What this means for you:
Every Motorola APX6000XE, APX6000Li, APX4500, APX6500, TAIT TP9400, TAIT TP9600 and TAIT TM9400 radio will need programming updates and a software feature loaded into it. **IF THIS FEATURE IS NOT INSTALLED, RADIOS WILL NOT WORK AFTER JULY 1, 2025.
All but a select few customers from 2017-2019 that purchased TAIT Radios from HC have the Radio Authentication software installed in their radios already. It simply needs to be enabled and a secret key loaded into every radio. Our hold up on rolling this software/security enhancement has been related to the device needed to accomplish this task. The device is on order and has been since February 2024.
Steps to get radios updated and working using radio authentication.
Motorola radios: HC Techs will read each model radio’s programming and document the current Flash code. HC techs will firmware update all radios to the newest working version of firmware from Motorola. Once radios have been updated, they will then be tested using our test equipment to verify the radios are in working order-Testing TX power, frequency error, receive sensitivity etc. and providing a PASS/FAIL report and adjusting any parameters as required.
**IF any programming changes need to be made, HC needs to know about it. It’s at this time that we will work with the state to enter any additional talk groups into the radios OR arrange channels etc. as needed. Please remember, the base Templates for your county will not be changed. Talk groups to be added will be added to “Custom Zones” or zones as a whole county.
Once radios have been tested/aligned, HC will order the required “flash code” from Motorola to be programmed into your radios. Once the software feature is loaded into each radio, the radios can then have the secret code loaded and the Radio authentication process is now complete.
TAIT radios: HC techs will read each radio, making any necessary programming changes/additions. Radio authentication software will be added if not already in the radio. HC Techs will firmware update all the radios to the newest working version of firmware from TAIT. Once radios have been updated, they will then be tested using our test equipment to verify the radios are in working order-Testing TX power, frequency error, receive sensitivity etc. and providing a PASS/FAIL report and adjusting any parameters as required. After testing/aligning the radios, radios will have the secret key loaded into them and the radio authentication process is now complete.
All radios that we have tuned, tested, and confirmed link layer certified will have a diagnostic confirmation label on them.
National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators in partnership with MARCS official press release on link layer auth
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