XTS 5000 Power On Lock

[n6wzl]

I recently purchased a radio on ebay. When I turn on the radio, it displays "Secure Locked" and beeps. It is locked out and no function works. Does this mean that the secure module is locked? How do I unlock it? Can it be done via CPS? I can still go into programming mode via CPS and read the radio. I didn't see a feature where I can change the setting in CPS. I have a M3 that I can lock out the radio when powered on. But, this seems to be different. Will it go away if I remove the secure module?

 

[XTS3000]

You have a cryptographic controlled item (CCI)! Only the CCI XTS5000 exhibit this power on lock. The NSA, NCIS or other federal agencies may contact you to retreive their radio back. CCI radios should not be in the public market, most, if not all CCI radios are stolen. Stolen radio is one thing, but to have cryptographic controlled encryption radio is like painting a huge red target on yourself for federal investigation.

A CCI radio like you have contains a modified VOCON to allow it to meet cryptographic controlled encryption standards.

To get past the secure lock, press the PTT button 3 times. This should allow you into the radio.

 

[n6wzl]

Cci

Holy ****! DId not know this. Better get rid of this radio fast. BTW, PTT 3 times doesn't get me out of secure lock.

 

[n6wzl]

Lock

Long PTT did...

 

[n6wzl]

I searched through stolen databases such as trace.com tracechecker.com therigregister.com and they all came up empty. The radio is brand new and never been used. It even has protective plastic cover still on the display. The serial number indicates that the radio was manufactured in Sep, 2004 (CES) which means that it was never put into service for 7 years. It might be possible that it was sitting on a shelf somewhere and someone (whoever was in charge of that radio at a government agency perhaps) decided to get rid of it.

Are you saying that even if the radio was never stolen and was legitimately sold by someone who was idiotic enough to sell it with CCI installed, mere possession of a CCI version of the radio itself is against the law? It seems that these radios are floating around nevertheless.

 

[krokus]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.973 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

CCI is "Controlled Cryptographic Item"

That is a designation that is placed on items that are not inherently classified, but used in encrypted communications, and are loaded with encryption keys. This also means it is government property.

I would suggest contacting your local FBI office, and telling them what you have, and have you found it. (This is assuming the other poster is correct about this lock being only on CCI equipment. That part I don't know about.)

 

[W8RMH]

I don't know if anyone noticed, but the OP is outside of the US.

 

[MT_Madman]

I don't know if anyone noticed, but the OP is outside of the US.

Probably a G.I. stationed in Korea, shipping is an APO Box in maybe Seattle, but yeah it could be a hot radio and I wouldn't trust those 'hot lists' many Fed Agencies probably don't use them not wanting to be embarrassed about losing tax dollars or performing their own investigation.

 

[XTS3000]

Stuff like this gets sold at government auctions all the time it seems. Only Motorola knows the original owner of this radio - track it's serial number. Without the UCM in a CCI radio, the radio is technically no longer a CCI device, right?

Even if this radio is a "hot radio", the OP has tracking info via eBay and probably Paypal. Worse case scenerio I see is the OP looses the radio, and they track down where he got the radio from.

 

[n6wzl]

Assuming XTS3000's comment is correct, wouldn't removal of UCM render the radio inoperable since the VOCON is modified to accomodate the CCI UCM?

 

[mancow]

What does it report it test mode (bottom side button pressed 5 times withing 10 seconds of powerup) ?

 

[n6wzl]

The only difference between "normal" radio and this radio is that it displays an additional "Sierra Mod 74108715" And, it has KG1, KG2, KG3, KG4 encryption.

 

[mancow]

yeesh

 

[WayneH]

It may have been a radio that was damaged and surplused then someone re-cased it. I purchased a damaged 5000 one time off ebay and it ended up being a CCI version. The radio didn't power-up so they must have assumed it was destroyed (yet didn't bother to remove the module). The modules don't look like normal ones and have a battery attached to them.

These radios will have a CCI sticker on the bottom with a serial number for tracking.

 

[n6wzl]

The guy who sold me this radio had a box of it - 6 or 7 in a box. All brand new and never been used. Came with a radio, antenna and dust cover only. I opened up the radio and removed the UCM module to see if it would remove CCI. You are right. It does have a unique module with a built in litium battery. I put the radio back together. But when I powered it up, it showed me an error code. Apparently, the radio doesn't work without a UCM module. It does have a CCI sticker on the bottom with its unique serial. I don't know what it means by 'XTS 5000 (EC)" though. Do you know where I can look up this serial? I want to track it down and see where this one came from.

 

[n6wzl]

FYI, inside of the radio looks brand new also.

 

[n6wzl]

To XTS5000:

I think the radio I have is a legitimate one. That is, it is NOT illegal to own. My radio has standard DES, AES encryptions, not type 1 encryption of any kind. I believe the radio has been downgraded before surplus radio was sold off by a government agency. The following is an excerpt from Sierra's brochure on CCI encryption modules. Refer to the sentence between 5 asterisks.


The NSA-certified Sierra™ module is an embeddable encryption technology that combines the advantages of the government’s high-grade security (Type 1) with the cost efficiency of a reprogrammable, commercially produced, Type 3 and Type 4 encryption module. Sierra can take on multiple encryption personalities depending on the mission, providing encryption/decryption functionality, digital voice processing (vocoding), and cryptographic key management support functions. Sierra’s software programmability provides a low-cost migration path for future upgrades to embedded communications equipment without the logistics and cost burden normally associated with upgrading hardware. ***** The module provides the user the capability to remove the Type 1 functionality, allowing the device to be downgraded from a CCI device to an unclassified device.***** Sierra’s small size, low power, and high data rates make it an ideal choice for battery-sensitive applications. It is ideally suited for military radios, APCO Project 25 radios, wireless LANs, remote sensors, guided munitions, UAVs, and other equipment requiring a low-power, programmable solution.