Cherokee County: Man heard on dispatch Frequency

[sixes6462]

So Cherokee county might want to move up there P25 date. People never seem to amaze me anymore


Do you recognize this voice? Man repeatedly heard on emergency radio frequencies


Posted Jun 04 2019 06:30PM EDT
Updated Jun 04 2019 06:31PM EDT
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and Marshal’s Office released audio Tuesday of a person who deputies said has been broadcasting on their emergency frequencies.
Investigators said the individual sounds like a man and have been broadcasting over sheriff’s office and fire department’s radio frequencies for the last three weeks.
"Will you send me over a hamburger and a milkshake please?” the man appears to ask on the first audio clip, dated May 15.



"It's about to my bedtime now, so I'll talk to you tomorrow, alright?" the man could be heard saying on the restricted frequency the next day.
On a third audio clip, a series of tones could be heard followed by a conversation between an emergency official and a dispatcher.
"Are you toning something out or is someone playing on the frequency?" the emergency official asked.
“Toning” is how dispatchers open radio communication to specific or all units, usually announcing a request for an emergency response.


Investigators said they have been able to document 50 times the man interfered on the restricted emergency frequencies.
"If a suspect is identified during this investigation, they will be charged with federal and state crimes," said Chief Marshal Ron Hunton. "This type of interference on public safety radio frequencies will not be tolerated."
Emergency officials are hoping someone will recognize the suspect’s voice and will come forward before this it causes something extremely bad to happen.
Tipsters can call 911 or investigators at 770-928-0239.

 

[MTS2000des]

Cherokee's transition to the Cobb regional system can't come soon enough. Since all Cobb subscribers across the region are APX, a good move will be to implement subscriber authentication. This will put an end to this nonsense, cloned radios from Scambay, etc.
These situations, thanks to the widespread availability of imported (and non-FCC compliant) "field programmable" part 90 radios to the general public, demonstrate just how venerable to penetration by third parties.

This sure doesn't happen on First Net/LTE...

 

[doctordialtone]

venerable to penetration

venerable
[ ven-er-uh-buh l ]

adjective
commanding respect because of great age or impressive dignity; worthy of veneration or reverence, as because of high office or noble character:a venerable member of Congress.

a title for someone proclaimed by the Roman Catholic Church to have attained the first degree of sanctity or of an Anglican archdeacon.
(of places, buildings, etc.) hallowed by religious, historic, or other lofty associations:the venerable halls of the abbey.
impressive or interesting because of age, antique appearance, etc.:a venerable oak tree.
extremely old or obsolete; ancient:a venerable automobile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
vulnerable
[ vuhl-ner-uh-buh l ]

adjective
capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt, as by a weapon:a vulnerable part of the body.

open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc.:an argument vulnerable to refutation; He is vulnerable to bribery.
(of a place)

open to assault; difficult to defend:a vulnerable bridge.

 

[RRR]

Is he doing this on an analog frequency, or on a trunked system? I know Cobb County is on a trunked system, but I don't venture up into Cherokee County very much.

 

[MTS2000des]

Cherokee is currently on conventional analog FM.

They recently signed an IGA with Cobb to join the Cobb system and are in the early stages of build out, acquiring new subscribers, etc.

The interference/pirate is on their current VHF conventional analog system.

 

[w4amp]

I guess the FCC is failing public safety now as well. Real shame.

 

[buddrousa]

This only helps the case for Encryption as most LEO's do not understand that the new TRS's are better protected but they want all the protection they can get. BTW love those FANGS and other CCR.

 

[MTS2000des]

Encryption alone won't thwart unauthorized access to a TRS. Cloned radios can still be an issue. The sure fire, guaranteed way to end unauthorized access into a P-25 trunked radio system is subscriber authentication. A system can have authentication enabled and not use encryption.

Sadly, authentication adds cost and additional provisioning which means more overhead for radio support staff, which can be thin to non-existent in many places.

LTE/5G of course has none of these issues. SIM/IMEI not provisioned? No workie. Unless someone is an authorized account manager, no way to put a device on an account.

