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For a number of months now at the south end of Puget Sound, I've been hearing an agency doing a lot of dispatching on 155.37 a.k.a. State LERN, which I thought was suppose to be used mainly for interagency communication. I think it is Tacoma WSP, and recently I've started hearing more activity on 155.475 as well that sounds more like dispatching than occasional usage. Both can be heard mobile as far south as Lewis County. Does anyone know if there is any kind of WA L.E. interagency agreement or guidelines to indicate how long a department can monopolize a frequency like that for routine use? When you have an outfit like Tacoma WSP (or whoever it is), constantly using the frequency with a signal that covers at least 3-4 counties, how much good can it be for any other department in that area that may actually need to use it? I know that if they hold a license for the frequency then they have rights for usage, and that it's governed by the FCC and not any state L.E. organization, but 3+ months of dispatch use seems a bit much. With more and more of the VHF area being vacated for trunked systems, seems like they shouldn't have a hard time finding another new frequency to operate on. Considering that state officials wanted the frequency so bad for LERN back in the late 70's that they paid Cowlitz Co. S.O.'s expenses to change frequencies, it doesn't make sense to let someone else set up shop there now.

Tacoma WSP has been using it for a multi-agency traffic emphasis in East Pierce County. When there is emergency traffic on LERN (which is extremely rare), they vacate the channel during that time.

There isn't really another channel available that every law enforcement agency in Pierce County has to use. The channel's there to use in instances exactly like this.

:D :D Several of the larger states, like California have assigned one or more channels for "interoperability" or common inter-system radio operations. California's systyem is called CLEMARS and has frequencies in every band. 155.37 is used in Texas and several other states -- but was never assigned as an "inter-system" channel by the FCC. 155.475 was just one of ten frequencies -- reserved only for State Police use. It has now been assigned as a "Nation-wide Police" channel. Because most of the systems use channels reserved only for State Police use or form a statewide system -- the frequencies are most often licensed to the State. A few agencies have permission -- from the State Police to apply to the FCC for thier own license. Spokane and Pirece County are an example. 155.37 was first used with 460.50 R as the Central Washington State LERN system back in the very early 1970's. This allows all police agencies -- within central Washington to communicate at all times. ---- Sometimes a WSP or County Sheriff Dispatcher will have selected the LERN channel as well as a normal dispatch channel. Just an over-sight error. However -- keep in mind that 155.37 is NOT a LERN channel in Oregon. You could be hearing the Salem area stations on 155.37. Oregon State uses 155.475 mobiles only. No -- 155.37 should not be used as a dispatch channel -- but have you ever tried to stop a police car from speeding ??? ------ Point: If you can identify the station --- give them a call on the non-emergency telephone number and tell them that they have the wrong button selected on the dispatch concole. However --- use of 155.37 for a common police operations -- is exactly what the channel is reserved for. No harm, no fail. MTM

Lots of traffic this weekend on both 155.370 and 155.475 with Tacoma WSP dispatching an emphasis detail. Some/most of the units were using
"Edward" as a prefix.

Speaking of "wrong button" situations...

Once in awhile the Fort Lewis "Range Control" ends up simulcasting on 155.370. OOPS!

Kerwin