Cranston PD - Possible Encryption

[greggerm]

Good evening, folks...

Flipping on the SDS100 tonight for some evening listening, and I'm having an odd, unexpected issues with Cranston PD.

Instead of crisp and clear reception I usually get on their P25 frequencies, I'm getting an occasional quick hitting garbled mess. I'm not entirely sure what an encrypted channel actually sounds like, but its entirely unreadable and I fear that Cranston has made "the shift".

I've power cycled, refreshed the Sentinel database (no changes to the freqs or designations), and reloaded my scanners programming to no avail.

I don't think it's my hardware, so can someone else local take a listen to see if you're experiencing the same thing?

(Crossing my fingers that maybe they're making a shift to RISCON and we just need to wait for the d/b to update....)

-Greg

 

[W1KNE]

I don't think it's my hardware, so can someone else local take a listen to see if you're experiencing the same thing?

(Crossing my fingers that maybe they're making a shift to RISCON and we just need to wait for the d/b to update....)

Listening now, definitely encrypted.

DB will be changed to reflect encryption when I verify to what level they are.

 

[greggerm]

(sigh)

That's what I was afraid of. Well, it was a good 40+ years of listening.

Thanks for the confirmation, Mike.

 

[GM]

This is what encryption sounds like on a P25 frequency: http://www.w2sjw.com/sounds/Phase-II_Encryption.mp3

Most of the time, the SDS100 will mute that sound. However, sometimes it will slip though without it being muted.

 

[W1KNE]

OK I have changed the DB to "Partial" in case it was left on for some reason (although I suspect it isn't).
If it remains fully encrypted by the weekend, I'll change it to full.
We need to keep an ear on 482.4625 and 482.5625 to see if they are also encrypted as well.

 

[W1KNE]

Most of the time, the SDS100 will mute that sound. However, sometimes it will slip though without it being muted.

Yes, but the SDS will show "ENCRY" on the top if the transmission being received is encrypted.

 

[n3obl]

Yes, but the SDS will show "ENCRY" on the top if the transmission being received is encrypted.

But only if you can sit on the channel. When scanning it can skip it so fast you dont catch it. This is why i prefer that you could set to not skip and just output the garbled audio.

 

[W1KNE]

But only if you can sit on the channel. When scanning it can skip it so fast you dont catch it. This is why i prefer that you could set to not skip and just output the garbled audio.

That would be great if they implemented that in a future firmware upgrade. For both trunked and conventional systems.

Also I heard that have officially switched to FT Encryption on Ch 1 and Ch 2.

 

[W1KNE]

Also FYI, I just monitored. F1, F2 are fully encrypted. F3 are in the clear.

 

[floridafuzz]

I have been listening to Cranston PD since they were on 155.525 (I think that was their frequency, back in the day). I have not heard anything on my Unication G5 for about a week or so. I have my Unication G5 programmed to ignore encrypted channels and it has been quiet as a church mouse. I have all 4 frequencies programmed in, F1,F2,F3,F4. F1 is used the most, F2 is 2nd, F3 only once in a while, and F4 was not able to be heard as it is used car to car and never went thru the repeater.
I will really miss them as well as I am familiar with Cranston.
Did anybody ever hear them on their RISCON channel that they never used?

 

[kandzerskim]

listening here in Cranston ad only get fire

 

[W1KNE]

I have been listening to Cranston PD since they were on 155.525 (I think that was their frequency, back in the day). I have not heard anything on my Unication G5 for about a week or so. I have my Unication G5 programmed to ignore encrypted channels and it has been quiet as a church mouse. I have all 4 frequencies programmed in, F1,F2,F3,F4. F1 is used the most, F2 is 2nd, F3 only once in a while, and F4 was not able to be heard as it is used car to car and never went thru the repeater.
I will really miss them as well as I am familiar with Cranston.
Did anybody ever hear them on their RISCON channel that they never used?

155.5250? Likely not. 155.5200 perhaps? (155.525 isn't a 'valid' frequency).

Never have heard their RISCON channel. And F3 is still in the clear for some reason.

 

[floridafuzz]

155.5250? Likely not. 155.5200 perhaps? (155.525 isn't a 'valid' frequency).

Never have heard their RISCON channel. And F3 is still in the clear for some reason.

W1KNE-
Do you know what frequency Cranston PD had before transitioning to UHF back in the day. You piqued my curiosity when you stated 155.525 isn't a valid frequency. I googled it but I cannot find it posted anywhere on the net. I donated all my Police Call books a long time ago. I knew someone back in the 1960's that was able to tune up the cans on an FM radio past 108 mhz and I used to listen that way before crystal scanners became available. Thanks in advance for any info you or someone else would be able to provide.