Gippsland Fire Update 4th January 2020

Posted on January 4, 2020 by VK3ZR

From: Chris Morley (Gippsland Coordinator)
Date: Sat, 4 Jan 2020 10:40:42 +1100
Subject: Gippsland Fires Update

Gippsland Fire Update

4th January 2020

  • Very large areas of Gippsland still under threat from multiple existing and newstart fires, and extreme fire behaviour is being observed.
  • Incident is continuing with fires likely to progress for weeks, if not months.
  • Relief and recovery phases have commenced and are ramping up.
  • Major roads including the Princes Hwy, the Great Alpine Road and the Monaro Hwy remain closed. When safe, escorted convoys have been allowed to travel along certain sections.
  • Media is now flooded with info from many sources from across the region.
  • Electricity supply to East Gippsland is still interrupted. Portable generators are installed in several locations to provide limited emergency supply.
  • Public telecommunications are also interrupted and portable generators are being progressively deployed to restore services. As of this morning, Telstra mobile sites at Nowa Nowa, Cann River, Buchan, Sarsfield and possibly Gilantipy are operational.  Satellite phones have been delivered to some remote and isolated communities.
  • The amateur repeater network is largely off the air, probably due to lack of power supply. Some sites may have been directly affected by fire.   It could be some weeks until the sites can be reached for inspection.  The Mt Taylor UHF repeater, which is currently linked to the Carrajung UHF repeater, is still operational, although Mt Taylor has been under direct threat a few times, and currently has an ‘Evacuate Now’ warning to the area immediately north.
  • WICEN Vic is connected with the RCC for the Gippsland fires, but has not been activated (at least not in Gippsland) and remains on standby
  • WICEN members should monitor local repeaters when possible
  • The Gippsland Comms Plan has been recirculated to Gippsland members

Chris Morley VK3CJK
Gippsland Coordinator

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East Gippsland Fires Update Tue, 31 Dec 2019 15:32:33 +1100

Posted on January 1, 2020 by VK3ZR

From: Chris Morley (Gippsland Coordinator)
Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2019 15:32:33 +1100
Subject: WICEN Members: East Gippsland fires update

Hello all,

Today, the Regional Controller for Gippsland reported that the fires had followed predicted behaviour under the extreme fire weather conditions, and that impact assessment teams would start the process of establishing the extent of the losses, injuries and damage. The fires travelled and spotted large distances and now cover a very sizeable proportion of East Gippsland.

Much infrastructure is damaged or not serviceable, and many communities and firefighters have been isolated.

Whilst the fires are still very active and very much out of control, the immediate focus for recovery will be power, water, comms, roads and transport.

Although WICEN hasn’t been called upon, all members should remain on standby (and not just for Gippsland).

Although the extreme conditions of yesterday have passed, the Regional Controller said that Saturday will be another testing time, and that if this were a football match, we are not even at quarter time yet…..

Please stay in touch for any further updates.

Chris VK3CJK
Gippsland Coordinator

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Alpine Rally 2019 – Gippsland

Posted on December 11, 2019 by VK3MDH

Australia’s Alpine Rally is one of the oldest surviving motor sport events in the world. Only the French Grand Prix, the Monte Carlo Rally and the Indianapolis 500 have been running for longer.

An Alpine Rally Gippsland Report from John Morrissey VK3ZRX, Event Commander:

A very big THANK YOU to all who made the Alpine such a success this year.

Although the event was trimmed from 18 back to only 9 stages due to fire and rain, and lost a full day along the way, the organisers were happy with how the event went, and told Chris VK3CJK at AWI that they were very happy with the service provided by WICEN.

So – from a WICEN perspective – a very good event.

From a field of 104 starting the event, there were 30 DNFs and with (so far as I know) only one serious incident which happened on the Friday.

And, a special ‘thank you’ to Maurie VK3VLR and Ralph VK3WRE who have done a LOT of work over an extended period to get the repeaters set up, both fixed and portable.

As with all events of the scale of the Alpine, most things went well and some not so well.  The things I am aware of are some unexpected problems on a couple of stages (5 & 9) with getting comms to work on 6m, and also, the problems with the Mt Bemm repeater.  If there are other problems we need to consider, please let Chris or I know.

But, at the end of the day, the problems were overcome, and we delivered the service required – another example of WICEN operators “getting the job done”.

Once again, thanks for all your help – we could not have done it without you.  See you in 2 years for the centenary.

Event Tip

Dry feet mean happy feet.  Lachlan VK3LEL has “no soul”, or was it a hole in his sole?  A boot malfunction meant Lachlan had to endure wet socks and boots for most of the event, which he fortunately was able to change halfway home on the drive back.  So before heading out on an event check your boots! – source unknown

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Stockmans Rally 2019

Posted on November 11, 2019 by VK3MDH

This was WICEN’s 10th year being involved with the Stockman’s Rally, with over a dozen WICEN operators headed for the Big River State forest on Sat 26th October. As it was an early start on the Sunday morning most of the attending members camped together the night before and enjoyed a roast cooked on a webber by Ian, VK3SV. The event was sold out and expecting over 450 riders, so Sunday was expected to be a busy day.

   As we gathered at the Big River Bush Campground, the first concern were the weather conditions. Many members experienced snow and ice on the roads up from Marysville – yes, even in late October there was snow and ice on the roads. The weather was expected to improve on the Sunday, with Saturday being in the low teens with rain and drizzle throughout the day and night. It was good to see many familiar faces, including some old hands such as Peter VK3YG attending, whom we hadn’t seen for a few years. Alan VK3FABT and John VK3ZRX departed camp early evening on the Saturday to transport and set up the WICEN 2M repeater on Mt Duffy. Navigating on wet tracks while towing a repeater trailer is best done when there is light.

