Posted by M on September 07, 2001 at 16:55:45:
In Reply to: Re: LERN and MARS - additional info posted by rex on September 07, 2001 at 15:12:20:
Seems to me that Guardian 1 is in the air most evenings and when requested is usually available. During the day they aren't as available. Something to do with demand for service, budgets, taxes and how much people are willing to pay for service....
Not a day goes by that I don't hear traffic on MARS ranging from requests for G1 to conversations among members of departments regarding day-to-day details of police work.
Agree that there is not much traffic on LERN in King County.
: Thanks to all who answered, i think it's clear what these channels are.
: Here in KingCounty I'm guessing we won't hear LERN used (I haven't). I rarely hear MARS and then it's to link with FBI on a bank rob or when someone needs Guardian One.... which seems to be rarely available.... true?
: : I didn't see an explanation on the differences so I'll give it a short (and may miss a point or two so someone else chip in, OK?)
: : LERN -- This is used statewide so various police, sheriff, WSP and other state law 'enforcement' agencies (wildlife, etc) can talk to each other without their dispatchers having to relay information, typically crimes that have just occurred involving vehicles fleeing the scene and crossing jurisdictions. I mostly hear it being used by mobile units. Typical scenario is when a WSP unit wants to talk to a sheriff's deputy or city police officer or vice versa. Last weekend, for example, there was an injury auto accident reported and the dispatcher wasn't sure whether it was in the City of Ephrata or just outside. It was on State Highway 28, which just happens to be Basin Street when inside the city limits. Dispatched both on WSP and City of Ephrata police (two different radio systems). An Ephrata police unit was closer than a WSP unit and responded to check for the need of an ambulance, etc. Turned out it was just outside Ephrata and thus WSP responsibility to respond/investigate. Ephrata police unit reported to his dispatcher it was on state highway but he took responsibility for securing scene, helping injured person, etc. He then called the WSP trooper on LERN to confirm the accident was indeed outside city limits, and the trooper continued to the scene. If the accident had been in city limits, then the Ephrata police officer would have advised the trooper he could cancel. Additionally, LERN is hi-band VHF as most agencies in the state work in that band (as opposed to low-band VHF, UHF or 800 megs).
: : MARS -- Best analogy I can think of is to think of MARS as a King County-only LERN (mutual aid) system. MARS was set up with three simulcast frequencies (hi-VHF, 453.XXX UHF and 460.XXX UHF). LERN met the needs of most rural agencies because they primarily were on hi VHF, but various King County PDs were on hi VHF, 453 and 460 UHF. With MARS on the three simulcast frequencies, agencies on 453 and 460 did not have to buy hi VHF radios separately. I lived in North King County when the system was activated and I only remember hearing south King County agencies on it at first. Bellevue had a 453-meg system, King County a 460-meg system and various south county PDs were on hi-VHF, and for quite some time I only heard traffic from those east and south King County agencies on MARS. I don't know for sure, but I seem to recall that the Green River killings may have been part of the impetus for MARS.
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: : : OK, I give up, what do the acronyms LERN and MARS stand for and when is LERN used?