National Park Service - Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Blount,Cocke, and Sevier, Tennessee
How we verified this
As of August 2026 RadioReference lists the Great Smoky Mountains National Park repeaters, including the five Tennessee-side sites, in encryption-capable P25 mode with the note that 'Encryption is sometimes used by Rangers Parkwide', indicating selective rather than full-time encryption.
Encryption Details
What This Means
This agency encrypts some of its communications while leaving others open. Which channels are affected depends on the operation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is National Park Service - Great Smoky Mountains National Park radio encrypted?
Yes — National Park Service - Great Smoky Mountains National Park's radio system runs on P25 DES-OFB encryption. This agency encrypts some of its communications while leaving others open. Which channels are affected depends on the operation.
Can I listen to National Park Service - Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a police scanner?
Partially. National Park Service - Great Smoky Mountains National Park encrypts some of its talkgroups while leaving others open, so some channels may still be accessible. Check RadioReference for specific talkgroup status.
Why did National Park Service - Great Smoky Mountains National Park encrypt their radio?
Officer safety and operational security are the reasons agencies give. What rarely comes with that explanation is Blount,Cocke, and Sevier County-specific evidence that open communications ever caused a problem, while the loss of public oversight and the friction with still-unencrypted neighboring agencies are both immediate and real.
Can Blount,Cocke, and Sevier County reverse the encryption decision?
Yes. Encryption is a policy choice made by department leadership or elected officials, not a technical requirement, so it can be reversed the same way. Public pressure, city council advocacy, and organized local coalitions have reversed encryption decisions elsewhere.
What can I do about National Park Service - Great Smoky Mountains National Park encryption?
Contact the officials who oversee National Park Service - Great Smoky Mountains National Park's budget directly and ask why full encryption was chosen over partial alternatives. Pair that with a FOIA request for recordings and policy records, and look for an existing coalition in Blount,Cocke, and Sevier County, or start one, since agencies respond differently to organized, sustained pressure than to individual complaints.