPD are using their old radios for unknown reasons (maybe they forgot to bring their new radio?).

All new radio traffic is now encrypted. Per users in the field, all old radios can hear the dispatcher but can’t hear field users using the encrypted radios.

My guess is once they ensure all users are using the encrypted radios, they will make dispatch encrypted.

It would be nice if they kept dispatch in the clear, but unfortunately I suspect you are probably correct. San Francisco PD is the only example off the top of my head of a department that purposefully configured a "hybrid" encryption system with dispatch in the clear.

Oh well, I guess we should enjoy the real-time dispatches while they last 🤷‍♂️

 

[maus92]

There are officers on leave, off - shift etc. that won't have access to new equipment for a few days. It's how Baltimore rolls.

 

[hill]

I guess it's time to remove the BPD talkgroups from the G4.

Only listen to PD infrequently, since mostly interested in fire. Guess I won't really miss this much.

 

[Dispatcher308]

I am aware of how encryption works. One article hinted that fire upgraded equipment with the intention to encrypt as well, which seemed odd. Thus my question. I wouldn't think it would make any sense myself. Maybe it was just out of the limited knowledge that these news sources have on the interworkings of encryption that the ability to encrypt does not mean they have to be encrypted.

It was a poorly researched and written article!

we all know how the media gets it correct 100% of the time!

 

[1977addis]

I was told by an officer while working the Marathon that the biggest problem right now is that they don't have all the new radios, so they decided to push the project back instead of doing it half-assed. He did express surprise when I told him that the TGs that used to be encrypted have been running in the clear (they may have fixed that since then).

As of today 7-26-23 of course Pd is now E but I still see a TON of XTS 5000’s on the PD side.

 

[The_B_Chief]

Looks like keys and ALGOMSTRS are available on that "other" website.
OMNILNK and OMNISHR appear to NOT be interchangeable like the other Phase I systems in the state.

 

[ma8007]

Looks like keys and ALGOMSTRS are available on that "other" website.
OMNILNK and OMNISHR appear to NOT be interchangeable like the other Phase I systems in the state.

Could someone please explain what this means?

 

[lebrunmn]

Could someone please explain what this means?

I'm glad I'm not the only one scratching his head... I just figured it was one of those "if you know, you know" type of comments. But hey, who am I to question Gen. Patton?

 

[Fireman674va]

Looks like keys and ALGOMSTRS are available on that "other" website.
OMNILNK and OMNISHR appear to NOT be interchangeable like the other Phase I systems in the state.

What other website?

 

[LeSueurC]

What other website?

Would love to find that so called website 👀👀

 

[Dispatcher308]

I think he's blowing smoke or inhaling it!

 

[ma8007]

I think he's blowing smoke or inhaling it!

No doubt..I messaged the op and got no response..