Colorado Anti-Ecryption Bill is still alive

[mmckenna]

I don't know what a console looks like, but I know damn well they can see if that voice channel is encrypted or not.

Not necessarily. Depends on a lot of things.
I'm running a couple of NXDN radios connected to a Zetron console. The radios are tied in via remotes to the console. The encryption is programmed into the radio and strapped to the specific talkgroup that the radio supports. The radio LCD screen will show the encryption icon.
But, the radio is in an equipment room, not the dispatch room. And there's nothing on the console that shows it's encrypted. I know for a fact that our dispatchers and most of the users don't know that I'm running encryption on some of the talkgroups.

As others have said, when setting up the radios, encryption often gets strapped, especially on trunked systems.

 

[poltergeisty]

Well, it seems it varies from system type to system type because I know here in my town in Colorado where they run P25 the dispatcher has made mention a number of times to officers that their coms were not encrypted. So that leads me to believe there's an encryption notification on the dispatcher's console.

Something else I learned, at least for here, is that it seems the RID is tied to the officer and the dispatcher knows who's keying up or if two try to talk at once. It must be a /\/\otorola thing. LOL

 

[mmckenna]

Well, it seems it varies from system type to system type because I know here in my town in Colorado where they run P25 the dispatcher has made mention a number of times to officers that their coms were not encrypted. So that leads me to believe there's an encryption notification on the dispatcher's console.

Maybe, or maybe they just know which channels are encrypted and which ones aren't.

Something else I learned, at least for here, is that it seems the RID is tied to the officer and the dispatcher knows who's keying up or if two try to talk at once. It must be a /\/\otorola thing. LOL

MDC ID's as well as FleetSync, DTMF, etc. will do this on analog. I have MDC1200 set up with our officers on their VHF dispatch channel. Officers radios use their badge number. Vehicle radios use the vehicle number. That will pop up on the channel button on the screen. We're a mix of Motorola and Kenwood. Since the MDC patent expired many years ago, most radios will support it. Makes it easy to tell which officer is talking, and if they are using the portable or mobile. Our entire county is set up that way, and each agency has an assigned block of MDC ID's for them, so knowing the set up will even tell us which agency is talking.

For digital and/or trunked , depending on the interface to the radio system, the console can show radio ID, or an alias. My NexEdge system is set up to show radio ID and the alias (sent out by the radios) on the screen. Makes it easy to tell which radio/department is talking.

Also helps us identify radios that have been lost/stolen or radios that are not supposed to be on the system.

 

[crazyboy]

Most of the time, encryption is strapped and that little concentric switch doesn't do anything. That way you avoid anyone inadvertently talking in the clear when they shouldn't

The poster stated they were told it was available if needed, which to me says it is selectable. I understand it is typically strapped, and that is how it should be.

 

[abqscan]

This thread is closed since folks are no longer on the subject of the topic at hand.