The state of Tennessee Advanced Communications Network (TACN)

[jblackst]

Prime example: just now I saw THP (47000 | District 1, Dispatch 1) on Sharps Ridge, Cross Mountain, and Windrock Mountain. But at the exact time, there was no traffic from that talk group on Greentop Mountain or English Mountain, as there were no units on that talk group affiliated to either of those sites. It's quite dynamic and is the biggest reason why on a large trunked system it's difficult to listen to a single tower site and reliably get all the traffic for any talk group that isn't 100% staying in the immediate area.

Then, just three or so minutes later, more traffic on THP 47000 and it's broadcast on five of the six sites I'm monitoring. It's very dynamic.

 

[FD101]

Some current unknowns:

TG 49500 - Robertson and Sumter County med units calling "Nashville Medcom"
TG 49514 - Unknown Med Unit calling "Sumter Regional" with Pt. reports
TG 49550 - Multiple Med Units calling "Medcom" advising they are arriving at Vandy
TG 49556 - Putnam Med Units calling "Cumberland Regional" with Pt. reports
TG 49660 - Multiple Med Units calling "Medcom"
TG 49661 - Multiple Med Units calling "Medcom"

I recall someone (Maybe TNDHS Director?) speaking about the next big plans for TACN where EMS and medical transport centers would have access to regional trauma center's via TACN. Wonder if these are new regional HealthNets?

 

[INDY72]

Finally, TACN gets its MEDNET!

 

[zachgallop]

The Knox County area hospitals had a roll call on what is probably the area Mednet channel a couple times on 49620. So far I have not heard EMS calling any of the hospitals or MEDLINK II on that TG or any of the others. Area EMS Units must not have them programmed them in yet and/or the radios from TDOH yet.

Here are the Hospital RIDs:
4030573 = NORTH KNOX MEDICAL

4030575 = FORT SANDERS MEDICAL

4030577 = NEWPORT MEDICAL

4030578 = LAFOLLETTE MEDICAL

4030579 = CLAIBORNE HOSPITAL

4030580 = BIG SOUTH FORK MEDICAL

4030581 = UT MEDICAL CENTER

4030582 = JEFFERSON MEMORIAL

4030583 = METHODIST MEDICAL

4030584 = PARKWEST MEDICAL

4030585 = EAST TN CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

4030587 = BLOUNT MEMORIAL

4030588 = ROANE MEDICAL CENTER

4030589 = MORRISTOWN-HAMBLEN

4030590 = FORT LOUDON MEDICAL

4030591 = RMCC // MEDLINK II

4030592 = SWEETWATER HOSPITAL

4030593 = TURKEY CREEK MEDICAL

UNKNOWN = LECONTE

 

[jblackst]

The Knox County area hospitals had a roll call on what is probably the area Mednet channel a couple times on 49620. So far I have not heard EMS calling any of the hospitals or MEDLINK II on that TG or any of the others. Area EMS Units must not have them programmed them in yet and/or the radios from TDOH yet.

Here are the Hospital RIDs:
4030573 = NORTH KNOX MEDICAL

4030575 = FORT SANDERS MEDICAL

4030577 = NEWPORT MEDICAL

4030578 = LAFOLLETTE MEDICAL

4030579 = CLAIBORNE HOSPITAL

4030580 = BIG SOUTH FORK MEDICAL

4030581 = UT MEDICAL CENTER

4030582 = JEFFERSON MEMORIAL

4030583 = METHODIST MEDICAL

4030584 = PARKWEST MEDICAL

4030585 = EAST TN CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

4030587 = BLOUNT MEMORIAL

4030588 = ROANE MEDICAL CENTER

4030589 = MORRISTOWN-HAMBLEN

4030590 = FORT LOUDON MEDICAL

4030591 = RMCC // MEDLINK II

4030592 = SWEETWATER HOSPITAL

4030593 = TURKEY CREEK MEDICAL

UNKNOWN = LECONTE

My question for those, where are those physical radios? In the ER? In an office? I understand the intent is to supplement or replace the MedCom / 155.340 comms, but in Region 2 there's been no real *visible* progress towards that goal.

 

[jblackst]

The Knox County area hospitals had a roll call on what is probably the area Mednet channel a couple times on 49620. So far I have not heard EMS calling any of the hospitals or MEDLINK II on that TG or any of the others. Area EMS Units must not have them programmed them in yet and/or the radios from TDOH yet.

