Wellington VHF Group, Inc: Online.

Wellington VHF Group AREC was called in for Land SAR Operation Coffey in the Akatarawa Forest Park on Monday.

A number of AREC members from the region assisted and the search had a successful outcome at 5:30 pm on Monday evening, with the missing party being found found by a SAR team on foot.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3886708/Lost-biker-used-ferns-for-warmth

An article about a Search and Rescue caught my eye in todays Dominion Post. Of note the direct mention of 'Amateur Radio Emergency Corps' - the former name of the Amateur Radio Emergency Communications organisation, better known as AREC.

Looks like our compatriots in the Central North Island have been busy assisting Police and Land Search and Rescue folks achieve another successful result.

As previously noted a major Police Search and Rescue Exercise was held on the Weekend 16-18 April in the Tararuas. Wellington VHF Group AREC provided communications for this event - a major in the LandSAR training programme - with the SAREX Base located in Kaitoke, Upper Hutt.

A bit of recent AREC/SAR activity:

1921hrs 28/3/2010
Standby - possible Karori urban area search for missing elderly person.
2014hrs Stand down - person found

1506hrs 3/4/2010
SAROP in Wainui waterworks starting 1730hrs for two hunters missing in Wainuiomata Water Catchment area.

Base was at the GWRC Ranger house in Reserviour Road. IMT setup, helicopter on site and teams ready to deploy when hunters got
phone coverage and phoned home. The hunters exited and visited IMT on their way out so we were all stood down at 1755hrs.

Most of these events get no further that those involved being put on standby, others progress to the next stage like the events of 3 April with very few becoming full blown searches as this one had the potential to.

They are all a good test of our systems, ready kit and ability to respond.

Rick ZL2TVY
Deputy Section Leader

[Editor Note: There's a Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) occuring 16-18 April. WVHFG Members should contact ZL4JY if they're interested in being involved and learning how AREC helps during a Search and Rescue event.]

“Bike The Trail” is an easy, scenic, 25km bike ride down the Hutt River trail from Harcourt Park at Brown Owl to Hikoikoi Reserve, Petone. In 2009 over 1500 of the public participated.

This year the event was scheduled for Sunday 28 February, which turned out to be an eventful day for a more global reason than a local bike ride.

The VHF Group was again asked to support the safety arrangements of this event by providing Radio Marshalls for fourteen stations throughout the course. Planning started early, led by Mark ZL1VMF our coordinator, and this year included a meeting with the Resilience Trust, who were to provide the first-aid response. It was decided that we would provide an additional Marshall to travel in their first-response vehicle, to improve co-ordination.

Our team assembled in the car-park of Melling railway station at 0800, to receive a briefing from Mark ZL1VMF, and were issued with their hi-viz safety jerkins. Thanks to our generous sponsor these are emblazoned with Wellington VHF Group and Amateur Radio Communication labels, good for publicity purposes!

No sooner was the briefing completed at 0820, and Marshalls on their way to the various course stations, when Civil Defence advised the organisers that they would not be able to use Hikoikoi Reserve as the finish of the event. This was due to risk associated with the tsunami warning resulting from the severe earthquake earlier in Chile. Hikoikoi is situated at the mouth of the Hutt River, almost at sea level.

The organisers quickly reverted to their contingency plan to run only the top half course from Brown Owl to Stokes Valley. The original plan effectively offered two courses, the shorter 12km Stokes Valley to Hikoikoi, and the full 25km Brown Owl to Hikoikoi. Included in the original arrangement was a fleet of trucks to ferry riders and their bikes back to their point-of-origin after the party (free BBQ, music) at the finish.

The contingency plan included re-deploying the trucks to Stokes Valley to take starters from there up to Brown Owl, to enable all starters to get a ride. This of course meant that all participants would now travel the Brown Owl to Stokes Valley sector.

A good number of cyclists opted to ride the trail back to Harcourt Park (as opposed to taking the provided transportation) to extend their ride back to ~25km. We were forced to improvise some additional protection for cyclists passing the Hull Creek Pumping Station, as the volume of southbound cyclists occupying the cycle-lane adjacent the narrow bridge was forcing northbound traffic onto the road - a dangerous situation when you consider how narrow the road is (and that this is an 80km/h stretch!). Photo by Andy ZL2ADR.

Using our 710 repeater, Mark ZL1VMF soon had the Marshalls re-deployed, and Rick ZL2TVY, our Base Marshall, had the roll-call on 710 repeater complete before the start time.

The event went well, with 1400 participants. The usual bumps and scrapes generally only required sticking–plaster and a re-assuring word. Only one serious injury required the attendance of an ambulance. This incident was capably handled by Ross ZL2UAC, at Marshall Station Four. Our 710 repeater provided generally good coverage of the course, although a few difficult areas will be investigated for the future.

