Encryption

Use this section to discuss Digital Amateur Radio operations, such as D-Star and other digitally-encoded traffic
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Admiral
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Encryption

Post by Admiral »

Okay, only theoretical for ham use, but I'm getting the sensation that I can only set basic and enhanced encryption schemes for the whole radio, and I can't change them for different channels.

This is for the MD-380 and could be a pain, does the better Motorola kit allow different encryption schemes for different channels?
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BK
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Re: Encryption

Post by BK »

Basic privacy is the same on Motorola kit - one encryption key for the whole radio, if you want to use a different one you'll need to load a new codeplug. Enhanced privacy supports multiple encryption keys.
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Re: Encryption

Post by Admiral »

Cheers, so getting a 'proper' set won't help much then.

What a PITA, these digital things ain't as great as I first thought.

Surely the things should have the facility to store say 32 unique encryption schemes which can be selected by a channel the same way as a group or scan group? Encryption 1-32 on a dropdown box.

Looks like I now need to buy a third set then.
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Re: Encryption

Post by 26TM944 »

Normally the kit is deployed to one user "group" and as such they'd all be on the same crypto but maybe differing TGs or of course have only limited channels set up when the handsets are given out.

I've been several places where you'd get a Motorola and be told "you guys are on 11" and that was it. The average user will not care that they are on 451.400 and TG1 and NET-S2 using key 7A ...

They are not really scanners - which is a shame as most people think they are like the old DSC / CTCSS days when you could "scan" about for differing users.

Best way is to use the open firmware for it where all TGs and PCalls can be heard. Works well and not too much of a task to get on the radio, makes "looking" for users a little easier unless you have other kit like DSD or that AOR+

Happy hunting

73 Steve
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Admiral
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Re: Encryption

Post by Admiral »

Hi Steve, yeah, I get your point about the original intentions of the hardware, I say the same to others who moan about them having group list limitations etc. They are designed for a company or organisation to use on one or a few frequencies/TGs.

I'm using the hacked firmware, it is useful because, of the two main boxes on DSD+, the main one will whizz away and tell you the CC, but if it's a weak signal then the voice may be choppy or none at all, so the second box doesn't always give up the TG, but, aha, we no longer need it. And I usually find that a weak or choppy signal on DSD+ will come through loud and clear on the radio, and for every frequency I always put in two channels for both TDMA slots even if I'm sure only one is used, I've found a couple of times someone will say 'switch to the management channel' or similar, and hey presto, they just go onto the other TDMA slot, this is the case with my local SW/PW, all traffic is on slot1, but a few of them have this ever so secret 'managers' channel where no one in the whole wide world can hear them, except its just slot2 with a different TG.

I suppose I can switch between basic and enhanced to get two sets of keys on one set.
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Re: Encryption

Post by bigbloke »

I have a 380 here in front of me

you can apply key strings (0000-ffff) to basic static keys 1-16
you can apply enhanced key strings into 8 static keys

you can apply any basic / enhanced key to any of the 1024 memory channels

channel information -> <channel> -> Privacy (Basic/Enhanced) -> Privacy Number (1-16 or 1-8)

Whilst it isnt Marconi MASC with rolling keys - surely thats enough cryptography for most purposes ?
If not I'd be genuinely interested to understand why you think otherwise ?

Regards

BB
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Re: Encryption

Post by Admiral »

I would like to use a different enhanced key scheme on two different channels, unless I'm being thick, the set will only allow one enhanced key scheme, so if I select 'enhanced' on the two channels, I get the same keys.

If you know how to have more than one enhanced key scheme stored and selectable for different channels then please, please explain.
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Re: Encryption

Post by humaxf1 »

Hi Admiral,

I have to agree with Bigbloke and I'm looking at the CPS now in which you can...

1. define your unique enhanced keys <1 thru 8> under Privacy Setting
2. set your first channel to enhanced in the Privacy drop down box
3. select the Privacy No. to lets say, number 1 in the drop down box

Repeat steps 2 and 3, except for step 3 select Privacy No. to lets say, number 2

Now you have 2 channels running different encryption keys
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Re: Encryption

Post by Admiral »

humaxf1 wrote:Hi Admiral,

I have to agree with Bigbloke and I'm looking at the CPS now in which you can...

1. define your unique enhanced keys <1 thru 8> under Privacy Setting
2. set your first channel to enhanced in the Privacy drop down box
3. select the Privacy No. to lets say, number 1 in the drop down box

Repeat steps 2 and 3, except for step 3 select Privacy No. to lets say, number 2

Now you have 2 channels running different encryption keys
Thanks for the info humaxf1, I sussed it with BBs help about 18 months ago, it was partly me being thick and partly the manual being crap.
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