[Scan-DC] Pasadena PD encrypts but promises media access

Tue Jan 10 13:59:32 EST 2012

Not exactly 100% AM.  The Va. Army National Guard uses HAVE QUICK which 
involves digital spread spectrum comms.

Alan wrote:
> For many, many years I've been using my scanners to listen to military
> air traffic along with local PD/FD traffic. However, with the advent of
> digital radios and scanners, along with encryption, the PD/FD listening
> is starting to get to be more trouble than it's worth. As a result, I
> have found myself migrating to almost strictly listening to military air
> traffic other than when some big event happens in the police/fire world
> of listening.
>
> In addition to the ability to easily listen to this traffic with even
> the most basic scanner, it's also provides a lot of very interesting
> listening. It is all AM analog mode (and it's critical you have your
> scanner set to AM), there is no trunking and almost no encryption (other
> than very occasional uses when practicing classified type exercises).
> For those not familiar with the frequencies used, here's some very basic
> information:
>
> While I could write a book on the subject, to give a quick and dirty
> overview, here's what you should know.....
>
> 1, Most fighters move through the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system using
> UHF freqs (225-400 mHz)
> 2. Most transport and tanker aircraft use VHF (118-136 mHz) for ATC
> 3. Bombers use both.
> 4. Both freq ranges are also used for tactical/operational use with the
> addition of the 138-144 mHz range for F-16/A-10 tactical use - and
> there's a lot of that due to the Andrews and Atlantic City F-16s and
> Martin State A-10s.
>
> To get started, I would suggest you just start scanning those two freq
> ranges (138-144 and 225-400) and see what you come up with. Keep in mind
> that the military aircraft that use VHF for Air Traffic Control will
> also be mixed in with all the commercial air traffic in the 118-136
> range so it's more difficult to segregate them which is why I suggest
> starting with the freqs used almost exclusively by the military.
>
> In the local area at Andrews we have F-16 fighters, KC-135 tankers and
> various Navy transports along with constant arrivals/departures of large
> transport aircraft and a variety of aircraft used for VIP flights -
> including the Presidential fleet of aircraft.
> At Martin State Airport, we have A-10 ground attack aircraft and the
> C-27J light transport aircraft.
> Patuxent Naval Air Station has aircraft of almost every type in the
> Navy's inventory.
> Martinsburg WV has C-5 heavy transport aircraft as does Dover AFB DE
> along with C-17s
> McGuire AFB NJ has C-17A transport and KC-135/KC-10 tanker aircraft
> Then there are the fighters from Langley and Atlantic City
> There is no shortage of military air listening opportunities in this
> general area.
>
> For beginners, I would suggest checking out RadioReference.com, look for
> the Discussion Forums link, go to the Maryland page and check the
> "Sticky Thread for MilAir VII (2012). It will give you a good start for
> an explanation of the traffic and frequencies used for specific
> operations in this area. Other states have similar threads. The
> RadioReference database also contains frequency lists for specific
> military units.
>
> Ease of listening, no expensive equipment necessary, a very basic
> omni-directional antenna will suffice and loads of enjoyment. Isn't that
> why most of us bought our scanners in the first place? Even your 20 year
> old scanners will work. Give it a try if you haven't already.
>
> Alan (TinEar)
> Maryland
>
>
>
>
> On 1/10/2012 12:32 PM, Jeffrey Embry wrote:
>> I have the feeling that scanner listening as a hobby...one that I have
>> known for some 40 years is going away.  And technology, primarily the
>> internet and smart phones are the root cause.  I wonder if changes
>> would be made if streaming scanner feeds were not so readily
>> available?
>>
>> Which makes me wonder...I have always believed that it is okay to
>> listen so long as one didn't divulge what was heard to a 3rd party.
>> Yep it is the honor system, but perhaps divuging what one hears to
>> people you don't even know via the Internet or other means is just
>> plain wrong.
>>
>> I do know this, I will NOT be putting anymore money into scanners,
>> scanning equipment or other such items.  I am certainly not enjoying
>> listening they way that I use to enjoy it.  In fact, I am finding
>> commercial air traffic and railroads to be quite enjoyable.
>>
>> Just my measly .02 cents.
>>
>> 73es
>>
>> Jeff
>> K3OQ
>>
>> On 1/10/12, lepine15 at comcast.net<lepine15 at comcast.net>   wrote:
>>> I was thinking about starting a post on RR to start a dialogue with the site
>>>
>>> owners and the group as a whole, that maybe it's time to shut down the audio
>>>
>>> feeds for a little while.   Dept after dept is using this as the excuse to
>>> encrypt all comms.
>>>
>>> Thoughts?
>>>
>>> Paul
>>> Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone
>>>
