Whitfield County Updates

[radiohead47]

Wondering why one of the RR database admins made several talk groups as having partial encryption. I have noticed no change from full encryption since the county made the switch last year.

 

[KD4YGG]

Reported as encryption capable, hence the little "e"

 

[RRR]

Almost anything digital is "Encryption capable"

 

[radiohead47]

Just a suggestion, I live in Whitfield Co and the PD,FD,EMS channels are full time encryption. Only have heard some of them in the clear for brief times, probably during system maintenance. The EMS to hospital is not encrypted for now.

 

[DanRollman]

...have heard some of them in the clear for brief times...

That is the definition of partial encryption. If you've ever heard them in the clear, they aren't "full time encryption" (though perhaps very close). Full time encryption is when a talk group is "strapped" for encryption in the programming, and thus incapable of ever operating in the clear. Not sure who did it, but based on what you are describing it sounds like the database has been "corrected" to show partial encryption.

 

[N4LX]

Even though a talkgroup may be configured for full-time encryption, traffic on that talkgroup may still occasionally be unencrypted. If for some reason an individual radio on that talkgroup does not have the proper encryption key, all the other radios on that talkgroup are forced to transmit in the clear in order to maintain communications with that radio.

I have had DSD+ running, monitoring the Whitfield Simulcast site, for days at a time over the last month or so. The logs indicate that almost every talkgroup was in the clear at one time or another, however briefly. The unencrypted transmissions seem to be anomalies rather than the intended functionality. Even when the site is busiest, any clear traffic is usually from an agency in another county.

 

[RRR]

I’m sure the radio techs are well aware now, and will be taking corrective action.....