Astro Tidbits..

Post by Pj » Mon Jul 29, 2002 8:24 am

Spoke with a Motorola rep today, and found out a couple of things that I didn't really know about...

DES-OFB is NOT required in an APCO-25 system, sort of.

You CAN use DVP/DES-XL etc in the digital mode. Only thing is, you will not be APCO-25 compliant while transmitting coded. It has been believed by a great many that DES-OFB is the only one that will WORK while digital. Not so. DES-OFB however is the ONLY APCO-25 COMPLIANT encryption.

High power Quantar repeaters are going for about 12-15k.

DES-OFB boards are going for about 800+ per XTS3000 series radio
DVP-XL are running in the $540 range (note cheeper then accesspoint".)

W4/5 to W9 heads are about a 500-700 option these days

Prices have really gone up in the past 6 months. More to come when I get the rest of the info tonight...

XDCLabs.COM · Post by **XDCLabs.COM** » Mon Jul 29, 2002 10:24 am

DES-OFB and DES-XL use the same key. They however use different variations of the algorithm. Which means you cannot cummunicate between the two. But you can use the same ky and keyloader.

DES-XL/DES-OFB/DVP-XL/DVI-XL will work in Astro mode. DES/DES-XL/DVP-XL/DVI-XL/DVP(different from DVP-XL) will work in Securenet mode.

This should confuse you some more...

The "force" DES-XL/DES-OFB option only works in radio firmware past a certain version. I think you have to be in version 7.x.x or higher for portables.

Now, remember that this is a "tx only" option. Which means that it tells the radio to transmit using the "forced" mode, instead of the default which is DES-OFB for Astro channels. Ok for more confusion, If you have a DES-XL radio (1) and a DES-XL/DES-OFB radio (2) forced to DES-OFB tx, using the same key, then (1) cannot hear (2). BUT....more confusion coming....If radio (1) talks first, then radio (2) will be able to listed because it is capable of DES-XL, and if it talks back within the specified "key hangtime", then it will respond back in the mode it received the call, which is DES-XL, even though it is "forced" to talk DES-OFB. Of course if you wait pass the hangtime, then it will switch back to DES-OFB.

How about those beans, eh?

metro121 · Post by **metro121** » Mon Jul 29, 2002 3:45 pm

PJ

I doubt it was a Motorola rep you talked to.
It appears you picked up way to much info for one phone call.

Call back and ask to speak to the janitor and see if the voice sounds the same.

Post by Pj » Mon Jul 29, 2002 8:33 pm

Nope, this is the real deal guy. We had a meeting with him today. Flesh and blood. NOT the MSS shop guy, the one whose paycheck says Motorola Inc on it.

metro121 · Post by **metro121** » Tue Jul 30, 2002 1:04 am

Can you get a picture of him and post it on the board.

I think everyone here would like to see what this guy looks like. mabey even get an autograph.

Pro RF · Post by **Pro RF** » Tue Jul 30, 2002 8:06 pm

Um, so where are you going with this Metro?

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Jul 30, 2002 9:47 pm

Real Motorola representives do NOT exist. Most are just some stupid salesman from a so called "dealer". Remember, salesmen lie.

metro121 · Post by **metro121** » Wed Jul 31, 2002 1:49 am

PRO RF

If Motorola had any REAL up to speed anybody's over there that could answer your questions straight up with out doing any tap dancing or looking it up in a predetermined script, BATLABS would not exist.