Great Smokies N.P. encryption

[AlphaFive]

GSM

Wow, that is very strange. All of the 172.5000 hits on the TRX 2 are on the NFM conventional system I have set up. No issues with the signal strength for 172.5000. There is nothing weak about the transmission, pretty clear. The next time I log a hit on 172.5000. I will let you know what time I registered it, maybe you can see if you pick up a normal voice mod on the same thing? I cleared out the old recordings from earlier, now I am waiting for something else, it has gotten very quiet... of course

 

[Experiment626]

Just had some voice on 172.500 at 14:33.

 

[AlphaFive]

GSM

nothing but a buzz on that one, at that time. One more hint at encryption over here, my 536 has picked up nothing at all the entire day. I run two identical antenna systems for them, and have never experienced any reception differences..

 

[Experiment626]

Very odd indeed. Just got another voice hit at 14:41.

 

[AlphaFive]

GSM

I'm going to check out for awhile.. be back in a bit to look at the log

 

[trumpetman]

I don't believe encryption is the issue here. The buzzing that AlphaFive keeps bringing up makes me think it is a poor decode on the scanner rather than the broken glass sound usually attributed to encrypted audio on a P25 frequency. Can you post a recording or video of what exactly you're hearing? Sterling has never covered well to the east as well as it should have in my opinion, more than likely due to a directional antenna back to the west.

 

[INDY72]

I forgot to ask him... Is ENC showing on the Uniden? Other than that we do have confirmation of encryption use sometimes... Luckily they have not gone full time use .

 

[AlphaFive]

GSM

Gentleman, I am not ignoring this, it is simply that it has been well over an hour since I had any voice modulation. I have only received a few short bits of weak buzzing, I have nothing. Thank you Trumpetman for your help. If I ever again have anything to record, I will certainly try to put it up. I have nothing guys, sorry

Regarding the Uniden,, When it runs on the P 25 One Frequency, the screen displays a weak signal strength bar of one or two. Based on other systems, that weak of a display would not be enough for me to decode any kind of control channel. Regarding the two conventional systems, nothing, zippo. No reaction on the Uniden.

 

[INDY72]

There is the answer, your not getting enough signal to decode the P25 from your location. But we do know they run encryption sometimes, just not full time. If your ever up closer to one of the repeaters you will be able to get clean decode. Also, when the Undiden BCDX36HPs get Encrypted traffic, they mute the audio, and display ENC on the display for the couple of seconds it is there before the scanner skips off to find another transmission. Same with the BCDX96XTs.... The Whistlers will pass the growl/buzz of encrypted audio. But if you ever do catch an OTAR on conventional and then it goes encrypted, the OTAR does sound a lot like an pure digital data signal.

I should have caught on earlier since your talking an BCD536HP... It will not pass P25 encrypted audio, it mutes it, and shows the ENC.

Using the OFT method is to show you if there are multiple users on the freq using multiple TGs... Which is possible on shared repeaters with at least 3 agencies sharing. If the Rangers were doing full time E, you could see say TG 10 enc, and TG 20 could be maintenance and be clear, and TG 40 be Fire and be clear.

 

[AlphaFive]

GSM

Well, Ten Fer on that. Thank you for all of your help on this. I'm not close enough to get a good read.. So goes another day, at least I learned a little. Take care

 

[kb4cvn]

Here in Virginia near my location:

The Blue Ridge Parkway goes secure when there is a fatality, and when something sensitive needs to be discussed, usually less than 2% of all comms. Their day-to-day comms are 50/50% analog fm and unencrypted P-25.


Contrast that with the Shenandoah National Park which is >95% encrypted P-25.


I can't comment on Appomattox National Battlefield, as in 20 years of listening, I have never once managed to hear any of their comms, nor have ever found any of their frequencies!

 

[zachgallop]

They have used encryption for awhile now in GSMNP. As long as I have been monitoring them, so about two or three years. It is hit or miss. Dispatch uses it off and on, as well as the rangers. Sometimes people forgot to turn it off, I believe. The rangers mostly only use it on records checks.

 

[INDY72]

Natchez Trace National Parkway: Rangers are 100 Percent encrypted during the time operations are run by the Park Dispatch. During the short time that dispatch is handled by Lee County 911 (MS), they run in the clear. Maintenance is always in the clear, and Fire from what I am hearing now is mixed, with the Ranger Fire Units Encrypted when no interop is needed, but Clear when they interop with County/Municipal FDs. So yes, it is a mixed bag now. I have been told that per mandates from US DHS, all Federal LE is supposed to run full time encryption once they have digital capabilities. But, it does get left up to each area of operations communications facilities whether that means turn it on now... Or when they get around to it....