Someone testing on VTAC?

[ka3jjz]

While driving home this afternoon, I started getting some intermittent stuff that sounded a bit like a fire company on scene on VTAC12. It wasn't real clear; I probably didn't have it programmed correctly. At first I dismissed it as intermod, but the transmissions continued for a time, and it didn't sound distorted - more like another carrier was atop the actual user, and they were mixing somehow.

This was in the Glen Burnie area, where I used to live. I pretty much lost it on I-97 near the airport. Folks in that area might want to watch those freqs and see what develops. Those freqs are listed here...

Common Public Safety - The RadioReference Wiki

best regards..Mike

 

[doctordave]

Hmmm....interesting. I'll have to plug the VTAC freqs in and see what I get. VTAC11 gets a lot of use by Cecil/Kent and is easily monitored around here.....but I almost never hear the other VTACs getting used (except for some special event situations involving MSP/NRP....and I don't know offhand if all NRP/MSP VHF-High radios are programmed for the VTACs). I'll let you know if I copy anything.

 

[ka3jjz]

It's possible I was getting some skip from Kent County, Dave - a little tropo might bring this in. Thanks for the clarification...best regards..Mike

 

[Dispatcher308]

Cecil & Kent County use that channel as well as VTac11 when Kent travels into Cecil County as they do not have their radio's. I also think that the Eastern Shore is putting it at some of the towers that have the 800mhz Call & Tac channels.

Also all MSP & DNR/NRP Portbale Radio's do have VCall and VTac Channels programmed in for inter-op purposes.

 

[doctordave]

Nathan,

Have you heard Kent/Cecil together using V-TAC12? I know they regularly use VTAC11 for coordination.....but the last Kent standardized freq plan I obtained directly from the Kent EOC (about 1 year ago) had only VTAC11 included in the Kent FD radios. Perhaps Kent ended up adding in the remaining VTAC freqs - which would certainly make good sense.