Looking for KVL5000

[hperrenot]

My agency currently is on the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) trunked system and are wanting to encrypt our channels.
Speaking to LCRA, they say we need a KVL5000 to do this but am having trouble finding one online. Does anyone know where I can find one or happen to have one they’re willing to part ways with at a reasonable price?

 

[wa8pyr]

My agency currently is on the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) trunked system and are wanting to encrypt our channels.
Speaking to LCRA, they say we need a KVL5000 to do this but am having trouble finding one online. Does anyone know where I can find one or happen to have one they’re willing to part ways with at a reasonable price?

If you have to have a KVL5000, call Motorola. That way you can get exactly what you need, with warranty and support.

Seriously, the KVL5000 is pretty new, like only a couple of years old; finding one on the used market would be difficult at best. In addition, whatever you get used may not have the features and encryption flavors you need, and you would end up spending beaucoup bucks getting feature upgrades from Motorola; any savings from buying used would be lost in paying for upgrades.

Your best bet for finding a used KVL would be a KVL4000, and even then I'm not sure I'd hold my breath.

Unless they're using link layer authentication, I'm not sure why LCRA specified a KVL5000 as pretty much any recent keyloader would work for key loading, even the KFDShield – OCS Store.

You could also try using ARC4 encryption (Harris calls this "encryption lite," Motorola calls it "ADP"). It's not super robust but it would accomplish the purpose of encrypting your signals; no keyloader needed, you just put the encryption key in the codeplug.

 

[jeepsandradios]

10 second google search....

KVL 5000 Key Variable Loader - Motorola Solutions

The KVL 5000 is Motorola’s Next Generation encryption Key Variable Loader for secure enabled Motorola products.

www.motorolasolutions.com

 

[wa8pyr]

10 second google search....

KVL 5000 Key Variable Loader - Motorola Solutions

The KVL 5000 is Motorola’s Next Generation encryption Key Variable Loader for secure enabled Motorola products.

www.motorolasolutions.com

And the old saw about the number in the model number of Motorola hardware reflecting the price is true in this case (as in so many others). My price under state term contract was around $5000.

Something else to watch out for if you're using Harris radios and are required to use Link Layer Authentication is that the KVL5000 currently will not load LLA keys into Harris radios. The KVL4000 worked fine, but for some goofy reason Motorola changed the firmware in the KVL5000 and it won't work; so, instead of fixing what they broke in the relative handful of KVL5000 keyloaders, they're making Harris fix the firmware in the many thousands of Harris radios out there.

The nine-million pound gorilla known as Motorola strikes again. I have a whole litany of complaints about them, but won't get into it here.....

 

[FiremanSparky]

And the old saw about the number in the model number of Motorola hardware reflecting the price is true in this case (as in so many others). My price under state term contract was around $5000.

Something else to watch out for if you're using Harris radios and are required to use Link Layer Authentication is that the KVL5000 currently will not load LLA keys into Harris radios. The KVL4000 worked fine, but for some goofy reason Motorola changed the firmware in the KVL5000 and it won't work; so, instead of fixing what they broke in the relative handful of KVL5000 keyloaders, they're making Harris fix the firmware in the many thousands of Harris radios out there.

The nine-million pound gorilla known as Motorola strikes again. I have a whole litany of complaints about them, but won't get into it here.....

......Plus, you would need multiple posts to even scratch the surface.

 

[BryanTheRed]

And the old saw about the number in the model number of Motorola hardware reflecting the price is true in this case (as in so many others). My price under state term contract was around $5000.

Something else to watch out for if you're using Harris radios and are required to use Link Layer Authentication is that the KVL5000 currently will not load LLA keys into Harris radios. The KVL4000 worked fine, but for some goofy reason Motorola changed the firmware in the KVL5000 and it won't work; so, instead of fixing what they broke in the relative handful of KVL5000 keyloaders, they're making Harris fix the firmware in the many thousands of Harris radios out there.

The nine-million pound gorilla known as Motorola strikes again. I have a whole litany of complaints about them, but won't get into it here.....

Yeah, $6700 for me with AES, ADP and DES with 5 year essential service. Only thing ot note with the KFDShield, make sure the radio authority does not have a specific requirement. My state will only transfer common state keys from KVL to KVL.

 

[CanesFan95]

So how come you need these keyloaders to enter encryption keys into a radio? Isn't an encryption key nothing more than a long string of plain text characters?

 

[KevinC]

So how come you need these keyloaders to enter encryption keys into a radio? Isn't an encryption key nothing more than a long string of plain text characters?

It’s just so Motorola can charge more money and for absolutely no other reason at all.

 

[belvdr]

It’s just so Motorola can charge more money and for absolutely no other reason at all.

That's unfortunate. We have some manufacturers in my field that are doing things like that too.

 

[mmckenna]

So how come you need these keyloaders to enter encryption keys into a radio? Isn't an encryption key nothing more than a long string of plain text characters?

Slightly easier than hauling a laptop around, essentially. I have software on my laptop that will load keys in to the various radios we use.

Nice thing is that a KVL type device will usually work with many radio brands, not just one. I have an adapter cable that will go between a Motorola KVL-5K and my Harris radios...

 

[KevinC]

That's unfortunate. We have some manufacturers in my field that are doing things like that too.

Yeah, I was joking. To add to what @mmckenna posted, it also adds a layer of security. No prying eyes can see the key variable and it can’t be extracted from the KVL….well, not as far as most people know anyway.

 

[Thunderknight]

So how come you need these keyloaders to enter encryption keys into a radio? Isn't an encryption key nothing more than a long string of plain text characters?

Because a KVL is a security hardened appliance.

 

[WB5UOM]

I have been told that if you only need to load encryption keys and not do P25 authentication- you can use a KVL3000 several of those around

 

[jeepsandradios]

I have been told that if you only need to load encryption keys and not do P25 authentication- you can use a KVL3000 several of those around

Only if it has the proper software in it. I have 2 that are DES only. Not all support all formats.

 

[WB5UOM]

Interesting info..thank you
Guess I need to look at the 3000plus
I have never used.

 

[jeepsandradios]

All KVL units are software based and only have what was purchased or upgraded to. Other than the 4000 and 5000 you can not order options for the old units.