PSR-800 settings for encryption noise?

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lebrunmn

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I've been trying to set my new PSR-800 to play the encrypted audio gibberish, but must be missing a setting somewhere. The encrypted talkgroups on the PSR-800 always remain absolutely silent, even though I'm able to hear the encrypted noise with another scanner.

Can anyone familiar with the scanner and EZ Scan software tell me what I'm doing incorrectly? I've set my Encrypted Audio Settings to "Noise," and the Tone Volume is at "-3dBm0."

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rwier

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from the PDF Manual:

"The PSR-800 detects and masks encrypted voice audio"


I believe the important word in the above is "masks". This, to me, in this context, means "disguises" or "conceals". This would seem to make all sound options when receiving "encrypted voice" a function of the radio system and would not be expected to sound the same as true raw output.

Just my opinion, usually wrong in these parts, lol.
 

lebrunmn

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Rob-

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I see in the "Features" section where it says it masks the encrypted audio. But later in the manual it mentions an "E" icon--that indicates you're monitoring an encrypted transmission. And later still it mentions that you have several choices on how to handle encrypted traffic:

EncMode
Selects how the radio treats encrypted voice calls. “Noise” plays the random undecoded encryption noise. “Silent” plays no audio during the call. “Tone” plays a soft tone for the duration of the call.

I can't even get the scanner to stop on an encrypted TGID, so I must be doing something wrong. Will keep looking through the manual...

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rwier

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...............................you have several choices on how to handle encrypted traffic...........“Noise” plays the random undecoded encryption noise. ...................,

Yes, I did not search far enough. Now my opinion has changed. It is now that my quote, and your quote, can not, at the same time and with the same radio, be simultaneously true. Will the "manual writer" please speak up, lol

Rob
 

Ed_Seedhouse

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It's under the Advanced section in the software, in the second column from the left there is a dropdown menu labled "Audio Mode" which gives you three options, "Digital Noise", "Silence", and "Audio Tone".

I prefer the audio tone which sounds like a busy signal, at least on my unit.
 

rwier

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Ed_Seedhouse;1701002............................................ three options said:
The question being developed in this thread (as I see it) is whether "Digital Noise" is

1) A digital "mask" that covers the true sound of encryption,

or is instead

2) "undecoded encryption noise".

Both QUOTED explanations in the previous posts are taken directly from the PDF Manual and cannot (in my opinion) both be true.

Rob
 
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lebrunmn

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Ed-

Thanks for your reply.

I'm fairly certain I've got the settings correct in the encrypted digital audio setting on the advanced features tab: Digital Noise. To me, that setting means the scanner should pass along the digital gibberish of encrypted audio. What has me more worried however, is that the scanner just seems to ignore the encrypted TGIDs--it doesn't even stop on them. That makes me wonder what else it may be missing.

I do have a question for you and Rob: when you have the encrypted TGIDs set for the "audio tone" do you see the "E" for encryption icon on the scanner screen?

Thank you both for trying to help me--it is much appreciated.
 

N0WEF

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This is just a long shot, but have you played with the tone volume? I'll let you know about the "E" if I hear my busy signal any time soon.
 

lebrunmn

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N0WEF-

Thanks for the suggestion. The volume is a good idea... I just checked, and see that it's set for -3dBm0. The EZ Scan software default is something like -24dBm0. I'll try setting it for a higher volume.

My biggest concern is that the scanner just seems to ignore the encrypted groups... it leads me to believe that there must something amiss. I've even tried just sitting on the talkgroup when there's an encrypted transmission--I can hear the encrypted noise just fine with another scanner, but nothing with the PSR-800. Very strange.

Thanks for checking on the "E" icon... can't say where it'll show up on the screen--I've yet to see it.
 

rwier

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Tone volume, that must that db stuff you posted earlier? I can't remember ever making a selection.

The "E", I think so, but I've got used to not looking when I hear the busy signal.
 

N0WEF

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Yes, an "E" will appear in the icon area. I'm not sure if you have to set the Display to Advanced or not. mine is set that way. (To advanced)

Yes the default is 24.
 

lebrunmn

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Rob-
Thanks for checking on the icon and for telling me where to look... will keep playing with the software to try to make this work. Appreciate your help.

N0WEF-
Thanks for confirming the E icon, too. I do have the display set to advanced, as you do.

I may try enabling the 3600 baud status bits, since the system I'm working with is a mixed Digital/Analog system... not sure if that will help, but will give it a try.

Thanks guys,
 

N0WEF

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Rob-
since the system I'm working with is a mixed Digital/Analog system.

That may be the difference.

Both Rob and I, are listening to full digital, 9600 systems...

(I'm a little jealous of Rob, he gets to hear my Brother in laws, in Mesa)
 

lebrunmn

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I decided to submit a ticket to GRE America...

I've tried many settings, and even enabled the status bits for a 3600bps system, (along with programming the talkgroups with the added bits), but nothing seems to work: the scanner just ignores the encrypted talkgroups.

Will see if GRE has a solution.
 

lebrunmn

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Looks like you were correct, N0WEF... GRE Support confirms that encrypted talkgroups on 3600bps systems are ignored. The encrypted digital audio settings are for P25 conventional objects or P25 9600bps systems only. The complete--and incredibly fast reply, just about 10 mins from the time I submitted the ticket--is listed below. Although it's a bummer that the scanner ignores 3600bps system encrypted talkgroups, I am extremely impressed with GRE's support team.
-------------------------
Hello Mark,

The system you mention is a Motorola 3600bps system. With that type of system, the scanner will ignore encrypted transmissions if the first radio to transmit on a voice channel is encrypted. This is normal operation for these systems.

The settings on the advanced tab pretty much apply to P25 conventional and P25 9600 bps control channel trunked systems.

Best Regards,
GRE Support Team
 

N0WEF

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Looks like you were correct, N0WEF

I can't take to much credit... It was more of a guess.

The complete--and incredibly fast reply, just about 10 mins from the time I submitted the ticket--is listed below.

They are amazing! Uniden used to be like this, but something changed. Heck, that's the reason I started buying GRE's after 24yrs. of only Uniden.

And today was a Sunday! 10 mins. that's insane!!
 

John

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Not having ever used an 800, but have you tried turning off the 3600 status bits and then programming in the talkgroups you want to listen to with the talkgroup ID with encrypted turned on? Based on some old documentation the talkgroups with encryption would be:

ID + 8 DES Encryption
ID + 9 DES Alll Talkgroup
ID + 10 DES Emergency
ID + 11 DES Talkgroup patch
ID + 12 DES Talkgroup Emergency Patch
ID + 13 DES Emergency multi-group
ID + 15 DES Multi-Select Talkgroup

So in theory if you normal talkgroup was say 36118 and you wanted to hear only encrypted you could program in 36126 instead. This means you would have to have every talkgroup programmed in twice. Once with encrypted turned on and another normal.

I don't know if you can do that on an 800.

John
 

lebrunmn

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John-

Actually, your idea is sound, and that is how I have some of my other scanners programmed.

For the PSR-800, in order to get the scanner to recognize the Motorola status bits, you have to turn on that option in the software. I did that, and programmed the talkgroups with the proper extra bits, but to no avail. Good idea though.

Of course, now I'm wondering why a "use status bits" option even exits in the software if it doesn't do anything on 3600bps Motorola mixed mode systems?

It is a puzzlement...
 
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