Stun and Kill Function

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

What is a "Stun and Kill Function"?!?

[SteveShannon]

It’s not at all unusual for the RF output to deviate from the advertised value. Some may be more and some may be less and it really makes almost no difference in communications whether a radio puts out 4 watts or 5. It’s a classic case of diminishing returns.  
Plus there’s absolutely nothing that says your wattmeter is correct. 
As an exercise, jot down the power output for every channel. You’ll see that they differ, possibly greatly. 

[WRWE456]

Just send it back and ask for a replacement if you think it is defective. 

 

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

  On 11/17/2023 at 6:10 PM, Sshannon said:

It’s not at all unusual for the RF output to deviate from the advertised value. Some may be more and some may be less and it really makes almost no difference in communications whether a radio puts out 4 watts or 5. It’s a classic case of diminishing returns.  
Plus there’s absolutely nothing that says your wattmeter is correct. 
As an exercise, jot down the power output for every channel. You’ll see that they differ, possibly greatly. 

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The barely, if at all vary. My radio is putting out between 3 and 4.3W not even close to the 5.5 advertised and I've barely had it a month or so. I shouldn't be seeing that much of a diminished return yet.

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

  On 11/17/2023 at 6:11 PM, WRWE456 said:

Just send it back and ask for a replacement if you think it is defective. 

 

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I need to find someone to hook up with locally and see if it's my meter or what first. If I can find someone... Being relatively new to my area and GMRS it's difficult.

[sjl777]

From my limited experience along with web and YouTube searches, the DTMF codes allow a user to access devices using the radio.  This can include repeaters, garage doors, and anything else where your radio might be used as a remote with a particular configured device.  I have not use for this function and dont want to make my radios open to receiving unwanted codes.

The Kill/Stun function is an anti-theft function.  Government agencies have this built into their public safety equipment.  Depending on how much one spends for a mobile or HT, I can understand how you may want to brick the device if it was stolen.  Getting it back would be another issue.

I think if you change the default code in CHIRP or CPS software it should limit someone from using a factory code to mess with your radio.

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

  On 11/18/2023 at 3:42 PM, sjl777 said:

From my limited experience along with web and YouTube searches, the DTMF codes allow a user to access devices using the radio.  This can include repeaters, garage doors, and anything else where your radio might be used as a remote with a particular configured device.  I have not use for this function and dont want to make my radios open to receiving unwanted codes.

The Kill/Stun function is an anti-theft function.  Government agencies have this built into their public safety equipment.  Depending on how much one spends for a mobile or HT, I can understand how you may want to brick the device if it was stolen.  Getting it back would be another issue.

I think if you change the default code in CHIRP or CPS software it should limit someone from using a factory code to mess with your radio.

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Thanks, I was having a problem locating any information on it, not sure if it's my search engines or a setting on my devices I need to change. They're pretty secure.

[WRXB215]

  On 11/28/2023 at 11:45 AM, Sshannon said:

unless you have a reason, disable the ability of your radio to be stunned or killed

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That's a great suggestion. I can't remember if it was on this forum or somewhere else but there was a guy that just started using his new radio and someone in the neighborhood stunned his radio. Took him a while to get it straightened out if I recall.

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

  On 11/28/2023 at 1:22 PM, WRXB215 said:

That's a great suggestion. I can't remember if it was on this forum or somewhere else but there was a guy that just started using his new radio and someone in the neighborhood stunned his radio. Took him a while to get it straightened out if I recall.

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Now if I can just figure out how...

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

  On 11/28/2023 at 11:45 AM, Sshannon said:

It’s always a good idea to go through your passwords from time to time, but that’s not what is needed to prevent someone from stunning or killing your radio.

Your radio has an ANI.  By default, all radios of that model are programmed with a factory default ANI.  In order to stun or kill your radio two things must be true:

1. The stun or kill function must be enabled in your radio. 

2. The person sending the stun or kill command must send it along with the ANI that is programmed into your radio.  That’s especially easy if you never changed the ANI from the factory default. All someone would have to do is send out the stun or kill command with the factory default ANI.

So, you should use Chirp or the factory CPS to change the ANI to be different from the factory default.  Also, unless you have a reason, disable the ability of your radio to be stunned or killed.

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ANI?!? 

Where would I do this magical disabling?!? I don't know what I'm looking for. 

[PACNWComms]

Interesting thread I clicked on, only because today I received a call for a lost APX4000 Model 2 on a trunked radio network. I had to explain why I was only going to"Transmit Inhibit" the radio, as then they usually end up at one of our repair shops, when someone notices they receive, change channels, and otherwise appear to function until you try to transmit. 

Many organizations in commercial radio shy away from stun and kill, and the use of system keys helps keep your radios/programming within your organization. It would be interesting to know if CCR's now have this as well? Some do most everything else as found on commercial radios.

[SteveShannon]

  On 11/29/2023 at 12:10 AM, CyborgAlienWRYG738 said:

ANI?!? 

Where would I do this magical disabling?!? I don't know what I'm looking for. 

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Menus 23 and 24 (in the Parent manual I referenced a few days ago) set the Caller ID and control when your Caller ID is sent, which I suspect is the same as your ANI. 

The pages (49-51) on remote control that I screenshot and posted back then describe the process of Stunning and Killing, but they refer to a value that I don’t find elsewhere in the manual.  They refer to “Controlled Code”.  Maybe it’s the ID of the unit that is sending the Stun, Kill, Monitor, or Inspection code. I really don’t know. And on this unit it doesn’t appear there’s a disable function so you’ll definitely want to change the ID. 

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

  On 11/29/2023 at 2:47 AM, Sshannon said:

Menus 23 and 24 (in the Parent manual I referenced a few days ago) set the Caller ID and control when your Caller ID is sent, which I suspect is the same as your ANI. 

The pages (49-51) on remote control that I screenshot and posted back then describe the process of Stunning and Killing, but they refer to a value that I don’t find elsewhere in the manual.  They refer to “Controlled Code”.  Maybe it’s the ID of the unit that is sending the Stun, Kill, Monitor, or Inspection code. I really don’t know. And on this unit it doesn’t appear there’s a disable function so you’ll definitely want to change the ID. 

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I had turned the PTT-ID off and I had changed my ID as well, I'm not sure what the "control code" is, I tried the security codes which were the default security codes/passwords and then changed my security codes/passwords. I did notice a slight increase of output power after a subsequent complete wipe as well, though I don't have the full power I once had. It's noticable when I try to talk to locations from inside my house that I now have to go outside to reach.

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

  On 11/29/2023 at 3:22 PM, Sshannon said:

Once again, Stun and Kill have absolutely nothing to do with reducing your transmission power.

Stun disables transmission entirely.

Kill disables transmission and reception.

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Thanks again Steve, I think I've got it now.

[CyborgAlienWRYG738]

  On 11/18/2023 at 3:42 PM, sjl777 said:

I think if you change the default code in CHIRP or CPS software it should limit someone from using a factory code to mess with your radio.

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As a n update on this, I have since changed ALL my passwords, I hope this is what you were referring to.

[WRUI365]

I wonder if you people know that stun and kill function is by digital means, not analog. As in if you are using a DMR, NXDN or P25 unit and someone wants you not on that talk group. There is no analog means of doing that for the reason that in the digital modes your radio is transmitting a unit id number. In analog it doesn't.