Radio Marshals at the debrief, Stokes Valley. Zoe, one of the Event staff, pictured at far left.

A big thank you to those who gave their time for this event. First of all Mark ZL1VMF our able coordinator, plus Radio Marshals: Bruce ZL2ABC, Rob ZL2WAL, John ZL2AST, Dick ZL2TGQ, Ross ZL2UAC, Peter ZL3TJ, Robin ZL4TRS, Phil ZL2OWL, Randall ZL2RJP, Andy ZL2ADR, Paul ZL2UGR, Richard ZL2AJC, Rick ZL2TVY, and Tom ZL2TDD. We look forward to an opportunity to contribute to our community again at the 2011 event.

Article and Group Photograph with thanks to Dick ZL2TGQ. Mark ZL1VMF (as Head Marshal) would also like to recognise the volunteers from Resilience Trust for their cooperation from both a planning and execution perspective, and Upper Hutt and Hutt City Councils for their support.

Sunday 1st November 2009

A large gathering of local dignitaries, Branch 46 Members, AREC, Police, SAR volunteers, and other well wishes attended the opening of the newly refurbished and extended Wairarapa Amateur Radio Club Branch 46 Clubrooms at the Hood Aerodrome Masterton. The original building dated from the early 1900’s and first came to be used as Clubrooms in the mid fifties at a site in Railway Road, Masterton. The building was relocated to the present site adjoining Hood in the early seventies. The remodeling has been very extensive; the old building was completely gutted, extended, and new lining put in. The building is now finished in a natural timber exterior cladding. A key feature is a new veranda added to two sides of the building.

The first picture shows the building alongside an enviable array of antennas. The Police SAR 4WD is parked next to a recently refurbished Airways NDB antenna installation now supporting broadband HF antennas. In the background on the tower is a donated tri-band Yagi along with VHF diploes.

The second picture show another view of the building with a visitor inspecting one of two portable SAR repeaters deployed for the occasion. Traditional South Wairarapa hospitality was in full evidence with a wonderful afternoon tea spread and tables groaning with food. Even the Mayor was on hand to greet visitors.

- ZL4JY, Section Leader

The AREC AGM was held in conjunction with the Wellington VHF Group's AGM on Thursday 29 October. After the minutes of the last AGM were read and confirmed, the Section Leader presented his report. Particular thanks were recorded for Rick ZL2TVY and John ZL2HD. Thanks were also extended to neighbouring sections or their assistance and cooperation. There was only a single nomination for Section Leader and John ZL4JY was appointed for another year. Deputy Section Leaders will be Rick ZL2TVY and John ZL2HD.

More than 70 people gave more than 3,000 hours to this successful and enjoyable SAREX. About half the effort was in field team work with the balance in the initial track laying, AREC, Incident Management Team (IMT), and planning.

Operating from the Kapiti Coast District Council purpose built Civil Defence and Emergency Management Centre in Paraparaumu the event was to provide training for Land SAR Wellington for both field teams and the headquarters’ IMT. For field teams the skills to be exercised included tracking and clue awareness, processing, search methods, navigation, and radio communications. For the IMT team we wanted to practice the setting up and operation of the computer and communication systems, IMAN, TUMONZ, downloading GPS and giving exposure of some IMT tasks to members new to IMT.

The SAREX kicked off on Friday with Kapiti Branch Section leader Len Blackley ZL2GO heading out to install an ESB band portable repeater. Operations on VHF used the KCDC ESB fixed repeater and the portable repeater. HF was also deployed to give teams practice with the Polsar radio. AREC messaging logging and dispatch was maintained using IMAN connected to the main IMT area over the LAN.

John ZL2HD operating under the watchful eye of Kapiti Section Leader Len Blackley ZL2GO

With this week being Disaster Awareness Week it seems appropriate to draw attention to GetThru.govt.nz - and to highlight the importance of being prepared to all members - and infact all of us. Wellington VHF Group provides Radio Expertise to Wellington Emergency Management and radio hams across NZ (and across the world, for that matter) provide volunteer technical expertise and communications facilities when the need arises.

Get ready now so you can get through!

Our site now features direct links to the Get Ready, Get Thru website and will for the next little while, sport an additional banner at the bottom of the page - for this worthy cause!

Being held in conjunction with Kapiti Branch 69 AREC. The SAREX location will be the Tararua State Forest Park, Reikorangi, Waikanae. The SAR HQ will be at the Kapiti Coast District Council Emergency Management Centre, Fytfield Place, Paraparaumu. We'll be using HF and VHF radio communications working with teams in the field who will be practicing communications, off track navigation, GPS usage, SAR team leadership and team work, SAR procedures, first aid, and day and night search methods.