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The City of Mukilteo (Police and Fire), and Sno County FD #1 will be switching their dispatch services from SNOPAC to SNOCOM in January 2005.

This is a major change for Mukilteo, as they have been using SNOPAC for their dispatch services for a Looooong Time (Dennis....how long....?)

Not such a big move for FD #1....they used to use SNOCOM until 2003, when they switched to SNOPAC in order to "improve its literal communication with its neighboring Fire District 7". That didn't work so well, so they now hope for "a higher level of service" at SNOCOM.

The Enterprise article is here:

http://www.enterprisenewspapers.com/index.cfm?action=story&storyid=2004111817585448

For those not in the area, SNOCOM is the dispatch center that dispatches police and fire services for Southwest Snohomish County Cities (Lynnwood, Edmonds, Mountlake Terrace, Brier, and the Town of Woodway). SNOPAC is the communication center that dispatches just about everyone else in Snohomish County, to include the Sheriff's Office. (except for Marysville City - they have their own Comm Center)

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Whatever.....

You left Mill Creek off the list, as they have also already left SnoPac in favor of SnoCom.

Mill Creek moved earlier this year....I was only highlighting the agencies that are moving this January.

But yes, Mill Creek is in that club too.

Brad.

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Whatever.....

It appears that the City of Mukilteo Fire/Police AND Snohomish County Fire District #1 will be switching from SNOPAC to SNOCOM for dispatch services on December 28th (don't know what time of the day, probably at Midnight).

Since all of those affected agencies have 800mhz equipment installed, they will be heard on the current SNOCOM Talkgroups - with one change....

FOR FIRE: SNOCOM will now begin to use FIRE DISP 5 for all dispatching, and assign the responding units to one of their four Tactical talkgroups (FIRE TAC-21 thru TAC-24). I don't know if the current patches to 154.010 and 154.325 will remain in operation.

Also, SNOCOM will begin using a closed alpha-numeric paging system that has been set up to replace the two-tone sequential voice paging system. For now, they will run concurrently - however, as soon as the VHF Alpha Paging system is fully operational and proved to be dependable, the two-tone sequential system will go away. Mutual Aid requests by SNOPAC will also be sent via this Alpha Paging system - thus speeding up the request for units.

FOR POLICE: Not sure about this one yet...


December 28th will be an interesting day for SNOCOM listeners.

Brad.

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Whatever.....

Thanks for the update

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NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise....
Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency....
Our three weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope....
Our four...no... Amongst our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise, etc.

When is Everett joining SNOCOM?

Probably Never....but, I suppose anything is possible...

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Whatever.....

I think this change has already started. I have noticed today that Mukilteo is being dispatched and no tones are going out.

Sounds like the "Ocean" units on SNOCOM Police 1 are Mukilteo PD with their new callsigns.

That is correct. The current SNOCOM VHF system does not have reliable coverage into Mukilteo for two-tone voice paging. It did not make sense to put up such a system to support a format that would be going away in a few months anyway, so they just put Mukilteo Fire onto the alpha-numeric paging system right away. They are the notable exception - just about everyone else (including Sno Co FD#1) are using both the Alpha and voice pagers for now.

I understand there are still some coverage issues to work out for the VHF alpha-numeric system, but it's coming along.

Brad.

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Whatever.....

I have noticed since I made that post that there is indeed a tone going. It's a single short brief tone. Easily missed if you are scanning a lot of channels.

:D I sure don't think we need a new Inquistion. That's what we have the Patriot Act for. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.