[FedCom] OTAR in NYC

[MSDBM at aol.com]

In NYC, DEA, Customs (CBP), and ICE use OTAR. 
 
All of the OTAR is done over repeater frequencies. What you hear on  simplex 
is apparently the mobile radios being turned on. It seems to  me, that when a 
vehicle is started and the radio powers up, it  transmits a burst of data that 
ids the unit and apparently it's  encryption status. If the computer sees 
that the radio encryption needs to  be updated, the OTAR exchange takes place, 
usually in three or four  transmissions of data. When completed, you hear the 
mobile radio respond  with a data burst that apparently confirms the successful 
download. Can  anyone confirm if this is correct?
 
Also, all of the OTAR occurs in ANALOG mode, although the radios may be  
utilized solely in P25 Digital. DEA does OTAR on an analog repeater with PL  
156.7, Customs on an analog repeater with PL 100.0, and ICE on an analog  repeater 
with no PL.