Wellington VHF Group, Inc: Online.

This was a weekend SAREX designed to test comms on the South Coast, as well as the ability of the teams to handle the conditions! And with the "10 Year Storm" going on, it was a test.

A lot of work had gone in over the week before to get the new cross band repeaters built, as you would have read in Q-Bit. These were installed on Mt Misery on the Saturday morning. The base was set up and the teams dispatched.
We did a HF radio test with a Pulsar, and learnt a few things about getting wet.

The exercise was great fun and valuable. Thanks to the team for an interesting weekend, and most of us got a ride in a police 4x4 up into project Westwind, which should have been called project blasting freezing southerly!. Just think of the teams that spent the night out on the coast...Good idea to be a ham in the AREC team at base.

73

John ZL2HD

One of the new cross-band repeaters on display at the July General Meeting of the Wellinton VHF Group. Image by ZL1VMF.

Updated 19 July

There is an overnight SAR exercise being planned for the weekend of 26/27 July. A reminder that registrations are due 19 July.

The Annual General Meeting of New Zealand Land Search and Rescue Incorporated was held in Wellington on Saturday 29th September. The Minister of Police, Hon Annette King, opened meeting with Deputy Commissioner, Rob Pope, representing the Police.

Attending for AREC were Jeff Sayer, ZL4JS, AREC National Director and John Yaldwyn, ZL4JY, AREC Area 2 Manager.

A family tramping party headed in the Tauherenikau intending to stay overnight at either Cone or Tutuwai, to return Tuesday afternoon. After failing to return by next day and with a significant spike in the river flow the Westpac helo was tasked with one Police SAR Squad observer to search the area. The missing party were located just as the Westpac lifted off from Camp Kaitoke. With the Mt Climie SAR repeater temporarily off the air I sought permission from DoC to use their Cone ESB repeater as an alternative channel and made arrangements for programming SAR radios.

Wellington Land SAR held a Dog SAREX in the 12,000 acre Terawhiti Station behind Makara and out to the remote southeast coast of Wellington.

Attending were:

Brain Fearnley ZL2BRF
Dave Walker ZL2BHE
Rick Smith ZL2TVY
Tom Clarke ZL2TDD
John Yaldwyn ZL4JY

VHF operation was established on ESB58 using a Police portable repeater deployed by 4WD and an AREC Icom F110 base. VHF was used exclusively with teams and the Westpac helicopter on the same channel.

A man withy a medical condition was reported missing late afternoon from his home in Newlands. Police searched the house and all properties in the street.

After discussion Police and given the possibility of an urban search that evening or the next day I did a coverage check around Newlands on my way home to determine the most suitable VHF channel. The EE196 repeater at Wrights Hill provided excellent coverage and Rick ZL2TVY was asked to go on standby.

A friend of the family found the missing man without the need for search.

- ZL4JY, Section Leader