iTAC /Vtac channels what the heck?
- Thread starter SCPD
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Yes, they are active in the Atlantic City area.
I hear chatter on them from time to time. Not sure if some of the repeaters are linked together but most of the radio traffic I hear is coming from the Newark and Hoboken areas on UTAC channels.
Atlantic City traffic is analog.
ecps92
Member
P25 is digital
DisasterGuy
Member
VCall, UCall and 8Call are all conventional and the repeaters for UHF and 800 should always be off unless being used for a coordinated incident. Many areas however (including NCC, DE) do not follow this however and leave theirs on all the time (at times causing interference to others).
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Tech792
Member
I usually hear activity for central and northern NJ on the UHF repeaters. Usually weekends during events. Early this morning I heard Morris County testing but I couldn't see which one they were coming in on. I think it was one of the UHF repeaters.
profiledescent
Member
Itac, Lawtac, Vtac etc. should be quiet. They are for interoperability during a major emergency or event, not everyday comms.
robbinsj2
Member
Some of the channels being discussed above are not the nationwide standard ones but rather regionalized ones, which do not have that "not everyday comms" restriction. Different frequencies, conventional licensing, etc.
Jim
Many only get activated for certain events or for testing. You may hear nothing 360 days out of the year, and then the other 5 days they'll be active. In some areas there are more repeaters than are actually needed for coverage, and then they'll "steer" the channel to the closest repeater for any specific request. And then some repeaters are left on or always on for emergency use.
Some places also use them for primary dispatch, but that's uncommon.
Some places also use them for primary dispatch, but that's uncommon.
Like mentioned above not everyday comms. Mainly for nationwide interop or agency interop in large events or disasters. Many public works radios now carry them as law and fire/ems. Say in event a flooding or tornado disaster. Everyone will be assigned or dispatched from a primary vtac for example by a command unit. General idea. So everyone can communicate to another or another outside entity comes in to aide they can be on same page as command operations needs ems, police, fire, plows, man power, bridge roadway emergency repair etc for the public safety to get across.
Not likely, at least in anything bigger than a small town. It's a lot easier for the EOC to program a few radios with each primary public works channel and dispatch them on their individual channel than it is to rely on communicating with everyone on the same VTAC. Especially when you're placing a lot of people on that channel who aren't used to using a radio, now your open mic or feedback issues affect everyone, and the higher levels of traffic cause public works users to turn their radios down which causes them to miss calls.
I'm much more likely to keep public works on their own channels, or if they rely on a repeater which goes down, to switch them either to another public works channel, an OEM or a spare "tac" channel, or possibly an itinerant or even GMRS frequency (any port in a storm) that I know isn't in use rather than a nationwide interop that is likely in high demand. I understand that a lot of municipalities can't necessarily rely on having someone in the EOC who understands what frequencies may be available and is able to reprogram radios as needed, but having that ability is much more valuable to me than committing one of a limited number of channels to public works. It probably also helps that we have pretty good relationships as far as comms goes, in terms of everyone knowing what everyone else has available and public safety and amateur groups that are willing to share resources.
I'm much more likely to keep public works on their own channels, or if they rely on a repeater which goes down, to switch them either to another public works channel, an OEM or a spare "tac" channel, or possibly an itinerant or even GMRS frequency (any port in a storm) that I know isn't in use rather than a nationwide interop that is likely in high demand. I understand that a lot of municipalities can't necessarily rely on having someone in the EOC who understands what frequencies may be available and is able to reprogram radios as needed, but having that ability is much more valuable to me than committing one of a limited number of channels to public works. It probably also helps that we have pretty good relationships as far as comms goes, in terms of everyone knowing what everyone else has available and public safety and amateur groups that are willing to share resources.
KB7MIB
Member
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I have heard all 3 VTAC's used for car-to-car chitchat and surveillance in my local area. Both PD and state DOT. So they may be of interest to monitor on a day-to-day basis, depending on local policies in your area, and how well they're enforced.
I have heard all 3 VTAC's used for car-to-car chitchat and surveillance in my local area. Both PD and state DOT. So they may be of interest to monitor on a day-to-day basis, depending on local policies in your area, and how well they're enforced.
In NJ there is no infrastructure built out on VTAC. If something is needed a agency will setup a tempoary repeater. It's not to say like some have suggested here that they are used for car to car or small operations requiring simplex communication.
NJ has the "extra" UTAC channels (4-8) are all infrastructure based and typically only built out in the counties that UASI funds.
NJ has the "extra" UTAC channels (4-8) are all infrastructure based and typically only built out in the counties that UASI funds.
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