is there anyone that can program my radios?

[alex4659]

hi all

I've got a pair of mtx8000's b5 models that need programming... i believe they are trunking radios.

If u live in or around Alpharetta, GA please get back to me at: alex4659@comcast.net

Or you can contact me via my cell at: 404 312 4104 i would prefer this more than anything

 

[SCPD]

Do you want them programmed on conventional or trunked frequencies? If you want them programmed for conventional frequencies your local radio shop should be able to do that. If you want them programmed for a trunked system good luck. You'll need the permission of the administrator of the system as well as a system key.

 

[alex4659]

Do you want them programmed on conventional or trunked frequencies? If you want them programmed for conventional frequencies your local radio shop should be able to do that. If you want them programmed for a trunked system good luck. You'll need the permission of the administrator of the system as well as a system key.

well just put it this way, im very new to scanning and i want to listen (ONLY) to my local PD's and i now have the system key... yes that would be trunking.

i was told to just buy a scanner but i cant afford ANYTHING right now since im getting ready to go to college... if i could i would, trust me.

there i just want to use what i got which is 2 mtx8000 b5's and an ht1000 (which i really have no need for)

and one more thing i have software for my mtx's and the software wont work on my dell latitude cpi and its windows 98 and NT... any advice would be great!

thanks

 

[1268]

I don't think you get it, what you want to do is against policy here. I have a suggestion take your radios the ht1000 also and put those puppies on eBay ,the 1000 alone will bring good money. Take the money and buy a nice pro-96 and your done. As far as getting someone to program the radios good luck, I would not keep saying you have a system key... very bad idea, there was a reason your other thread was locked !

 

[UPMan]

In addition, the first time the trunking system radio administrator audits their system and notices the unauthorized radios that are accessing their system, they will "brick" your radios (i.e. send commands that will render the radios inert). Using unauthorized radios on a public safety system is also against state and federal laws (including the Patriot Act).

Even though I'm sure you have no intention to push the transmit button, trunked radios will transmit as soon as you turn them on. They do so because transceivers must register (or "affiliate") with the system in order to operate. Scanner's don't do this.

 

[b7spectra]

Actually, you can set your radio to not affiliate when turning it on or changing channels. Non-trunking radios are easy to set up as most radios can be set to either "Blank", 0.000MHz or non-transmit so someone can't key up. Trunking radio's, especially those like the MTX/MTS can have the PTT module removed so no matter how many times you push it, nothing happens. Sames as a mobile - remove the mic and away you go.

There are many, many public safety workers out there that have their own personal radio and it's radio ID number is the same as their work radio. Their jurisdiction won't give them a 2nd radio, so they purchase one on their own (and at a price a lot less than Motorola or MA/Comm charges), "find" someone that does programming and it gets taken care of.

I'm not saying any of this is legal, but sadly it's a fact and it goes on all the time. I do agree, sell the portables, make some $$$ and buy a scanner.

 

[SCPD]

I agree with the other posters. Sell the radios and buy a scanner. It will offer A LOT MORE flexibility in programming. In 2004 the Augusta/Richmond County Sheriff, Fire Department, etc., changed many of their talkgroups. I had to re-program four of my scanners
If the entities you listen to did that you would have to find someone, again, to re-program your radio(s). If you had a scanner it would be a pain in the arse but no so much as finding someone to re-program the commercial rigs.

Ditto on not advertising that you have a system key. I work, part time, for a Motorola service shop. We deal with the Palmetto 800 trunked system a lot and the only way we can get a system key is from the county I.T. shop. They send one of their guys over with the key if we need to program something. System keys are, or should be, guarded closely. Imagine the havoc an unauthorized user could cause if they were easily obtainable. Food for thought....

 

[grem467]

well just put it this way, im very new to scanning and i want to listen (ONLY) to my local PD's and i now have the system key...

Im sure the system manager will be real interested in finding this out...

Not good!

 

[XTS3000]

Well. systems administrators will like the fact that theres been a .zip file floating around that contains all possable system keys.

 

[grem467]

Does that zip file have the information of someone who has admitted that he has it in his possession and intends to illegally program his radio on to their systems?

Next time everyone whines about systems going to propreitary formats and encrypted, remember the posts about programming their radios on to trunked systems without permission. If you honestly think its not a factor when designing a new system, you are fooling yourself.

 

[CapStar362]

LMAO!! your first topic got locked for this very reason that you are talking about having or accquiring the System Key..........


does it not sink into your skull that what you are doing/asking is illegal?!?

 

[reformedMhacker]

TRUST ME, Don't go there.

Let me tell you what having system keys (or I should say, letting other people know you have system keys) gets you.

A visit from a local investigator accompanied by a GBI agent.

A nice several hour long interrogation in an unmarked SUV.

An Invite to your workplace to "chat" with your boss about your "options".

A chance to now look for a new job with a criminal investigation looming overhead.

A FELONY charge of COMPUTER NETWORK TRESPASS (because they will insist
you've affilliated with a system - even when you know they are wrong - because
the people pressing the charges are about as knowledgable as a one-winged termite).

A front-page headline in your local paper, and a few 5-minute spots on the evening news
(oh yeah, I almost forgot - your own forum on RR for a couple of years).

Attorney fees for your defense.

The lovely physical effects of STRESS.

The ever-present fear you may get to be some man named Bubba-Jack's Bride
in prison.

