Intro to Secure Communications

A very basic introduction to secure communications and what is available for each of the 4 digital modes approved for use on the Amateur Radio Service.
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[@billleblanc819]

You do top shelf tutorials. I don’t understand how you don’t have a way bigger following than you do.

[@briankendall1978]

I think a person could use a simple SDR dongle and the right software and decode any of those digital protocols, but I agree with you, that person would have to get lucky enough to be in range of you and happen to be listening to the right frequency at the right time. One other thing a small group could do is have several different frequencies in their comms plan and routinely change frequencies and even change bands if they have a dual band radios. All these things are good things to think about. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

[@slik560]

I've had a DMR radio for three years and I still can't work my way through all the @#$#% talk groups, colors, etc. The 878UV+ will do analog, which is why I keep it. Good video

[@johnk23705]

If you are looking to buy a Yaesu FT5D, maybe wait and see if it goes on a Black Friday sale at Christmas time. I got a brand new one last year from Ham Radio Outlet for $340.00 delivered, on a Black Friday sale. The TYT 390's are excellent radios for the price. Best deal in digital radio right now at it's price point and they can do analog simplex and Repeater also. Scott, Great video as always. Thanks for all the prep work you do in making your videos.

[@MrFreddarama]

I've used the TYT's for years. They are cheap and work good with DMR AES 256 for my 21 licensed VHF channels. Regular DMR and D-Star like the hamsters use can be easily monitored. They are not the quality of a Motorola and more expensive radios but are satisfactory for entry level, training exercises and light duty work.

[@MrJakeXXL]

Another BA tutorial Scott 👍

[@waylonk2453]

Thank you for approaching secure comms from a HAM perspective. Your point about "security through obscurity and exclusivity" is one I hadn't thought about before in radio. I have been a fan of the TYT models for their affordability. I've got many hours on DMR repeaters with my UV380, and it's also suitable for business use on the group C itinerant channels. Thanks for the warning about using encrypted signals around sensitive locations.

[@Chris5685]

Security through obscurity is definitely a thing even in unlicensed radio stuff. An example of this would be that the European PMR446 (like FRS, less channels) band has 16 available channels for analog FM, but like 99% of the entry level radios only do the first 8 of those, because it used to be all we got here. This means that most of the screaming kids won't bother you on channels 9-16. One further step is dPMR digital mode, which is even more obscure, as usually only the high end business grade radios can work it. All of these are unlicensed as far as I know, but no one uses them.

[@billfrankowski2041]

You left out one more digital mode also available to hams, NXDN. Although not very well known or many people using it, NXDN has the capability of “full encryption mode” too. I’ve got 2 Icom IC-F62D NXDN radios that I use with my hot spots and work very well for same mode and cross mode use. Same problem with these, along with the other “higher end” type radios is the cost, but these are actual Icom & Kenwood commercial radios.

[@waylonk2453]

Does "full encryption mode" also encode the ID, TG, and CC (or their NXDN equivalents) which are normally transmitted in the clear as on DMR? In other words, NXDN can encode all the metadata too?

[@davido3842]

Good video. I just got an md-uv390 plus and the ailunce hd2. The encryption works good and I like the tyt much more than the hd2. I am amazed that not more people know of the tyt and just buy very expensive single band motorolas instead…

[@BobBob-il2ku]

Why do you like the TYT better?

[@davido3842]

⁠@@BobBob-il2kuThe tyt had a better build quality in my opinion. It had less creaking, a bit better plastic and the knobs worked perfectly. However: I bought the HD2 on the second hand market and that may be the reason to the not so perfect build quality. Both radios are very close so it doesnt really matter which one you choose. (Except the multipin connector)

[@ManuelPinner]

Gnu Radio Software can do description,

[@radiohobbyist13]

When DSTAR first came out I wanted to be in on the ground floor of that exciting new mode. So I went out and bought an Icom ID-51 or something like that, can't remember the exact model number. Unfortunately, so did some of the CB good-buddy types, people that I definitely didn't want to talk to. I was deeply disappointed and got rid of my radio quickly, never went back. The class of people in amateur radio leaves much to be desired. I'd rather fiddle around with a table top shortwave receiver. The end.

[@davidhubbell4066]

Yes Some scanners and SDR hardware/software will decode D-STAR, DMR, C4FM, P25 and NXDN

[@jasonsneed3179]

Which ones?

[@BobBob-il2ku]

What’ does d-star & system fusion?

[@attribute-4677]

I’ve got an SDS200 and it doesn’t decode D-STAR or Fusion. It should be easy for them to add, but they won’t. SDRs can do it, but meh.

[@supa_sets8636]

Merci Beaucoup mon homme 🙏

[@garrettmorris7948]

I've had my 390's for about 2 years now. In the config mine says 40 bit encryption. I did not see any other option. I did update the firmware since then so I will check again. Ok there is a sequence in the cps program to change to 256.

[@KS6DAY]

The AES 256 portion is hidden for some reason. I found this article from Buy Two Way Radio really helpful towards setting it up - www.buytwowayradios.com/blog/2023/08/how-to-access-256-bit-encryption-mode-in-the-md-uv390-plus.html?srsltid=AfmBOoptmUznqNmvKXgWne09UnpWKdl8Hx5BDOD2w7ptK5uJb_a3MeHC

[@mikemcdonald5147]

there are several scanners that can do d star and yeas fusion but they are expensive and not many people would have these.

[@BobBob-il2ku]

Which ones?

[@goalkpr14]

Great vid thx

[@HardcoreFourSix]

Remember-the FCC makes rules not laws. With regard to the rule about encryption on ham and gmrs, this is a prime example of government overreach. No one is harmed by people sending encrypted traffic. If I need help and I am sending encrypted traffic, the public cannot provide assistance to me, so I am harming myself.

[@ManuelPinner]

most bearcat Scanner's can't decode D-Star and Fusion,

[@ericblair3009]

good information....

[@kevinb4783]

great video!

[@sire24657]

Good primer!!

[@ManuelPinner]

I have a Kenwood D75A and Yaesu FT5D and Icom ID-52A and Alinco JD-MD5, the Kenwood can do APRS and DPRS with the Icom Android App,

[@Sparkfly88]

If only the 390 had a waterproof mic connector. 😢

[@KS6DAY]

It is gasketed on the radio side, so they took some measures there. But an IP67 contact strip connection would have been a nice touch.

[@Sparkfly88]

@KS6DAY exactly. Silly to market it as ip67 only if you're NOT using the speaker mic.... Just go all the way and give us the contact strip style. 😎

[@glynnetolar4423]

Bonus feature of the digital systems. They sound like crap. And you pay extra for that feature.

[@KS6DAY]

Digital audio does indeed sound horrible. But it's the only method available that allows any kind of useful encryption. That factor, along with lack of signal degradation to judge range, are the reasons I don't use digital all that much and have so little digital content on this channel. I regret not having gone with my alternative cut on this video. I covered this extensively, but the video was just too long. I went against my instincts and now regret not having gone with the first cut. I will discuss this in a follow on video.

[@QEsposito510]

If you care about secure comms, run line checks several times throughout the day, regardless of if you hear a bunch of dumbazz cops or not. If some nerd pops up talking about acceptable frequency bands, tell him to fall back - the law can’t touch you!