SDS-100 shown in New Orleans terrorist vehicle ?
- Thread starter safetypro79
- Start date
That looks like the low battery screen?
I wonder if the guy even knew what to listen to with his scanner.
Can go back much further than that! What used to be the "police band" was 1500-1600kHz AM until the 1940s, when utility/service communications were pushed to the VHF Low bands (30-40MHz FM). Crystal-programmed scanners came into existence by the 1950s, but for however gobsmackingly simple they were, they were expensive! But yes, even then, "bad guys" had 'em! For as long as radio has existed, cops & criminals have been playing a cat-and-mouse game with them from the start! (In comparison, $700 for a scanner is chump change compared to the same values scanners back then had cost! And said $700 scanner was light-years ahead of what those scanners back then could do!)
Sorry didn't spot that was in the picture when I first looked at it.
The point wasn't about cost or availability, the point was bad guys using scanner is nothing new, and it's been done for years now even by petty thieves. I'm sure it was done way before my time in LE also but I didn't really know about it till I became one and caught some house burglars in 1979 with one. I was honestly a little surprised they spent the money back then and ya, they had actually bought it ( I'm sure with stolen goods money) and they were l pretty pricey back then for most people.
kayn1n32008
ØÆSØ Say it, say 'ENCRYPTION'
Yep, and with a KMF and OTAR, it's just a few extra steps when doing the initial programming of the radio. Add it to the KMF, load a UKEK, and once programmed, push the rekey button and voila, comms secured.
kayn1n32008
ØÆSØ Say it, say 'ENCRYPTION'
That is a failure. On a large system like that, there is no reason for a normally encrypted agency to have to resort to clear comms.
Failing to plan, is planning to fail.
MTS2000des
5B2_BEE00 Czar
My point was this use is high profile. It's documented. It's not going without notice. In 2025, those who have similar systems start asking "hey, what can we do". In 1979, a scanner was easy to obtain and radio systems were primitive. In 2025, systems are complex as are scanners. It does not look good and it's easier to close the doors in 2025 than in 1979. It is what it is.
Oh, I'm sure "they're" paying attention and yep, way easier to close the doors. I totally agree. Before long, I'll probably have a bunch of useless scanning equipment at least for most public service things.
MTS2000des
5B2_BEE00 Czar
It's all about the narrative. The police scanner in the terrorist vehicle gets more clicks than the story of the father and son who were listening to a high speed chase on their scanner when a deputy crashed into a tree and his car caught fire. They rescued the deputy and the K-9:
Father and son rescue deputy, dog from burning car: ‘We just wanted him safe’
The deputy hit a tree head-on during a high-speed chase with four armed robbery suspects.
www.atlantanewsfirst.com
Had they not heard the crash and responded, most likely the deputy and K-9 would have perished.
It's like most news stories. "They" also control the narrative. Not only that, but it's about what people think they need to know about also. While I find the post you quoted of more interesting to me personally, I'm not sure who else would feel that way. Thanks for sharing that link. I hadn't seen that.It's all about the narrative. The police scanner in the terrorist vehicle gets more clicks than the story of the father and son who were listening to a high speed chase on their scanner when a deputy crashed into a tree and his car caught fire. They rescued the deputy and the K-9:
Father and son rescue deputy, dog from burning car: ‘We just wanted him safe’
The deputy hit a tree head-on during a high-speed chase with four armed robbery suspects.
Had they not heard the crash and responded, most likely the deputy and K-9 would have perished
red8
Member
The only agency in the clear is State Police. Area agencies i.e NOPD, Jefferson, St.Charles and St. John are full time encryption Plaquemines, St. Bernard are partial. St. Tamany is full time encryption. So there really wasn't much to listen to.
The terrorist was from Texas IIRC, so it's possible that the SDS was something he normally kept in his car? Would explain the dead battery I guess.
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2013
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- 71
He used a truck and mason jars too, so are we gonna say no one else should have access to trucks and mason jars?? A bad actor can use anything in his bad acts. No reason to try to make laws to react to it, because guess what? Criminals dont follow laws. Its already illegal and immoral to run down people with a truck but that didnt stop him. On the flip side, how many "bad apples" have been caught in fire/ems/law enforcement?? Those examples could just as easily be used to say encryption should be "outlawed". I would say being able to monitor agencies has more positive effects than negative, and I am all for law enforcement having tactical channels encrypted for sensitive incidents. But day to day ops shouldnt be and fire/ems also shouldnt be encrypted. I worked 31 years as a Professional Firefigter/Paramedic. Our dept went encrypted about 6 years before I retired. I could sense the disconnect in the citizens in that time. The first 25 years, alot of folks had more of a working knowledge of what we did, the last 5 they were less understanding if we had delayed responses, came from another station to cover a call due to a busy engine or all the way across town due to a large scale incident. They had less patience and more questions. I saw it from the other side, I hated that we went encrypted. Bad decision in my opinion.
THIS is the reason why some states (like California, where I live) have so-called "sunshine laws", to ensure the Public has access to an open public safety agency, and reduce the chances of abuse by said departments. (It makes sense for tactical to be encrypted, but it still requires oversight, for the sake of public safety and confidence.)
This should be a warning. Misusing an SDS-100 could be fatal.
