Some disturbing news....

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JD72305

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Was at a meeting tonight and talking to a good friend that works for Findlay Police Department and he stated once they go to MARCS, they will be encrypted. We kinda bantered a bit back and forth about if it was good or not but he was all for it. This sucks for me, personally, because I thoroughly enjoy listening to them on a day to day basis.

Hopefully they will change their minds about this but I severely doubt it. He even mentioned that the S.O. wouldn't even be able to hear them which I feel is a significant issue but oh well.

Thoughts, questions, comments??
 

andyishere

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That can lead to a major issue. That breaks a Communication Bond between them. It will make it way more complicated for the SO and City.
 

rdale

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Was at a meeting tonight and talking to a good friend that works for Findlay Police Department and he stated once they go to MARCS, they will be encrypted.

Many people confuse "digital" and "encrypted." Unless he's a tech, I wouldn't get too worked up.

He even mentioned that the S.O. wouldn't even be able to hear them which I feel is a significant issue but oh well.

The PD won't allow the SO to listen in? Nut uh. Sounds like he's just talking, there's no way that would be allowed.
 

mtindor

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A few things.

1. I don't have an egg in this basket so what i say may be moot
2. I think dispatch should always be in the clear

But I have absolutely no problem with agencies having the means to use encryption. After all, there are sensitive things that can/need to be communicated at times. If agencies don't have encryption, they usually just use a phone. So with that in mind, it certainly would be more efficient for them to be able to talk privately to dispatch or others working an incident using encryption so as not to have to deal with nextel / cell phones.

3. Even if everything is full-time encrypted, however boring it might make your life [or mine if I were wanting to listen in], I am quite sure the means are available for them to effectively communicate with other agencies using the mutual aid / interop talkgroups. And there would not be any encryption on MA talkgroups if I've read other posts correctly.

For the sake of you guys who like to listen to it, I'm sorry hear that's going to happen. on the other hand, believe me, the other 90% of frequencies that you never listen to offer some very interesting listening once you start listening to them.

mike
 

JD72305

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Many people confuse "digital" and "encrypted." Unless he's a tech, I wouldn't get too worked up.



The PD won't allow the SO to listen in? Nut uh. Sounds like he's just talking, there's no way that would be allowed.

No, he isn't a tech but I am sure the word encryption has been tossed in from the higher ups as he is an officer.

As it was stated above, I am sure there will be inter-operation channels but I know for a fact right now, the S.O. has a scanner in their center so I don't know what will be the situation once or if they go to encryption.

Other than listening to my work and the sheriff, the P.D. was a good channel to listen to. I agree there are things that need to be encrypted and it for sure has a place in the world, but for everyday use I think it is, and will be an issue. Findlay has not always been.... smart??.. on making decisions with this kind of thing. Same situation happened when they went to 800 system they have now and the issue of people getting in touch with them.

Let just hope that they will figure something out.
 

ibagli

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Many people confuse "digital" and "encrypted." Unless he's a tech, I wouldn't get too worked up.

No, he isn't a tech but I am sure the word encryption has been tossed in from the higher ups as he is an officer.

When my city went to its own conventional P25 repeater, the police chief himself mentioned "encryption" several times in interviews with the local paper.

A year and a half later, it's still in the clear.
 

JD72305

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When my city went to its own conventional P25 repeater, the police chief himself mentioned "encryption" several times in interviews with the local paper.

A year and a half later, it's still in the clear.

Well I sure hope this will be the case.. And this word "encryption" is just that a mis-interpretation.
 

AMDXP

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If they really do actually use in encryption, it's use makes no sense. They don't have that much sensitive traffic to where they would benefit.
And even if they did doesn't encryption cost more? I could understand having a couple of Encrypted TGs for more sensitive uses.

I can tell you, and anyone that monitors my feed, they really don't have anything that truly warrants the use of encryption.

Does MARCS support encryption at all? cause from time to time you can hear OSP trooper running Credit Cards #'s over their radios in the clear for people to play their fines on the spot.
 

hoser147

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MARCS can and does support encryption, some agencies use it most of the time like ODNR has several divisions that use it regularly. Hopefully it wont happen except for tactical or undercover work and those in the Findlay area can keep right on listening. Unfortunately there already are counties and cities that are not on the same page with radio systems and I don't think it will change anytime soon.
 

N8IAA

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Yes, MARCS does support encryption. It appears that the state fire marshalls and dnr are the only ones employing it at the present. Does it make sense, no. One county that I listen to in N GA went completely encrypted--FD and SO. Eventually the FD came back to in the clear. I presume because that none of the counties that use P-25 have their FD encrypted due to interop issues.
Larry
 

Dubbin

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I'd hope not - you provide a good service on your feed. It's just police anyways - who cares about what they do ;)

They are pretty much the only action that happens around here :mad: The fire dept is a bore to listen to (not many fires around here), the county is somewhat boring unless a big event happens and the OSHP is another bore unless there is a chase.
 

talkpair

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I remember about 25 years ago when Kansas City Missouri went to it's 800 MHz system, the term "scrambled" was being reported by the news media.
Turns out it was just a trunked system.

It was tough monitoring them at the time, because no trunking scanners were available......and not too many could do 800 mhz at the that time.
 

mdulrich

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Unfortunately a second source from FPD says they are going to be encrypted. So either it is true, they are all equally misinformed, or they will have an encrypted TAC talkgroup and that is confusing the issue. Let's hope it is not the first option.

Mike
 
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