Boston PD P25 Encryption

jaymatt1978

Member
Joined
May 18, 2003
Messages
2,371
Reaction score
1,060
Location
Cape May,NJ
All joking aside, even though I'm a die-hard NY fan, I loved scanning Boston in the 90's with first a Uniden SC200 and later a BC-246T! I went there on an eighth grade class trip and did most of my scanning in the hotel room at night!! Such good times
 

kc2asb

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,670
Reaction score
2,397
Location
NYC Area
All joking aside, even though I'm a die-hard NY fan, I loved scanning Boston in the 90's with first a Uniden SC200 and later a BC-246T! I went there on an eighth grade class trip and did most of my scanning in the hotel room at night!! Such good times
Indeed, fun times!

Back in 1989, my parents drove up to MA for an older cousin's wedding. When I was packing for the trip, my mother came into my room and saw me packing my Bearcat 140XLT and a frequency guide and just shook her head.

We stayed at a hotel in Lowell along with several other members of our family. Any chance I had to break away from family stuff was spent in the hotel room plugging in frequencies and seeing what I could hear. I don't remember being able to pick up the Boston PD, but certainly Lowell and some of the nearby towns, as well as some amateur repeaters.

I kept a log in the back of the Betty Bearcat guide, which I still have somewhere, along with the old 140XLT. Your story instantly brought back that trip 36 years ago!
 

beaterbox

Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Messages
100
Reaction score
34
Location
Massachusetts
Did I miss something? The article states this...

In a news release, Boston police said the new digital encrypted system will update antiquated equipment, provide better coverage, lessen background noise and static, and prevent “bad actors” from monitoring or interfering with police activity.

If you can still hear the feed via the delayed broadcast, then what's the point of the encryption?
 

ecps92

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2002
Messages
15,686
Reaction score
4,110
Location
Taxachusetts
Did I miss something? The article states this...

In a news release, Boston police said the new digital encrypted system will update antiquated equipment, provide better coverage, lessen background noise and static, and prevent “bad actors” from monitoring or interfering with police activity.

If you can still hear the feed via the delayed broadcast, then what's the point of the encryption?
To delay the Bad Guys and Media from arriving before Officers do. :cool:

Until tommorrow around Noon, we will then know the time delay upon implementation, altho subject to change
 

garys

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Messages
6,494
Reaction score
1,534
Location
Central Texas
Ironically, yesterday two PA State Troopers were ambushed when the responded to a call for a woman shot. The shooter stayed on scene until they arrived. PA has encrypted the radio traffic for years.
 

beaterbox

Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Messages
100
Reaction score
34
Location
Massachusetts
But if the point of implementing the encryption is to make the police transmissions private, then what's the point if you're going to still broadcast it via a feed regardless if it's delayed or not. Seems like a dumb decision that serves no purpose.
 

kc2asb

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,670
Reaction score
2,397
Location
NYC Area
But if the point of implementing the encryption is to make the police transmissions private, then what's the point if you're going to still broadcast it via a feed regardless if it's delayed or not. Seems like a dumb decision that serves no purpose.
As stated above, the delay addresses the issue of officer safety. Encrypting the channels makes it impossible to monitor the transmissions in real time using a scanner. The BPD provided the feeds in the name of transparency. It even says so on the BPD's website.

The press and the public can still keep tabs on what is going on in their neighborhoods and the bad actors can no longer use scanners to gain an advantage over the police. Seems like a pretty smart decision,
 

garys

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Messages
6,494
Reaction score
1,534
Location
Central Texas
Delay the bad guys from running away before police arrive, most likely. Since they are already there committing the crime.

To delay the Bad Guys and Media from arriving before Officers do. :cool:

Until tommorrow around Noon, we will then know the time delay upon implementation, altho subject to change
 

exkalibur

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Aug 15, 2006
Messages
3,014
Reaction score
530
Location
York, Ontario
But if the point of implementing the encryption is to make the police transmissions private, then what's the point if you're going to still broadcast it via a feed regardless if it's delayed or not. Seems like a dumb decision that serves no purpose.
They maintain control over the feed, that's the big thing. If something major happens (think, the search for the Marathon bombers years ago), they could disable the feed.
 

kc2asb

Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
1,670
Reaction score
2,397
Location
NYC Area
They maintain control over the feed, that's the big thing. If something major happens (think, the search for the Marathon bombers years ago), they could disable the feed.
I was listening via Broadcastify to the aftermath. At some point, the feed was stopped.
 
Last edited:
Joined
May 19, 2019
Messages
120
Reaction score
33
How does Boston PD plan to handle partner agencies who monitor them, think State, Colleges, EMS, will they be given the keys?
 

W1KNE

Chief Jabroni
Database Admin
Joined
Feb 15, 2010
Messages
2,420
Reaction score
3,100
Location
New England
I was listening via Broadcastify to the aftermath. At some point, the feed was stopped.
The feed provider, knew of the sensitivity of the situation and pulled the plug on the feed, despite having the record number of listeners.
 

ctiller

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
216
Reaction score
161
at least they have this feed website-looks pretty neat. not as good as scanning, but way better than nothing
 

garys

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Messages
6,494
Reaction score
1,534
Location
Central Texas
I took a quick look at the website. It's too bad that the aren't going to include Channel 7. There was frequently some amusing traffic there.
 
Top