Advanced System Key (USB dongle) on 7.X???

[MSS-Dave]

Question on this.... does the ASK on a 7.X system tie the radio ID to a serial number so you can ONLY put that ID into that S/N or is it just a range of authorized ID's that you could put into any radio? Never worked with a 7.x before...

Thanks!

Dave

[alex]

Question on this.... does the ASK on a 7.X system tie the radio ID to a serial number so you can ONLY put that ID into that S/N or is it just a range of authorized ID's that you could put into any radio? Never worked with a 7.x before...

Thanks!

Dave

My understanding is that it can only be ID ranges and it is up to the end programmer to figure out what ID goes in what radio...

So if you make a daughter key and say you can only have ID XXXXX-YYYYY they can only program in that range. AFAIK there is not a "check in/out" for ID's or anything that would match and ID to a radios SN.

All the ASK provides is if you can type it in or not.

-Alex

[MSS-Dave]

Thanks Alex....

I sat in on a very comprehensive webinar today with a /\/\ guy who is a guru on ASK. Complicated upfront for sure. System Owner Master key creates a child key that can have different levels of access to programming features. My key allows me to program a pre-assigned block of ID's into my radios. You can NOT do a drag and drop at any level to get trunking info like system or talkgroups from one CP to the other. You have to create the system in a CP with all of the info, save that as a master CP THEN clone to like radios changing the ID's as usual. Hope I can remember it all but once the ASK is loaded correctly it looks straight forward to clone away (new fleet...)within the permissions allowed by the system owner. The key even has an expiration date that can be activated.

I just have to sit down with it for awhile and play. It's a whole new way for sure. APX radios require this type of key now BTW.......

Dave

[resqguy911]

The key even has an expiration date that can be activated.
Dave

As far as I know, all ASKs require an expiration date to be set when the parent creates a child.
edited for spelling and accuracy

[Jason]

Question on this.... does the ASK on a 7.X system tie the radio ID to a serial number so you can ONLY put that ID into that S/N or is it just a range of authorized ID's that you could put into any radio? Never worked with a 7.x before...

Thanks!

Dave

My understanding is that it can only be ID ranges and it is up to the end programmer to figure out what ID goes in what radio...

So if you make a daughter key and say you can only have ID XXXXX-YYYYY they can only program in that range. AFAIK there is not a "check in/out" for ID's or anything that would match and ID to a radios SN.

All the ASK provides is if you can type it in or not.

-Alex

Correct that is exactly how it works. It does not take away the human error aspect. It sure would be nice if it would tie the radio s/n to the id and give you an error window if you tried to dupe the ID.

[smokeybehr]

I'm a relative noob when it comes to the subtle nuances of the trunking world, but I can see that it would take a whole bunch of extra programming in the software, plus another database table to keep track of the S/N to Fleet ID pairing. It would probably add another 5-10% or so to the programming for the table generation, checking, look-up, and viewing.

I wouldn't want an error to pop-up if they built this in, but maybe an advisory window saying X Fleet ID is associated with Y S/N, and to you want to continue.

On the child key expiration, it's a pretty standard thing to expire secure certs or keys in the computer world.

[pforbes]

Thanks Alex....

I sat in on a very comprehensive webinar today with a /\/\ guy who is a guru on ASK. Complicated upfront for sure. System Owner Master key creates a child key that can have different levels of access to programming features. My key allows me to program a pre-assigned block of ID's into my radios. You can NOT do a drag and drop at any level to get trunking info like system or talkgroups from one CP to the other. You have to create the system in a CP with all of the info, save that as a master CP THEN clone to like radios changing the ID's as usual. Hope I can remember it all but once the ASK is loaded correctly it looks straight forward to clone away (new fleet...)within the permissions allowed by the system owner. The key even has an expiration date that can be activated.

I just have to sit down with it for awhile and play. It's a whole new way for sure. APX radios require this type of key now BTW.......

Dave

Wow! I'm just about neck deep into P25 and this ASK thing is driving me bonkers. I would SO appreciate viewing that Webinar you mentioned as I find I need to make Child Keys and I haven't a clue how. You wouldn't just happen to know how and where I could find that Webinar? I've found nothing to help me to date.

