FCC Enforcement, tasty, tasty enforcement….

[GTR8000]

Except that possession of a Motorola software system key is always going to be a gray area, I don't care how easy they are to create or how many hints some of our members insist on posting regularly as to how to find the software to create them. I've found that those who argue the loudest how "it's fine, it's Motorola's fault for letting the software leak!" are often doing nothing more than trying to rationalize or justify their own creation or use of those keys. 🤷‍♂️

 

[N4KVL]

So, Mr. Dean loves to espouse about his allegedly (per CTDTRS) unauthorized radios. He loves to brag about how he "hands out" radios. He also articulates how he knows that improperly programmed trunking subscribers can present a hazard. His own words and admissions on video convict him and leave NO REASONABLE DOUBT he knows what he did is illegal, unauthorized and dangerous. Don't worry Mr. Dean, offline copies of the video are downloaded. He will be very lucky and privileged if the county or state doesn't sausage him. They should. I would. I would CLEAR MY PLATE if this happened on my system. It would be my new mission in life. Stupid games=stupid prizes. More ARES whackerism on display. Can someone please tell these people that they are NOT AUTHORIZED and sorry, there are no part 97 privileges on 700/800MHz, no "special authorization" to clone IDs and use government radio systems because you "help out". It doesn't work that way.

The "admissions" begin at 1:21:30.

Never trust a man whom teaches or lectures with his hands in his pockets.

"Keys up on a drug interdiction" What?

Programs for Arapahoe special ops 1. Checks notes... Encrypted TG. Programs for ASO1. Checks notes... Encrypted TG. This colorful individual has access to keys also?

 

[natedawg1604]

Does anyone know if the underlying documents in FCC enforcement proceedings are available to the public? I'm thinking there has to be some type of underlying report detailing the specifics of what allegedly occured, that initially generated a proceeding with the FCC. How does one obtain this?

 

[mmckenna]

Does anyone know if the underlying documents in FCC enforcement proceedings are available to the public? I'm thinking there has to be some type of underlying report detailing the specifics of what allegedly occured, that initially generated a proceeding with the FCC. How does one obtain this?

I have no idea, but I'd LOVE to read them. I'm sure there is a lot to this story.

I'm thinking "Pissed off the wrong guy", or someone got tired of the B.S.

 

[natedawg1604]

Never trust a man whom teaches or lectures with his hands in his pockets.

"Keys up on a drug interdiction" What?

Programs for Arapahoe special ops 1. Checks notes... Encrypted TG. Programs for ASO1. Checks notes... Encrypted TG. This colorful individual has access to keys also?

At the time this video was made (2019) they were NOT.

 

[Spitfire8520]

"Keys up on a drug interdiction" What?

He explains it was a legit ACSO portable that was provided that someone played around with and ended up on an incorrect interoperability talkgroup that is programmed into all radios in the region.

The task force folks out around these parts love to takeover the interoperability talkgroups for their supposedly sensitive operations that everyone can listen in on in the clear instead of the many encrypted options they have access to. It is something that has been bugging everyone across the board from users to admins for years with no real resolution in sight.

Programs for Arapahoe special ops 1. Checks notes... Encrypted TG. Programs for ASO1. Checks notes... Encrypted TG. This colorful individual has access to keys also?

For historical context, all of those talkgroups were in the clear up until the beginning of 2020. Keys were not applicable in the long ago for when the video was recorded.

There are a few amateur groups like ARES that are approved to be on the system. My guess is that the radio in the video is authorized for ARES use considering that he didn't get dinged for it back then, but I doubt that he is authorized to program the radio.

 

[mmckenna]

My guess is that the radio in the video is authorized for ARES use considering that he didn't get dinged for it back then, but I doubt that he is authorized to program the radio.

If he had a legit/functional radio, and chose to program a cloned ID, then he deserves whatever he gets out of this.

Read/Write passwords are a wonderful tool.

 

[MTS2000des]

If he had a legit/functional radio, and chose to program a cloned ID, then he deserves whatever he gets out of this.

Read/Write passwords are a wonderful tool.

All of our radios are password protected for this reason.
He obviously was NOT authorized as the FCC EB would have not been involved. They only get involved when agencies report interference or issues.
ARES is not a government agency, and should have ZERO business in the programming or maintenance of public safety radios.

 

[mmckenna]

ARES is not a government agency, and should have ZERO business in the programming or maintenance of public safety radios.

Sarcasm:
"But, but, but, but, when all else fails!"
End sarcasm.

 

[MTS2000des]

There are a few amateur groups like ARES that are approved to be on the system. My guess is that the radio in the video is authorized for ARES use considering that he didn't get dinged for it back then, but I doubt that he is authorized to program the radio.

I'm betting after this issue of piracy and security breach, the agencies doling out radios will recosider.
After all, something had to trigger the FCC EB being involved. The very person who signed that letter said to us at IWCE RFIM training that the FCC does not get involved in enforcement matters unless there is a public safety complaint. When they do, they go to great lengths to set a firm example.