>>> -----Original message-----
>>> From: Alan Henney<alan at henney.com>
>>> To: Scan DC<Scan-DC at mailman.qth.net>
>>> Sent: Tue, Jan 10, 2012 04:57:20 GMT+00:00
>>> Subject: [Scan-DC] Pasadena PD encrypts but promises media access
>>>
>>>
>>> Pasadena Star-News (California)
>>>
>>> January 7, 2012 Saturday
>>>
>>> Pasadena's digital scanners can't be monitored
>>>
>>> BYLINE: By Brian Charles, Staff Writer
>>>
>>> SECTION: NEWS
>>>
>>> LENGTH: 688 words
>>>
>>> PASADENA - As of today, the Pasadena Police Department's radio
>>> communications will switch from analog to digital, preventing media outlets
>>> and amateur radio enthusiasts from monitoring police calls.
>>>
>>> The police department will make its $7 million leap forward from analog to
>>> encrypted digital transmission of radio conversations in a move city
>>> officials insisted was not about secrecy but safety.
>>>
>>> "We are not out to avoid detection, but we are here to keep everyone safe,"
>>> said Steven Page, Pasadena's telecommunications supervisor.
>>>
>>> Aided by cell phone advances that - in terms of technology - change every
>>> few months, criminals are monitoring police activity constantly, Page said.
>>>
>>> "With the advent of iPhones and other devices, you can use an (application)
>>> to figure out where the police are at any given time," he said.
>>>
>>> Shawn West, who owns West Information Services, a company that monitors
>>> radio traffic, said "people listening to scanners aren't committing that
>>> many crimes" and those employing scanners to aid in a criminal activity are
>>> themselves breaking the law.
>>>
>>> And while police seek privacy in switching to digital transmission of their
>>> conversations, doing so will hinder the work of journalists, West said.
>>>
>>> "Newspapers will have to wait on press releases," he said.
>>>
>>> Meanwhile, a digital revolution of sorts is underway in law enforcement,
>>> with agencies from Pomona to the Pacific Ocean adopting new radio
>>> technology. And as they do, many news agencies will be at least temporarily
>>> left in the dark.
>>>
>>> Pasadena city officials promised to come up with a plan to arm area media
>>> outlets with digitally equipped scanners. Pasadena officials said they will
>>> likely replicate the plan used in Orange County, where news outlets and law
>>> enforcement agencies enter into agreements to lease or receive the scanners
>>> on loan, Page said.
>>>
>>> However, the city has not formulated criteria for what constitutes as a news
>>>
>>> agency.
>>>
>>> For now, the Pasadena media will depend on the discretion of police officers
>>>
>>> in reporting the agency's activities.
>>>
>>> "We will put the information out that the public needs to know," Pasadena
>>> police Phillip Sanchez said.
>>>
>>> "That may be one of the unintended consequences," Pasadena City Manager
>>> Michael Beck said about the encryption which will keep residents and the
>>> media from listening in on police frequencies.
>>>
>>> Sanchez surmises that the public prefers the improved response times
>>> associated with the technology to open access for the media and the public.
>>>
>>> "I guess the balance to that is the benefit to the victim; that we get there
>>>
>>> quickly and can coordinate our response," Sanchez said. "Ultimately time
>>> will tell whether the media feels excluded."
>>>
>>> While California requires government bodies to operate openly under the
>>> scrutiny of the press and the general public, police departments are not
>>> required to make the same concession when it comes to radio transmissions.
>>>
>>> "I have never seen an obligation to keep scanner traffic transparent," said
>>> Terry Francke, CalAware attorney and government watchdog.
>>>
>>> "Assuming of course that the police are doing what they are supposed to do
>>> ... I don't know it's inherently suspect anymore than it would be for police
>>>
>>> to use the phone or email to secure communications," Francke said.
>>>
>>> The new digital radio system works much like a cell phone. A computer system
>>>
>>> assigns a frequency to a radio in the field and switches that frequency
>>> assignment as traffic on the entire system increases or as the officer moves
>>>
>>> across the coverage area. In short, more people can talk along a more narrow
>>>
>>> spectrum of bandwidth, West said.
>>>
>>> By April 1, the Pasadena departments of Public Works, Water and Power and
>>> Code Enforcement will have adopted the new encrypted system.
>>>
>>> The Pasadena Fire Department will not adopt a fully encrypted system, as the
>>>
>>> department works closely with other agencies that have not gone digital,
>>> Page said.
>>>
>>> In the Bay Area, the new radio systems have been crippled by cell phone
>>> jamming equipment, proof that the system is not foolproof, Page said.
>>>
>>> "If someone really wants to jam our system, they can," Page said.
>>>
>>> brian.charles at sgvn.com
>>>
>>> twitter.com/JBrianCharles
>>>
>>> 626-578-6300, ext. 4494
>>>
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