Williamson County Encryption

[SCPD]

If Encryption were set at the control point and on the repeater itself, then Simplex encryption could not exist. sadly enough (for some) it exists. Greenville PD is a perfect example of Subscriber unit enacted encryption. GVPD pretty much stays full time AES encrypted. Dispatch is generally in the clear. GVPD use the repeater out in simplex as Tactical T/A. and in Tac T/A they still remain encrypted. Grayson Co. Sheriff, same deal. If encryption was not set at the subscriber end, there would be no need for the button on the portable that turns it on and off.

now if Wilco encrypts at the Site controller on the transmit, then yeah, someone needs to slap the day lights out of the system admin as that's pretty self defeating.

Quick question, is there such an animal as NAC: 000?

 

[alottabull]

Not sure of what TG it was on but I have been hearing some one way encryption. For instance a medic unit was talking to medcom and their traffic was encrypted but medcom was unencrypted talking back to them. This wasn't on EMS primary because I locked that out last night. I monitor remotely so I am not sure what TG it was on.

 

[PJH]

Hehhhh ooook.

Here is the deal as it pertains to Motorola (and basically everyone else).

This applies to trunked, conventional, analog and digital systems.

The field units can be configured to talk: Analog only, encypted only, or user selectable (rocker switch normally). This is all programmable thru the radio software. For instance, I typically use the rocker switch on my XTS5000. However, with some channels, encryption is not used and no one would hear me if I transmitted accidently coded. So I have that channel "strapped" to clear TX only. No matter what position my secure switch is set at, the radio will only TX in the clear. Likewise, I have an encrypted only channel that is setup the same way... "secure TX only". This elmintates the need to play with a channel knob and the secure knob. I go to channel 6 and life is good.

The dispatch consoles can be configured the same.

It is possible for a field unit to talk to dispatch in the clear, and dispatch respond encrypted
It is possible for dispatch to talk in clear, and the field unit respond encrypted

What does not happen, is the field unit talk in the clear and have it come out encypted on the other side of the repeater. Is it possible, sure, there are ways...but its not done for routine day to day activities as you can easily lose the encyption sync process (drop a frame or a bit due to "x" and you have lost that transmission). Also this meathod defeats the purpose of having secure comms (see previous post).

 

[alottabull]

I just heard mecom in the clear on what used to be Taylor Med 1 giving call details to Hutto 4513 and Medic 43. When the units talked to medcom they were encrypted but medcom was in the clear. I suppose that TG has been reassigned... I guess they are still in the process of getting things straight otherwise they wouldn't broadcast medical call details unencrypted, being that is the entire reason for the change.

 

[PJH]

As long as they are not personally identifing the patient beyond what is needed to get help to the scene, there is no requirement for encyption on medical calls or hospital reports. Some agencies did do that when HIPPA came into being and there was a lot of uncertainly, but its been ruled otherwise by higher powers.

 

[alottabull]

I understand that. I was referring to their reasoning behind moving to encryption in the first place.

 

[W5TWX]

From what I can tell, it seems to me that the only agencies that are encrypted are the following...

Georgetown PD
Georgetown FD
Leander PD

 

[Beaky]

Well, the other night when I started this thread I was hearing chatter in search mode. I also heard the Taylor Med 1 4501(TG) Encrypted and then not.

I was hearing Law enforcement WCSO etc...

Tonight my scanner is picking up 858.9625 as the control ch and it is like I'm not even on the system...I got nothing...

Did the control ch change? I have noticed Sat and now Sun no chatter in search mode all weekend!

 

[Beaky]

Well, that's what happens I guess when you are in search mode and hit delete on a enc TG. Turned it off/on and it is working.