Let that sink in. I am sure it will come out that the CTDTRS were having numerous issues with duplicate IDs and shenanigans going on in the zone where his bootleg radios were sending affiliations. GenWatch is powerful software and does quite a bit to expose rogues and clones. From there it was looking at affiliation viewer in RCM to see what RFSS his radio(s) were pining, then the FCC takes over and DF'ed the raw OSWs coming from his portable.

That is a lot of effort. Effort that will be paid for by the perpetrator in fines/forfeitures and possible prison. It should. He can say "but I'm with ARES and when all else fails..."

The only thing that failed here is him to understand this simple statement: YOU ARE NOT AUTHORIZED. Dumas.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

I have been asked this question many times but I would like to hear from you guys:

What is wrong using a Motorola, Kenwood etc as a receive only radio for trunking systems?

And why won't some shops program them?

Nothing is inherently wrong with it. It's the fact that you require a system key to configure it and that same system key allows you to affiliate to the system in question and create all sorts of issues. There are plenty of benefits for using actual subscriber units for RX only monitoring of a system with the biggest reason being they will consistently outperform any scanner manufacturer's product in areas of dense simulcast coverage as the primary scanner manufacturers are walking a fine line of getting the best design at a low enough price point that the average consumer will actually purchase it, not the case with those purchasing trunking subscribers.

The bigger issue is some years ago a specific software for generating system key files for Motorola systems found it's way online and those system key files are still valid on even the newest Motorola P25 radios. EF Johnson even had their soft key generator for the 5100/5300 series radios leaked which is one of the reasons the Viking radios today can only be programmed using a hardware system key that only EFJ has the ability to generate. By the way, you can do an non-affiliate scan with the Viking radios (Radio Wide Scan) but like the Motorola method it still requires a system key to configure.

The reason most shops won't configure it...they don't have official access to the system keys. One of the issues you run into where there is a legitimate use for RX only subs is when you are limited (by licensing) to a limited number of subscribers and need a way to have the ability for others to monitor without the need to transmit. Then you have tow trucks in Houston and Toronto...

 

[kc8jwt]

It's one of the reasons now in Ohio that MARCS is being tightened down. There were radios floating around in the Akron area that criminals had that were on the MARCS system. Now if you are going to program a radio, you have to be vetted by the state and tell them what you are doing and why. Once you have keys generated, they are mailed to you and then the radio is programmed and then the keys must be mailed back.

Someone in this case, was fast and loose with the keys or a radio and the guy just cloned the radio. Dumb.

 

[MILCOMM]

Nothing is inherently wrong with it. It's the fact that you require a system key to configure it and that same system key allows you to affiliate to the system in question and create all sorts of issues. There are plenty of benefits for using actual subscriber units for RX only monitoring of a system with the biggest reason being they will consistently outperform any scanner manufacturer's product in areas of dense simulcast coverage as the primary scanner manufacturers are walking a fine line of getting the best design at a low enough price point that the average consumer will actually purchase it, not the case with those purchasing trunking subscribers.

The bigger issue is some years ago a specific software for generating system key files for Motorola systems found it's way online and those system key files are still valid on even the newest Motorola P25 radios. EF Johnson even had their soft key generator for the 5100/5300 series radios leaked which is one of the reasons the Viking radios today can only be programmed using a hardware system key that only EFJ has the ability to generate. By the way, you can do an non-affiliate scan with the Viking radios (Radio Wide Scan) but like the Motorola method it still requires a system key to configure.

The reason most shops won't configure it...they don't have official access to the system keys. One of the issues you run into where there is a legitimate use for RX only subs is when you are limited (by licensing) to a limited number of subscribers and need a way to have the ability for others to monitor without the need to transmit. Then you have tow trucks in Houston and Toronto...

Sounds good.
The argument I keep hearing it is cheaper to buy an old Spectra for 50 bucks and
have it programmed to listen to FD and PD comms than it is to buy a 400 dollar scanner.

 

[MILCOMM]

ARES is not a government agency, and should have ZERO business in the programming or maintenance of public safety radios.

Did you ever listen to a ARES radio net?
Whats the point?
Talk about boring!

 

[Echo4Thirty]

Then you have tow trucks in Houston and Toronto...

No more wreckers needed!

 

[RodStrong]

No more wreckers needed!

Sometimes I need a friendly wrecker with a slim jim.

 

[MILCOMM]

Sometimes I need a friendly wrecker with a slim jim.

Sometimes I need a slim Jim with a wrecker! :-(

 

[KevinC]

Sometimes I need members to not feel the need to post in almost EVERY SINGLE THREAD. Jeez!!!!!

 

[Outerdog]

Sometimes I need members to not feel the need to post in almost EVERY SINGLE THREAD. Jeez!!!!!

 

[slicerwizard]

the raw OSWs coming from his portable

Radios don't transmit OSWs.