Interop Frequencies

[JonKenobi]

Is it worth my time and scanner space to program in Interop frequencies? I have already put in the VHF and UHF frequencies but there's quite a bit of the 700/800MHZ ones, and I'm just curious if there's any regular traffic on there or if they are just used during major emergencies

 

[pinballwiz86]

Is it worth my time and scanner space to program in Interop frequencies? I have already put in the VHF and UHF frequencies but there's quite a bit of the 700/800MHZ ones, and I'm just curious if there's any regular traffic on there or if they are just used during major emergencies

In my area they use their interop frequency and they use it fairly often. So yes, program it in.


For example, if someone is driving reckless two counties west of me, the area comm center will transmit on the interop frequency and inform the area police to BOLO.

 

[nick1427d]

Is it worth my time and scanner space to program in Interop frequencies? I have already put in the VHF and UHF frequencies but there's quite a bit of the 700/800MHZ ones, and I'm just curious if there's any regular traffic on there or if they are just used during major emergencies

What area are you located in?

 

[ecps92]

Depends, is there any 700/800 Trunk or Conventional (outside of the Interops) in your area ? If No, then No

However keep in-mind (YMMV) if the Big One occurs, you might get folks brining in some of those to inter-act with the VHF/UHF

Pls update your profile to indicate where your from...it helps to forumulate responses

Is it worth my time and scanner space to program in Interop frequencies? I have already put in the VHF and UHF frequencies but there's quite a bit of the 700/800MHZ ones, and I'm just curious if there's any regular traffic on there or if they are just used during major emergencies

 

[JonKenobi]

I am in the Austin, TX area

 

[krokus]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (Android 2.3.4; Linux; Opera Mobi/ADR-1309251116) Presto/2.11.355 Version/12.10)

I hear people passing through my area, on I-tacs, on a regular basis. (Now on the 8-tac channels.)

 

[KB7MIB]

Wirelessly posted (Opera/9.80 (BREW; Opera Mini/6.0.3/27.2338; U; en) Presto/2.8.119 320X240 LG VN530)

In my area, although pretty much all of the city PD's and the SO are on 700/800 MHz trunked systems, I hear some local use of the VTAC Interops for car-to-car chat comms on occasion. So even if there isn't much day-to-day comms in a particular band, LEO's in your area may be using another band altogether for chit chat and surveillance, to keep things low profile. Program all of them in.

 

[DisasterGuy]

Different regions have built out their interop networks and concepts in different ways. I do recall that there was use of VHF and UHF interops in Austin when I lived in the area and if I recall correctly there were 800 repeaters as well. In most cases 700MHz interops are not used. Where they are being deployed in most cases is due to interference on 800 caused by jurisdictions that do not have good coordination of their interop channels (ie: leaving repeaters activated all the time).

Many areas have developed full interop networks to support the coordination, monitoring and activation of these systems. For example in Maryland they are governed and managed through the Maryland Eastern Shore Interoperability Network (MESIN), Central Maryland Area Radio Committee (SMARC), Washington Allegany & Garret Interoperability Network (WAGIN), Southern Maryland Interoperable Emergency Communications (SMIEC) Network, and National Capital Region.

In other areas there is less coordination of these frequencies, in some cases leaving them to local use and even leaving repeaters on and uncoordinated.