Tompkins County Encryption?

[w2txb]

While Tompkins County has had encryption capabilities for many years, most of their transmissions have been open ("in the clear"). This morning, I read a comment elsewhere about the county's P25 system going to a more involved system of encryption. The post was (as expected there) rather vague with no cited source. With that in mind, I am left wondering if (possibly) full encryption is coming to Tompkins County.

 

[Joshuascanner2021]

While Tompkins County has had encryption capabilities for many years, most of their transmissions have been open ("in the clear"). This morning, I read a comment elsewhere about the county's P25 system going to a more involved system of encryption. The post was (as expected there) rather vague with no cited source. With that in mind, I am left wondering if (possibly) full encryption is coming to Tompkins County.

I wouldn't be surprised, more and more agencies are putting talk groups in with encryption. The county I'm in (Ontario county) currently does not have any encrypted TGs that im aware of, HOWEVER, encryption has been talked about more recently.

Tompkins county while I have never listened to that system since I'm a little too far to hear that, looking at how they have the system on RR, it wouldn't surprise me if Ithaca PD would be the first to encrypt along with the schools that are down there. From what I have noticed on a good majority of trunked systems its usually city PDs and schools (especially universities PD) do encryption first minus law tac TG that are almost always first.

 

[PaMonitor]

Like @Joshuascanner2021 I am a considerable distance from Tompkins County and am only able to monitor it occasionally. Today was one of those days. I tried it because of this thread. I found new TG's not in the DB that are at least partially encrypted. They are 45101, 45103, and 45307 with 45103 being the most active. It seems to be tagging along with 55351 TCSO Disp, but not in sync. The RID's with it are 8 characters such as 130301299.

My signal here in Pa. is fairly weak so someone closer to Tompkins should monitor this. My DSD+ log shows an additional 45105, 45303, 45309, 45507, 48864 but with no hits.

an example from DSD Events:
Enc Group call; TG=45103 Ch=854.3125 Pri0 Alg=ADP KeyID=3442 (13378) 7

 

[sflmonitor]

The only encrypted talkgroup I personally identified was 56001, which is believed to be a detective channel for the Ithaca Police Department. If I recall correctly, it was using ADP encryption with a KeyID of 1. My observations were made around March of this year.

 

[acj76]

Looks like TCSO, IPD, and CUPD went to full encryption yesterday, Oct. 16. The last transmissions I logged were right before 1pm, and CUPD around 3:30pm. Parks PD also likely switched over as my last transmission from them was Oct. 14. From my observations, TCSO switched to TG 45103, IPD to 45101, Police OPS1 to 45105. It was fun while it lasted.

 

[acj76]

Looks like TCSO, IPD, and CUPD went to full encryption yesterday, Oct. 16. The last transmissions I logged were right before 1pm, and CUPD around 3:30pm. Parks PD also likely switched over as my last transmission from them was Oct. 14. From my observations, TCSO switched to TG 45103, IPD to 45101, Police OPS1 to 45105. It was fun while it lasted.

I may have been too hasty with this post. Listening on my way to work this morning, TCSO and IPD TGs lit up again. I wonder if they were testing using the full time encrypted 45XXX TGs with the overnight shifts. It looks like the county is inching closer.

 

[Joshuascanner2021]

Looks like TCSO, IPD, and CUPD went to full encryption yesterday, Oct. 16. The last transmissions I logged were right before 1pm, and CUPD around 3:30pm. Parks PD also likely switched over as my last transmission from them was Oct. 14. From my observations, TCSO switched to TG 45103, IPD to 45101, Police OPS1 to 45105. It was fun while it lasted.

That is sad, while I could not get Tompkins from where I live (I am a little too far), I did have them in my scanner for when I was in the area.

 

[acj76]

It's been a few weeks since IPD and TCSO has broadcast in the clear now. CUPD still seems to be going back and forth. Found this article this morning: Tompkins County First Responder Radio Traffic To Be Encrypted - Ithaca Crime
The source cites Facebook groups and "looky-loos" as the primary reasons.

 

[k2hz]

I want to see if nothing in the clear for a about a month before I deprecate the clear listing. Then it will go in Deprecated status for 30 days to be sure it is gone. So, please submit a clear listing as deprecated if you are sure not used for about a month or so or if the agency has publicly stated they are now full time encrypted.

 

[sflmonitor]

Is there any clue about the type of encryption in use? When I visited Ithaca last spring, the few encrypted talkgroups I monitored were running ADP. I also noticed some XTS-series radios still in service, which suggests the agency may be operating on a tight budget for comms. That makes me curious if they secured new funding for upgrades? AES encryption isn’t always free

 

[k2hz]

What is the status of the Car to Car TGs (Sheriff 55376, Itacha 55377)? With Dispatch encrypted it would seem odd to leave the TAC TGs in the clear.

 

[acj76]

What is the status of the Car to Car TGs (Sheriff 55376, Itacha 55377)? With Dispatch encrypted it would seem odd to leave the TAC TGs in the clear.

I haven't had any hits for either of those in at least a few months. 55377 was rarely, if at all, used anyway. I imagine they both moved to the E 45XXX TGs like the other law channels.

Also, I think maybe the already-encrypted Ithaca College PD 55402 moved to the 45XXX block. I suspect it's 45107, but I can't confirm. Best info I have is a few UIDs, 10800001, 10800115, 10800130. If anyone can affiliate those UIDs, that would help.