so whats the use of gettin a digital scanner?

Normally, I don't like to take part in spreading unsubstantiated panic, but
I'm inclined to agree with you on this one. When I had a Radio Shack (GRE),
PRO-96, and was monitoring the Michigan State Police, they did in fact
invoke encryption on numerous occasions. I have to believe they will be
doing this anytime they are discussing sensitive information. Pretty much
everything that was in the clear, was daily, boring, routine stuff.

As more, and more agencies go digital, I'm sure the use of encryption will
become more common. If nothing else, it will be in the name of Homeland
Security efforts. I don't like it, but I can't say as I blame them.

Bill Crocker

"spectro" wrote in message
ink.net...
so whats the use of gettin a digital scanner?

"Mark" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 13 Apr 2005 19:23:14 -0400, "Bill Crocker"
wrote:

Normally, I don't like to take part in spreading unsubstantiated panic,
but
I'm inclined to agree with you on this one. When I had a Radio Shack
(GRE),
PRO-96, and was monitoring the Michigan State Police, they did in fact
invoke encryption on numerous occasions. I have to believe they will be
doing this anytime they are discussing sensitive information. Pretty much
everything that was in the clear, was daily, boring, routine stuff.

I don't see why they bother to manually switch back to non encrypted.
Just
leave it there. Why are they actually making an effort to NOT encrypt?

It will all depend on how some lawsuit ends up as far as whether the
public
as a right to listen to public official communications.

Most likely, they don't have the encryption option in all their radios. Not
sure with the newer radios, if it's still done with a hardware module, or if
it's all software now. But I'm sure Motorola isn't giving it away. You see
a lot of older Motorola Saber radios on eBay. The ones that have the
encryption module, command more money. Originally, that module was very
expensive!

Bill Crocker

Mark wrote:

I don't see why they bother to manually switch back to non encrypted. Just
leave it there. Why are they actually making an effort to NOT encrypt?

Maybe not all user groups share the same keys? Or there are even
members without any encryption at all?





regards - Ralph

--

Want to get in touch? http://www.radio-link.net/whereisralph.txt

"Bill Crocker" wrote:

Most likely, they don't have the encryption option in all their radios. Not
sure with the newer radios, if it's still done with a hardware module, or if

Even the latest Motorolas (like XTS5000) need a piece of hardware to
encrypt messages.

it's all software now. But I'm sure Motorola isn't giving it away. You see
a lot of older Motorola Saber radios on eBay. The ones that have the
encryption module, command more money. Originally, that module was very
expensive!

And still it is!

Bill Crocker




regards - Ralph

--

Want to get in touch? http://www.radio-link.net/whereisralph.txt

On Thu, 14 Apr 2005 12:39:01 -0400, Mark wrote:

I don't see why they bother to manually switch back to non encrypted. Just
leave it there. Why are they actually making an effort to NOT encrypt?

Encryption usually decreases battery life by about 1/3.

On an XTS5000 running full time encryption and moderately heavy use,
it takes 3 batteries to get through a shift.

Steve


************************************************** *******************
Steve Uhrig, SWS Security, Maryland (USA)
Mfrs of electronic surveillance equip
website http://www.swssec.com
tel +1+410-879-4035, fax +1+410-836-1190
"In God we trust, all others we monitor"
************************************************** *******************

Steve Uhrig wrote:

Encryption usually decreases battery life by about 1/3.

On an XTS5000 running full time encryption and moderately heavy use,
it takes 3 batteries to get through a shift.

This is interesting; all this encryption stuff is relatively new to
me, but I did not yet notice this. So I will have to make some
measurements of the power consumption.



regards - Ralph

--

Want to get in touch? http://www.radio-link.net/whereisralph.txt

"Steve Uhrig" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 14 Apr 2005 12:39:01 -0400, Mark wrote:

I don't see why they bother to manually switch back to non encrypted.
Just
leave it there. Why are they actually making an effort to NOT encrypt?

Encryption usually decreases battery life by about 1/3.

On an XTS5000 running full time encryption and moderately heavy use,
it takes 3 batteries to get through a shift.

Steve


************************************************** *******************
Steve Uhrig, SWS Security, Maryland (USA)
Mfrs of electronic surveillance equip
website http://www.swssec.com
tel +1+410-879-4035, fax +1+410-836-1190
"In God we trust, all others we monitor"
************************************************** *******************

Wow, that would explain it! Thanks Steve.

Bill Crocker

On Fri, 15 Apr 2005 09:01:49 -0400, "Bill Crocker"
wrote:


"Steve Uhrig" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 14 Apr 2005 12:39:01 -0400, Mark wrote:

I don't see why they bother to manually switch back to non encrypted.
Just
leave it there. Why are they actually making an effort to NOT encrypt?

Encryption usually decreases battery life by about 1/3.

On an XTS5000 running full time encryption and moderately heavy use,
it takes 3 batteries to get through a shift.




Also, on some systems, the use of encryption decreases range and hurts
the received audio quality.

Ish

I also listen to the Michigan State Police (on my Pro 96 in Grand
Rapids MI). I've noticed that they still give out a lot of info in
the clear (a drug dealer's cell phone number, a DEA agent's phone
number, et cetera). There is ONE guy, though, who encrypts EVERY Tx he
makes. Based on the things said to him by others before and after he
Tx's, this guy has a seriously inflated sense of his own importance -
near as I can tell, nothing he says is too out of the ordinary, and the
other parts of his conversation (the other troops) are unencrypted
anyway. The noise those encrypted Tx's make would be enough to make me
give up scanning if a lot of the troops used it!