TAC vs TACT

[twobytwo]

I have seen both to designate talkgroups/channels . It seems they are used interchangeable. Do they mean the same thing? If not what does each one represent?

 

[Will001]

I think they do. Because TAC is short for TACTICAL, but TACT is the same thing just with another letter.


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[jonwienke]

TAC is also used to designate a "talkaround channel"--direct simplex that talks around the repeater if it fails, or users don't want everyone in the county hearing what they say.

 

[pinballwiz86]

TAC is also used to designate a "talkaround channel"--direct simplex that talks around the repeater if it fails, or users don't want everyone in the county hearing what they say.

Some police officers also operate on the repeater output as their simplex TAC channel..

 

[iMONITOR]

I have seen both to designate talkgroups/channels . It seems they are used interchangeable. Do they mean the same thing? If not what does each one represent?

TAC = Tired And Confused

A TAC team, or "tactical team" was a paramilitary unit of CTU agents. TAC teams fulfill a SWAT-type role and provide backup for CTU field agents. CTU TAC teams are called into action when intelligence suggests that many or heavily armed hostiles are present, and specialized in Close Quarters Battle (CQB) engagement.

 

[W8RMH]

'Tact' also means 'a keen sense of what to say or do to avoid giving offense; skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations'.

In working with radios for over 45 years I have never heard 'tact' used, just 'tac'. Either could be used as a shortcut for 'tactical' I guess. In the Cincinnati area 'tac' was just another channel besides the dispatch channel. Mostly used for car-to-car traffic. In Columbus they just call them 'back channels'. In some areas a 'tactical' channel may pertain to a SWAT operation.

If you are old enough to remember the TV show 'Adam-12' they often switched to 'Tac-2' for car-to-car traffic.

 

[ofd8001]

Yeah I think the term "TAC" (as applied to tactical channels) can mean a lot of different things depending on which agency is involved.


Around our area, a tactical channel (talkgroup on the 800 TRS) is one that isn't monitored by a dispatcher as a matter of routine. It is typically used for administrative things, training and so on.