Astro Saber DES Module?

RESCUE161 · Post by **RESCUE161** » Sun Mar 24, 2002 7:10 pm

If an Astro Saber III has an encryption module in it and it's not loaded with a key, will it say 'Key Fail'? We use Astro Sabers at work, and some are Astro Saber IIIs. All of the type IIIs we have say 'Key Fail' when they are turned on even when the Securenet feture is turned to 'Off' The radios still transmitThe comm shop has the key loader, but they say it's a pain in the butt to keep it all up, so they don't use it...

Elroy Jetson · Post by **Elroy Jetson** » Sun Mar 24, 2002 8:54 pm

Yes, that's all quite normal. The radio will let you know if there is no key loaded if the firmware is merely present in the radio whether it's enabled or not.

Have your radio shop enable the "infinite key retention" feature, and then the radio will keep a key until you deliberately erase it, which requires several keystrokes and won't happen by accident.

Elroy

RESCUE161 · Post by **RESCUE161** » Mon Mar 25, 2002 9:23 am

So even if the battery is removed, the Key will stay in place? There are a lot of Marines that work here, and they love to take the batteries off and push buttons and the like...lol

Elroy Jetson · Post by **Elroy Jetson** » Thu Apr 11, 2002 6:04 pm

Yes, if you enable the infinite key retention feature, the key will remain in the radio until it is deliberately and intentionally erased, period. You can take the battery off the radio while it's powered up and then leave the battery off for a year, and when you put a good battery back on the radio the key will still be there. And if the user-selectable key erase feature is NOT enabled, you will have radios that has a key that can't be dumped by any action of the user short of re-keying the radio or dumping it via an OTAR command, or fifteen consecutive failures to unlock a locked radio via its password.

It is a very good solution to your problem. Once set up, it's zero maintenance and every user will have the right key available when he needs it.

Elroy