Patrick

[N4DES]

The key even has an expiration date that can be activated.
Dave

As far as I know, all ASKs require an expiration date to be set when the parent creates a child.
edited for spelling and accuracy

Correct, that occurs on the formatting process when you initialize the dongle. You can set it as early as tomorrow or as far away as 1/1/2020. There is no updating or changing the expiration once programmed that I can find. My understanding there is an internal battery as well, so if the battery goes dead before the expiration you will be SOL and have to reorder and reprogram the unit with a parent ASK.

I did also find in my tinkering that you can make an empty refresh or feature upgrade dongle into an ASK with no expiration with a parent key. I have a few of these in the safe at the office along with the Parent ASK and I keep one in my go kit that has all the systems I have agreements with programmed wide open.

I have been programming child ASK's for the last 3 years and really got experience when we were doing rebanding as we touched all of our MCS, MTS, and XTL radios with one. As the vendor would move from agency to agency I would modify the EID's in the keys so there would be no mistake in programming. I have been making them for the Fed's recently and they love them cause they can't mess up cloning their radios once we get one done.

[pforbes]

Mr. ASK Guru, I desperately need your help. I seem to have found myself to be our City's P25 'Expert' for the system we will be getting shortly and the ASK thing has me dumbfounded and not even Google can help me.

Could you?

Off line and/or Tele would be great.

[N4DES]

I am far from being a guru, but I can sure try to help you out Patrick. Telephone would probably be best and I can walk you through creating a child key.
PM me your number and I will give you a call to set up a day for about an hour. I'm going to assume that you already have the Master ASK at your disposal and at least 1 USB child key either formatted or unformatted.

[littlebit1]

Hello, i am new to the astro digital world and i have 4 xts3000 radios on 800Mhz and when i try to program them they say i need the advanced system keys. can anyone help me with this as i think this is what you are talking about. John

[wavetar]

Hello, i am new to the astro digital world and i have 4 xts3000 radios on 800Mhz and when i try to program them they say i need the advanced system keys. can anyone help me with this as i think this is what you are talking about. John

Yes, it means your radios were programmed with Advanced System Keys and in the past, that would be the extent of it...you'd be SOL. However, if you google 'Advanced System Key Fix' you should be able to find a utility that will allow you to remove the ASK from your radios. Read any given instructions very carefully & follow them to the letter, and if you hose up a radio, well you take your chances with programs floating around on the internet.

[007]

Thread resurrection...I've been here long enough, so cut me some slack on this one.

We have ASK's in play on our non-/\/\ P25 system for the various /\/\ users that ended up with radios that require one, even though we at the system admin level aren't necessarily sold on the concept in general...but I digress.

My first question is: Can one fob have more than one ASK loaded onto it? I have permissions on several other systems, and have legacy keys for them but now I have an APX delivered that is ASK-only so I find myself needing several other ASK's.

My second question: I've asked the /\/\ dealer I got the radio from and others and not gotten a definitive answer on this - can I have the flash modified on the APX so that it will accept legacy keys and ASK's in the same radio? If I can do that, it saves me getting about 6 other ASK's since I already have the legacy keys.

[N4DES]

Thread resurrection...I've been here long enough, so cut me some slack on this one.

We have ASK's in play on our non-/\/\ P25 system for the various /\/\ users that ended up with radios that require one, even though we at the system admin level aren't necessarily sold on the concept in general...but I digress.

My first question is: Can one fob have more than one ASK loaded onto it? I have permissions on several other systems, and have legacy keys for them but now I have an APX delivered that is ASK-only so I find myself needing several other ASK's.

My second question: I've asked the /\/\ dealer I got the radio from and others and not gotten a definitive answer on this - can I have the flash modified on the APX so that it will accept legacy keys and ASK's in the same radio? If I can do that, it saves me getting about 6 other ASK's since I already have the legacy keys.

Answer to question 1 - Yes it can. I have approximately 7 different systems on my Master Key and around 12 on one key that was just ammended by others. The other systems must be loaded by those that have the master key and the new ASK software allows you to ammend the key if you have the new style i-button.

Answer to question 2 - Yes is can be updated for a price. You need to call your account manager so he can arrange a flashkey for you. I have no idea on price.

[007]

Thanks!