Then, if you're as lucky as I, the DA's office finally gets tired of your case-file
sitting on his desk (with zero real evidence of anything), so he finally appeals
to the state to drop all charges (which they did).

Another write-up in the paper that makes it sound as though you are a criminal
that got away with a major crime.

Now, after 3 years, 2 months and many headaches and sleepless nights later,
trying to get this charge expunged from your record.

Sound fun? Go ahead talk about system keys all you want. Sure would suck to
trade that chance to go to college in for some lovin' from Bubba-Jack, HUH?

 

[CapStar362]

this is soo funny to read

 

[wireless1978]

i was told to just buy a scanner but i cant afford ANYTHING right now since im getting ready to go to college... if i could i would, trust me.

put that mtx8000 on ebay and use the money to buy a scanner.

 

[dmh77yy]

I know of several people using Motorola trunking radios as scanners and for those who know what they are doing the radio will not affiliate in any way and the transmit button can be disabled. This is completely legal. There are quite a few people in metro Atlanta "scanning" with the real deal, its much better than using a scanner but unless you know a great deal about radio programming and system maintenance then forget about it.
The 'reformed hacker' guy is probably one of the FF's from Walton County who used a county computer to program their radio's. This is where they got in trouble my using a county computer without permission.
If they had been able to program them on their own and not ever transmitted or affiliated with the system, they would have been perfectly legal. Go read the computer trespass laws and its very clear that there must be an overt act to access a system. Meaning I have to transmit or affiliate with the system. If I'm just scanning then i'm perfectly legal.
Also, whoever said that a system administrator can send a "kill signal" on an analog system to a mobile user which would make the radio unusable is wrong. The best they can do is "inhibit" an unauthorized radio which has transmitted, it doesn't do anything to the radio.

 

[reformedMhacker]

Let me clarify...

Yes, I'm one the the "walton" guys, but the public was very mislead on this case,

NEVER at any time was any of the "alleged" (ha-ha) programming done on any

government owned computer.

This involved only a couple of radios owned by cities and/or counties - at the request

of my superiors - this was "allegedly" done with FULL knowledge and instruction

from Captains, Lieutenants, and even the former sheriff.

Any channels "allegedly" added to these radios were channels already fully accessable

by the individuals for whom they were programmed.

This, in many cases was done because the current 911 director doesn't have a

friggin clue what she's doing with the rss.

Put me up against and federal mutual aid / interop tech. Analog, digital, whatever - what

they say can't be done - give me an hour I can make it work

 

[grem467]

I know of several people using Motorola trunking radios as scanners and for those who know what they are doing the radio will not affiliate in any way and the transmit button can be disabled. This is completely legal. .

NO it is NOT completely legal... possession of the system key without authorization is what they will hang their hats on, regardless if your radio has never transmitted on the system.

 

[b7spectra]

Put me up against and federal mutual aid / interop tech. Analog, digital, whatever - what they say can't be done - give me an hour I can make it work

One hour? You must be taking a union authorized 30 minute break!

I'm in agreement with reformedMhacker, it can be done. For those who do not know, a "system key" is simply a little bit of code that is kinda like a PL tone, you have to have that "key" in your stream in order to access the system. A simple search on the internet and a couple discrete e-mails and you will have the code generator - in other words, you can create any "key" you want. I guess all it took was one disgruntled Motherola employee to "leak" the program to the world. It's funny, I know several of the people who program radio's for their jurisdiction (i.e. county employees), and they have that program. People make it sound like only Motherola has the program and send the end product to each jurisdiction. Bull-ogna!

Do I condone it for the average Joe who wants to play around on TRS? No! People who are NOT authorized to be on a TRS has no need to have a radio programmed up on those systems. Yeah, it looks cool to have that XTS hanging on your belt, but you can be DEAD WRONG when you are out in the public with it and some bad guy mistakes you for a LEO!

By a scanner. It's cheaper, EASIER to program, and you can put more "channels" in it than a company radio.

 

[_godawgs_]

Well. systems administrators will like the fact that theres been a .zip file floating around that contains all possable system keys.

Not to mention that the person that has a said “copy of the system key “ graciously gave enough personal information about him/herself, for Alpharetta Pd, and for that matter, any state or federal agency to easily track him/her down.

 

[dmh77yy]

NO it is NOT completely legal... possession of the system key without authorization is what they will hang their hats on, regardless if your radio has never transmitted on the system.

Your partially correct, but most I know who have these radios and use them for scanning and don't have any programming equipment and have no idea what the system key is. Ive consulted an attorney friend on this in the past and he cant find anything illegal with simply possessing a radio that doesn't affiliate or transmit on the system. If your programming radios for someone thats a different story, but simple possession from my own research and from the research of an attorney violates no laws unless you are somehow monitoring encrypted talk groups or of course if your using the radio to commit other crimes. Yes a scanner is the way to go, but many are also HAMS or work in public safety. I guess your best bet if you work in public safety is to get the system admin. to authorize the programming, especially if its a government owned radio.

As far as the Walton County thing, I know they blew that out of proportion, but initially they made it sound like a bunch of fire fighters had used a county computer and software to program personal radios. What I am describing (simple possession of a radio that does not transmit or affiliate in any way) is not illegal.
On top of all that, a prosecution under GA law must show criminal intent. If a person didn't program the radios and the radio they posses doest transmit or affiliate then no law has been violated.
If someone wants to post some state or federal code section or case law to the contrary of what I am saying, please do.