TRBO analog scrambling

[radiosification]

I think it was in the CPS 9 release notes that Motorola said that analog scrambling is now supported. Does anyone have anymore information about this please? I had a look around the web and didn't find anything specific. Does anyone know what kind of analog scrambling? And I assume it doesn't require an option board?

 

[Mars]

The analog scrambling feature is included in the welfare line of TRBO radios, such as the CP200d, CM200d, CM300d and XPR2500.

I've attached default codeplugs for these models, which come bundled with CPS 10.5. (Likely going to need 10.5 to open them)

CPS really doesn't explain what the heck it is, but under General:

Scrambling Frequency
Allows the user to select the Scrambling frequency. The available choices are 3.39 kHz and 3.29 kHz.

And in the analog channel personality configuration:

Scrambling Enable
Allows the user to enable or disable the Scrambling feature.

Appears to be welfare voice inversion. Very easy to monitor with one of those $40 Chinese radios.

May as well just learn how to speak Chinese, and use regular analog. Would probably sound better and be more secure than narrow-band voice inversion.

 

[Number 6]

May as well just learn how to speak Chinese, and use regular analog. Would probably sound better and be more secure than narrow-band voice inversion.

Welfare voice inversion on Motorola radios? 什麼白痴一堆。(What a bunch of idiots.)

 

[radiosification]

Ah I was thinking it could just be simple inversion, but I thought really moto would have done better than that, at least rolling code or something like that. Thanks for the codeplugs, but unfortunately I only have the EMEA CPS (I'm in the UK)

 

[com501]

Has anyone actually SOLD a CP200d?? After all the folderol with the special programming cables and crap, everyone is buying 3500s instead.

 

[Alpha]

It appears the Analog scrambling feature is now available in the new 2.4 firmware for higher tier radios. I have an XPR7550 and recently upgraded to the newest firmware and noticed the scrambling frequency entry above. I tried it just for chuckles and it seems to work.

 

[CQDX]

...I can't believe it actually works on the 7550.

Time to rustle the jimmies of some hams.

 

[Mars]

And some stupid ham will actually call this feature "encryption".

 

[Alpha]

What seems annoying is they haven't provided a way to turn it on or off by the user. You have to have a mode with it strapped on to use it, apparently. The "privacy" toggle doesn't work for that function. The help file refers vaguely to a "scrambling menu" but I don't see it in the menu list, nor operationally in the utilities menu. Basically all that means you need to set up a dedicated mode or channel with it on or off. After the firmware upgrade the radio shows a red-slash key icon (privacy off, usually) but on analog channels it shows now. It means the scrambling is turned off - turning it on makes the icon go to a plain key instead of one with the red slash.

 

[K6LOR]

Appears to be a no-go for Gen 1 radios as far as I can tell.

We have about a hundred 6550s and 4550s, (1) CP200d and a handful of 7550s... Not sure how the CP fit in to the mess, someone was talked in to it before I ended up handling the fleet. Reminds me of the green dot sport handhelds from the 90s, I think you set them by DIP switch.

 

[Mars]

Appears to be a no-go for Gen 1 radios as far as I can tell.

Yes, unfortunately Motorola indicated they will no longer be adding any new features to generation 1 radios. Only bug fixes.

 

[Aegis]

It also works with the Hytera. Tested with a PD782 with a XPR 7550. Sounds horable but it works.

 

[Alpha]

Just out of curiosity, did you try changing the frequency? There is a setting to select one of two, did one work better than the other?

 

[millma]

What seems annoying is they haven't provided a way to turn it on or off by the user. You have to have a mode with it strapped on to use it, apparently. The "privacy" toggle doesn't work for that function. The help file refers vaguely to a "scrambling menu" but I don't see it in the menu list, nor operationally in the utilities menu. Basically all that means you need to set up a dedicated mode or channel with it on or off.

I gave this a try on my 7550, and it looks like I am able to set a programmable button to "Scramble on/off" through the built-in FPP menu. Strange that it doesn't appear as an option in CPS though...
Likewise, I have found that the scrambling option will not control privacy on a digital channel.

I just checked, and the CPS help file alludes to the option existing, but says something about it not being available in the NA version?