Current Radio Systems that need interoperability include:

• Las Vegas Metro (LVMPD): 700 MHz “Open Sky” trunked system
• Southern Nevada Area Communications Council (SNACC): 800 MHz “SmartZone” trunked system.
• Washoe County Regional Communications System (WSRCS): 800 MHz “EDACS” trunked system used by 15 agencies in the region.
• Nevada Shared Radio System (NSRS): 800 MHz “EDACS” system connecting state agencies, with locations in all parts of the state. Interoperable with WSRCS by using talk groups.
• VHF Systems: Most remaining jurisdictions in the 15 rural Nevada counties have small VHF conventional (non-trunked) systems.
• Ambulance services, mostly privately owned, tend to use UHF radios to communicate with hospitals. Hospitals have a mixture of UHF and 800 MHz radios depending on their locations.

Current Interop Capabilities vary among these systems:

• LVMPD, SNACC, and VHF system in the region use a set of 800/VHF crossband repeaters for interop. The repeaters can tie radio channels together during an incident, even if the systems are incompatible.
• NSRS and WSRCS use the same radio technology and have a gateway between them to use for both day-to-day and emergency incidents.
• VHF conventional systems can usually program each others’ frequencies into their mobile radios so they can talk to each other. There has to be a way to notify participants when to turn to these frequencies. Channels can be tied up, blocking use for other purposes.
• An 800 MHz user, such as a Highway Patrol vehicle, can also carry a second VHF radio to communicate with a county VHF system when needed.
• Agreements among agencies about how to use these resources may be documented in written agreements, verbal agreements, or not at all. Interoperability is most often managed on an incident-by-incident basis.

Planned New Interop Capabilities

1. Crossband Repeaters: Equipment will be purchased and installed at several dozen sites. The first 20 or so are planned for 2008. These will resemble the SNACC capability and provide similar interop service (VHF-to-700/800 MHz) along major roads and populations centers across the state.
2. Interop Channels: A set of one “iCall” calling channels and two “iTac” tactical channels has been identified for each area where crossband repaters will be installed.
3. iCall Channel Monitoring: Points will be designated near each set of interop channels where communications/dispatchers will monitor them for activity.
4. Gateways: New gateway devices installed for LVMPD, SNACC, WSRCS, and NSRS. These will have two functions: enable users of all four systems to communicate with each other, and enable many communications/dispatch centers across the state to listen to all the crossband repeater channels.
5. Standard Operating Procedures: templates, guidelines, manuals, and training materials are being developed to assist all emergency responders to utilize both existing and new interop capabilities.