Sunday morning, most of the team were up and out by 7AM. Gerard VK3GER and Mark VK3MDH reached 80% of the way to their control point, Monument, before finding a 1.5m tree across the planned route, so had to find a Plan B approach. From base camp, it one hour and 50 minutes to ascent to 1000 metres after airing down, once they left the Big River Road.

Ian VK3SV and Ross VK3SF advised around 0930hrs that the first wave of riders had left. The event had two loops of around 35 kilometres each, with riders doing one or both. Every 100 riders or so they embed race officials (sweeps) in case of any immediate issues, either mechanical or medical. WICEN has solid radio comms across the course and we fill the gaps monitoring UHF CB, as the riding race officials carry UHF CB handheld radios.

It can often be a juggle operating two radios, going from a controlled net using correct operating procedures and languages, then to UHF CB and getting a ten four big buddy from riding race officials. This system of filling the gaps with input from others, while not ideal, does work, as there is no cell phone coverage except for the highest hilltops. It proved effective time and time again, with messages from riding officials and medical staff. In one event a rider had sustained a knee injury needing medical intervention and the medical staff where contacted on UHF CB, and directed to the location of the patient. He was seen too and driven out by 4WD to a rendezvous point, where he was taken back to base camp to be seen by Melbourne Ambulance Victoria.

Without intervention, he may have ridden out sustaining a worse accident and causing harm to himself or others. If he’d managed to ride the 30 kms back to base camp his injury may have been exacerbated. The extraction of his bike was coordinated in a similar way and we wish patient “T” a speedy recovery.

The event ran very smoothly with no life-threatening injuries, and all WICEN operators made it in and out safely. As always, the Victorian High Country brings it fair share of challenges, with the weather, the trail conditions and the hilly topography making radio comms a challenge. WICEN Victoria is proud of its work and association of ten years with the Stockman’s Rally.

The Stockman’s Rally is conducted by the Motorcycle Racing Club of Victoria Inc (MCRCV) as a non-competitive motorcycle off-road trail ride.

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Welcome New Members

Posted on September 7, 2019 by VK3MDH

WICEN Victoria recently welcomed its two newest members at a social pizza night.  Luke Erlacher,VK3UKW & Sean Frith, VK3FTHY were presented their membership packs by Ross Sargent VK3SF, Victorian State Coordinator, and welcomed in by Ian Morris VK3SV the Central/Eastern Metropolitan Region Coordinator, as Luke and Sean come under Ian’s region.

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Eureka Rally 2019

Posted on September 7, 2019 by VK3MDH

The Eureka Rally is the opening round of both the Australian Rally Championship and the Victorian Rally Championship. It’s held around the Ballarat region and is hosted by the Ballarat Light Car Club. The event also includes classic rally cars. WICEN Victoria was there on Sunday 25th August to provide emergency communications support, which is the second time WICEN has supported this great event.

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Kenda Rally 2019

Posted on May 26, 2019 by VK3MDH

Paul VK3YYF @ AWI

The event is put on by the ADMCC, the Alexandra & District Motorcycle Club. It’s a self navigated event with multiple stages (loops) through the picturesque Rubicon Valley. This year, most likely due to the two long weekends (Easter and Anzac Day), competitor numbers were down on previous years. However over 350 riders took to a wet course on Sunday May 5th. Only a few days before the start heavy rains almost saw the event cancelled entirely, but with some track changes made to accommodate permits, it went ahead. Continue reading →

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Duncans Run 2019

Posted on May 10, 2019 by VK3MDH

Duncans Run 2019 underway

WICEN Victoria was there again on Saturday 23rd March providing logistical and emergency communications for Duncan’s Run that in 2019 was a sell-out. Total competitors had more than doubled since the running of the 2018 event and with the Ultra Marathon (100kms) being held this year there was just under five hundred runners in total. For WICEN this meant being operational from Saturday morning as early as 5am until Sunday 1am the next day. Eight marshal points were manned with WICEN operators with voice and packet radio capability as well as AWI (WICEN HQ) at the main event area. Continue reading →

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Pajero Challenge – 2019

Posted on March 27, 2019 by VK3MDH

The 2019 Pajero Challenge was held 9th and 10th February in the Big River State Forest.This annual event is organised by the Pajero 4WD Club of Victoria and has become one of the best and most challenging self-guided, off-road Navigational events in Australia. The Pajero Challenge is open to experienced Four Wheel Drivers and experienced Navigators. All brands of 4WDs are welcome, but vehicles must be set up with good off-road tyres and suspension lift to suit High Country terrain. Continue reading →

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Australia Day Fun Run 2019 Rosebud

Posted on February 4, 2019 by VK3MDH

Our Control Point @ Start 2 – The 5km fun run

This the first event of what will be a busy year for WICEN Victoria. The Rosebud Australia Day Fun Run is a great way to kick the new year for WICEN. It’s a relatively simple event to ease our way into the new year, consisting of a 10km run from Safety Beach to Rosebud Village Green, or the 5km run from Dromana to the Rosebud Village Green. The event attracts hundreds of serious runners and thousands of casual runners and walkers. It’s a 100% volunteer-run event, with funds raised from the day supporting local sporting and community groups whose members volunteer their time each year to run this fantastic event. http://www.ausdayfunrun.com.au Continue reading →

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