Here are the Hospital RIDs:
4030573 = NORTH KNOX MEDICAL

4030575 = FORT SANDERS MEDICAL

4030577 = NEWPORT MEDICAL

4030578 = LAFOLLETTE MEDICAL

4030579 = CLAIBORNE HOSPITAL

4030580 = BIG SOUTH FORK MEDICAL

4030581 = UT MEDICAL CENTER

4030582 = JEFFERSON MEMORIAL

4030583 = METHODIST MEDICAL

4030584 = PARKWEST MEDICAL

4030585 = EAST TN CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

4030587 = BLOUNT MEMORIAL

4030588 = ROANE MEDICAL CENTER

4030589 = MORRISTOWN-HAMBLEN

4030590 = FORT LOUDON MEDICAL

4030591 = RMCC // MEDLINK II

4030592 = SWEETWATER HOSPITAL

4030593 = TURKEY CREEK MEDICAL

UNKNOWN = LECONTE

40300574 might be ETN Regional Health Coalition (ETN RHC?)
40300576 should be Leconte

 

[W4EMS]

Appears too that some EMS services prefer cell phone for patient reports. Perhaps with TACN further build out that may change but know patient reports will be enc. 155.280 was originally for hosp to hosp traffic in case of a MCI yet state did allow some services to use as dispatch. Nice to see the EMS side of TACN maturing.

 

[buddrousa]

This is a Statewide plan With Ground Air and Hospitals involved.

 

[jblackst]

Appears too that some EMS services prefer cell phone for patient reports. Perhaps with TACN further build out that may change but know patient reports will be enc. 155.280 was originally for hosp to hosp traffic in case of a MCI yet state did allow some services to use as dispatch. Nice to see the EMS side of TACN maturing.

I always told our field providers that cell phones into the ER needed to be a last resort. Just too casual, and inevitably when you really need assistance over the radio you'll call on the phone and get the one person that can't or won't be able to assist.

 

[W4EMS]

Lot of soup de jour out there. Just because one uses a trunking radio or 155.340/UHF equivalents does not mean you will get any different response if the phone is a designated EMS line.

 

[jblackst]

Lot of soup de jour out there. Just because one uses a trunking radio or 155.340/UHF equivalents does not mean you will get any different response if the phone is a designated EMS line.

Fair statement

 

[buddrousa]

If you have spent much time in the ER the phone is always ringing. With the HEAR System when the ER is called the there is a TONE heard through the ER that an Ambulance is calling the ER which will always get answered 1st.

 

[FFPM571]

Any updates on Robertson Co?

 

[SumnerIncidents]

Any updates on Robertson Co?

So currently EMS/FIRE/EMA are actively using the system instead of the old one. Channels active Incident 1,2,3,4,5, FD/EMS Page, Rob ems/ema, RC Fire, Rc Sheriff - Partial Encrypted, Springfield Fire, White House Fire. There is other identified tgid's that got added but I haven't seen much traffic. Also Springfield PD, and Whitehouse PD are full encryption. Im monitoring off the Whitehouse tower currently. I did go for a short drive yesterday to sit near the adams tower which is also active. Unfortunate there wasn't much radio traffic around the time I went.

 

[THEMAGICMAN]

I was wondering if anybody knows if TACN is going to be a fully encrypted radio system in the seeable future? It has come to my attention Virginia STARS system has went that route and also heard from the grape vine that NC VIPER may be following the same suit....

 

[INDY72]

No, there will not be full encryption on any system. There is and will be encrypted stuff but not every tg will get it. Even SLERS and STARS and CRIS will not be full E on everything.

 

[buddrousa]

As of right now THP has an open Dispatch 1 with all other Talkgroups Encrypted.
It is up to the Individual User Group to be CLEAR with Alternant Encrypted Talkgroups.

 

[opsman]

Does anyone know when TDOT will switch to TACN in the Knoxville District. I have seen 800 antennas on a few supervisor type trucks, but I am specifically interested in the snow plow trucks and when they will switch.

 

[buddrousa]

That answer would come from each TDOT District not TACN.
Each district has to budget all of its own radios 1st.

 

[wprileyjr3]

This week Anderson County started using automated dispatch on EMS alert TG 8585 and county fire ops 1 TG 8529. Also saw in county commission agendas that the county will be taking over Oliver Springs PD and FD dispatch. Oliver Springs FD will be moving to county fire ops 1. This will bring all county VFDs, Norris FD, Rocky Top FD, Oliver Springs FD, and county rescue squad onto county fire ops 1. The county dispatch will use the already established TGs for Sheriff, Rocky Top PD, Norris PD, and Oliver Springs PD. This leaves City of Oak Ridge also on TACN with their own dispatch and pretty much all city public safety encrypted, and City of Clinton still on analog UHF with their own dispatch.