Re: ORTA

["Dave Proctor" <daproc@spambait.ozemail.com.au>]

"avachat" <avachat@dingoblue.net.au> wrote in message
39bb6d08$0$26523$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au">news:39bb6d08$0$26523$7f31c96c@news01.syd.optusnet.com.au...

> I'm not suggesting any thing other than to say that it would be
> irresponsible to make life too
> easy for idiots who get a kick out of transmitting unauthorised messages
> that
> at times interfere with safety critical transmissions.

And any organisation worth its reputation (that includes Cityrail, et al)
does not send safety critical messages via radio.

> The person I was responding to was not just requesting ORTA frequencies
> but "any"  interesting rail or bus frequencies.

And anything safety critical is either sent encrypted, or sent encrypted to
someone who can relay it (in the cases of buses that are not fitted with
decryption facilities).

> I do not think this person
> has any desire
> other than to listen in but unfortunately one doesn't know who the lurkers
> are or
> what they may do with the information received from this news group.

And once again, you are assuming that ORTA would not be adopting even the
most basic of security measures WRT what they send over unencrypted radio
and what they don't send via unencrypted radio.

> To answer your comment about safety critical messages passed via secure
> radio is extremely flawed.

Oh? How so?

> In actual fact, most rail transmissions are on unsecured radio
frequencies.

Nothing that is safety critical.

> The greatest danger is to shunters and train crews performing shunting
> utilising
> Shunt With Radio procedures. When two freighters pass each other the
drivers
> inform each
> other of any  unsafe condition that exists with their train.

That is not really safety critical - it is more safety advisory, and is the
same as if the train had not passed at that location (in other words, it
would have ontinued on without the knowledge). Totally different to being
given permission to pass a signal at stop (that IS safety critical).

> I could, but wont, go on all day on this subject other than to say that
> radio interference is already a
> serious concern to rail safety employees.

And as long as railway employees comply with current rules and regs, it
won't be a problem. Those of us involved with aviation have seen dickheads
trying to pass off incorrect clearances, etc, enough to know that it is a
non-issue, particularly with the advent of the new radio networks (if and
when they get it to work properly).

Dave