 

[RRR]

Yea, but the average drunkard or whatever can't get into a P25 system like they can a regular conventional analog system. Very easy to get an old Fire portable and go to yakking. P25, and they got a RID, usually can pinpoint the location.

This is apparently some knucklehead that somehow got a hold of an old radio, not someone with even decent radio knowledge.

 

[MTS2000des]

Yea, but the average drunkard or whatever can't get into a P25 system like they can a regular conventional analog system.

You'd be surprised. I regularly inhibit rogue radios, they're obvious to spot on GenWatch, usually with garbage RIDs, FDMA radios trying to affiliate on TDMA only TGs, console IDs used, you name it, I see it. Searching these very forums show dozens of threads titled "how do I program my eBay XTS on xxxx trunked system. I just want to listen." or "it keeps saying SYS REG REFUSED". Other standouts are radios that register on TGs they don't "belong" to. Typically trunking system managers design fleet maps and RIDs around a pattern. We did just that in my shop. Easy to spot something odd among thousands of active RIDs.

P25, and they got a RID, usually can pinpoint the location.

How so? On my system, I have 15 RFSS, sure, I can login to the GCM8000 comparator from my NM client and watch where someone is when they transmit, but with TTAs and the sensitivity on the GTR8000 being what it is, I see portables on the south end of the county bumping north end sites. There's quite a bit more to it than the RID alone.

This is apparently some knucklehead that somehow got a hold of an old radio, not someone with even decent radio knowledge.

I truly HOPE this is the culprit, but it would not surprise me if this is someone with quite a bit more knowledge. Lots of minds are at work, and leads are being followed up on.

 

[buddrousa]

I have known 10 year old children get their hands on used kenwood radios and software program the radio themself and get on Local Government Repeaters its not that hard all the information is here.

 

[MTS2000des]

I guess the FCC is failing public safety now as well. Real shame.

They do act when public safety complains. And they do take it seriously.

 

[buddrousa]

They just do not have the field agents like they did in the 70's.

 

[WX4JCW]

Not much reason to actually have a system radio anymore with the current Unication and Uniden Offerings, had some kid on Facebook want to program an XTS5000, saying he was going into EMS, why in the hell would you jeopardize a possible job doing dumb stuff like that


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[buddrousa]

Because they do not know better and have not been held accountable for their actions

 

[MTS2000des]

had some kid on Facebook want to program an XTS5000, saying he was going into EMS, why in the hell would you jeopardize a possible job doing dumb stuff like that

Several idiot reasons. Usually (in this order):

1. Because "some kid" whacker wants a radio that looks like a po-po/fire/EMS radio to look the part
2. Because "some kid" whacker has ZERO knowledge of the danger that an improperly programmed subscriber can pose to legit users of said system(s)
3. Because "some kid" whacker has no idea that their actions of illicitly programming and using a transceiver that emits RF on frequencies/systems they aren't authorized does not only constitute a Federal offense, but felonies in just about every state which can have life changing consequences.

Then there are those arrogant prick "whacker kid" types that don't care. and those are the ones that deserve the maximum penalties allowed by law and get sent to a "pound you in the xxx prison".

 

[relicwr]

Then there are those arrogant prick "whacker kid" types that don't care. and those are the ones that deserve the maximum penalties allowed by law and get sent to a "pound you in the xxx prison".

I love Office Space.

 

[Giddyuptd]

Reminds me of a county nearby that got rid of a ton of old ht750s saying who cares they are old and went to a newer radio. Short while later they had people popping up transmitting on their channels once their equipment got surplus auctioned then ended up on local Facebook sales pages.

 

[RRR]

I'll bet if the SO would get up with the local HAM club, they would have a ball triangulating the offender.

I don't think Enc. is an issue here, hopefully this incident (or series thereof) won't put Cherokee County in the mindset of publicity trying to justify Enc. because of this.

And what do you bet, if it isn't someone with an old county radio, that they are a member here?