I assume it is different on every system, and it all is expensive, but I assume the correct way to do this is contact the radio system administrator and then submit whatever paperwork they’d like you to do?
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What is the **right** way to get a authorized system key?
- Thread starter Mboy00
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I dont want to rain on your parade, but no sys admin will give non legitimate user a system key😅
It’s all going to be legit, there’s proper authorization, what I’m trying to say is it a seperate set of paper work with the radio administrator?
If you are as legetimate as your saying, Sys admin will probably issue and ID for you and program your radio, but will not give de Syskey
Alrighty, thank you. Haven’t been able to find much information other then go pay a business a ton of $ to have them program it, so that helps. Thanks again
I know a urban fire department who encrypted their system. An adjacent FD, working an analog VHF system, requested the "key" for the first department's encryption for dual-band radios they were getting for mutual aid runs.
The first department said an unequivocal NO to their request for the key. Instead, they un-ecrypted two channels on their system, and told the adjacent department to use them if they responded into the city.
If you think getting that "key" is just an administrative issue, you're sadly mistaken. And if the department your talking about IS, IN FACT, willing to give you the key, then they don't know what they are doing.
I'm also hearing that some radio techs working with agencies encrypting their systems have been offered tens of thousands of dollars to divulge the key, and they were still wouldn't do it.
The first department said an unequivocal NO to their request for the key. Instead, they un-ecrypted two channels on their system, and told the adjacent department to use them if they responded into the city.
If you think getting that "key" is just an administrative issue, you're sadly mistaken. And if the department your talking about IS, IN FACT, willing to give you the key, then they don't know what they are doing.
I'm also hearing that some radio techs working with agencies encrypting their systems have been offered tens of thousands of dollars to divulge the key, and they were still wouldn't do it.
Where are you finding your information? The only one that can give completely accurate information for whatever system your inquiring about is the system owner.
Alrighty, I was just trying to find information as to the right place to look into, and the right place to speak to the right people to get the ball rolling, and I got what I need here. Thanks for all the help everyone.
If that's so....why don't they just give you a radio to use?
BTW...regarding my post above: the VHF agency even asked the other department to program their new radios without giving them the "key." The encrypted department still said "NO."
I mean I don’t think they’d want to buy a entire department radios would they? I’m sure I probably worded my post incorrectly here because of all the backlash, all I was trying to figure out is the right way to get in contact with the correct people to get the information I need. It’s very hard to find what we need, so I was just looking for the right person to talk to…
What system?
I know you're still pretty young, so I'll be gentle with you. As others have pointed out, it's not going to happen. No system admin worth his salt is going to provide anyone with a system key, much less a teenager who has no justification for anything of the sort. I believe you've asked similar questions in the past, and were given the same answers. I know you're eager to learn and to get involved in the industry, but this is not really the correct way to go about it.
Uhh...wrong kind of "key". OP is asking about a system key for CPS, not an encryption key. Two very different things.
Yep. People you might mean well but unless you are a radio system engineer or work in the business please don't provide errant info. It only makes finding correct info more difficult.
I work for a company that is in the business of selling and maintaining trunked radios for a number of agencies. In many cases, they don't give us system keys. Depending on the agency, they will either program the radios themselves, or we send them a blank code plug/template/personality and a list of serial numbers. They add the talk groups / channels and radio ID's end send them back via email. We then write the files to the radios, no key needed. Whether or not that will work depends on the manufacturer.
I would recommend approaching the chief, communications officer or manager, etc. of the agency. They can most likely steer you in the right direction. You would, in most cases, need written authorization on agency letterhead. 99.99 percent of agencies do not give out system keys, period, as radio ID's and talk group / channel access is tightly controlled.
I would recommend approaching the chief, communications officer or manager, etc. of the agency. They can most likely steer you in the right direction. You would, in most cases, need written authorization on agency letterhead. 99.99 percent of agencies do not give out system keys, period, as radio ID's and talk group / channel access is tightly controlled.
I have a ton of 2135 keys. I wonder if someone will pay "tens of thousands of dollars" for them?
I'm trying to corner the market, hush...
Seriously though I still have our old 4.1 system key even though that system is no longer on the air.
I gotta go through my folder and clear out old keys.
mmckenna
I ♥ Ø
Like others here, I'm a system admin (amongst other things).
The system key is like the key to your home. Once you give it away, you no longer have control over it.
On some trunked systems, you need more than just the key, so they have some protection.
However, as stated, no system admin is going to give keys out to an individual. At least not a system admin that knows what they are doing.
Traditionally the way this is done is that the system admin will program radios for the users.
In some cases, they may provide a key to a shop to do programming. However, you still need a radio ID, etc. and those are tightly controlled by the administrator. There's programming that needs to happen in the trunked system, and without that done, even a radio with a key isn't going to work.
So, correct way to do this is to ask the system administrator nicely if you can get a radio programmed on their system.
You best have some very good justification, like signed letters from the chief of whichever department it is. If you do not have a legit need to be on the system, and don't have someone very high up allowing this, expect to be told "no".
There's a good reason to buy a scanner.
The system key is like the key to your home. Once you give it away, you no longer have control over it.
On some trunked systems, you need more than just the key, so they have some protection.
However, as stated, no system admin is going to give keys out to an individual. At least not a system admin that knows what they are doing.
Traditionally the way this is done is that the system admin will program radios for the users.
In some cases, they may provide a key to a shop to do programming. However, you still need a radio ID, etc. and those are tightly controlled by the administrator. There's programming that needs to happen in the trunked system, and without that done, even a radio with a key isn't going to work.
So, correct way to do this is to ask the system administrator nicely if you can get a radio programmed on their system.
You best have some very good justification, like signed letters from the chief of whichever department it is. If you do not have a legit need to be on the system, and don't have someone very high up allowing this, expect to be told "no".
There's a good reason to buy a scanner.
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