- WICEN-Members - mailman.crarc.org.au

Up Coming WICEN activities, October to December 2023.....
by plongwor＠bigpond.net.au 17 Sep '23

17 Sep '23

Good afternoon everyone, We have a few activities on the horizon and so we thought we'd better let people know so they can make notes in their Diaries. October is quite busy with 3 events only now, there were 4 but we were told during the week that Fitz's Challenge that was scheduled for 29 October will not be proceeding this year. 7th / 8th October is the ANU Inward Bound adventure footrace. This event utilises the WICEN Commercial licences in VHF Mid-Band and is used by the WICEN Committee to configure, transport and operate our portable repeaters and mobile equipment and is not a 'traditional' WICEN Exercise utilising Amateur bands and operators. 14th / 15th October is the ACTERA Brookvale Endurance ride in the Uriarra area. At this point we don't have any definite details on requirements and timings but it is assumed it will be an early start on the Sunday and be following similar courses as previous years. According to the ACTERA Website, the 80 KM ride starts at 5:00 AM, the 53 KM & 40 KM Intermediate rides start at 7:00 AM with the 22 KM introductory at 8:00 AM and the 13 KM Introductory at 9:00 AM. 28th / 29th October is the Bega Valley Rally and this is one where we use our fleet of Mid-Band VHF mobile radio's on the NSW Forestry network and so again not a traditional WICEN Exercise. Now here we do need some help as whilst I (Phil VK1PL) normally take the gear down and set-up HQ, this year I can't attend so am looking for a small number of people to do the jobs this year which includes issuing radios and assisting installation at Bega on the Saturday morning, someone else doing the same at Boydtown (a few KM's south of Eden), setting up 2 radio's at HQ at Boydtown and doing the general Net Control Station radio operators job in conjunction with the Rally Clerk of Course. The Sapphire Coast Sporting Car Club (SCSSC) would also love anyone who wants to do a Manned Road closure / SOS Point (using the Forestry radio network) to volunteer as they are always short of people. Moving to November now, we have one exercise , and it's our big Car Rally. The Subaru Canberra RALLY OF CANBERRA (yes, ROC is back !) will be conducted on 18th / 19th November. Saturday 18th will have 3 stages (each run twice) out in the Tidbinbilla, Pierces and Uriarra forest areas to the east of Canberra where we will need 14 Field Stations and Sunday 19th will have 3 stages (each run twice) in the Kowen Forest area where we will need 11 Field Stations. I'll be sending out a separate email for this in the coming days that will include a link to the WICEN registration form for the event. Cheers all, Phil Longworth VK1PL Deputy State Coordinator, WICEN ACT Life Member, Canberra Region Amateur Radio Club

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Call for volunteers - WICEN support to the 2022 Fitz's Challenge
by Matt 11 Oct '22

11 Oct '22

Good evening all, at this stage, this may be the only fully WICEN supported event for the end of this year,, so if you need your WICEN fix, get in on the action for Fitz's challenge. The Fitz Challenge is a long distance cycling event (sub rides between 50km and 255km) where we provide communications for safety monitoring at checkpoints at various locations along the course. The course will be through Namadgi National Park and Paddy's River Rd Tidbinbilla. The course is mostly the same as previous years although there have been a couple of changes due to the closure of Orroral Rd. This year we anticipate that there will be checkpoints at Tharwa Village, Rendezvous Creek, Honeysuckle Creek U-turn, Smokers Trail (near Corin Forest recreation facility), Corin Dam, Blue Range and possibly Uriarra Homestead plus the Gravel Pit. We believe the Orroral Valley U-turn and Kangaroo Creek U-turn checkpoints are not being used this year. One WICEN operator will be needed at each of the checkpoints, but happy to have extras if we have them as some checkpoints may need to be open for long periods of time. HQ at Stromlo cycle park will run two networks, one on 2m amateur band and one on an 80MHz WICEN allocation and we will need at least two operators on each of the two planned shifts. Further information about the Fitz Challenge is at http://www.fitzs.com.au/ We will need approximately 12 operators (possibility of some other checkpoints being manned in addition to the above), so please let us know if you are available or not via the registration form at the below link. Any questions, please email us on wicen(a)crarc.org.au, but please use the link below to advise us if you are available or not. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe4whFlSQmUV-iuUxGRQ30Zm57Ma6nHH5-L f4IsbpyjpgE5QA/viewform?usp=sharing Matt VK1MA WICEN ACT

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Phil Longworth moved to University of Canberra Hospital for Rehab !
by Phil Longworth 28 Aug '22

28 Aug '22

Good afternoon everyone,I have been transferred across to UCH in Belconnen for ongoing ReHab activities centred around rebuilding leg muscle tone. I am doing a 90 minute Gym session each morning Mon-Sat, though probably a third of the time is doing 'recovery' of breathing and/or heart rate.UCH has a less stringent visitor policy and indeed I'm allowed to have a small meeting of people down in the Cafe (but only a single visitor in the room), so I'm thinking of wandering down to "the Brindabella Cafe" about 1300 each weekday for a coffee if anyone would like to meet up. Unfortunately the Cafe is not open on the weekend.Parking is either in the multi storey car park to the east of the main building, or under the main building. Both have a "ticketing" system but it's at no cost, just bring your ticket in and validate it in the machine on the reception desk. University of Canberra Hospital is the new one set back from the Ginninderra / Aikman Drive intersection.According to the status board in my room, I now have an expected date of discharge of 13 September 2022.Cheers,...Phil Longworth (Sent from my phone so please excuse any typos)

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Somebody to set up a repeater and look after issue and return of radios for the Narooma Rally on 9-11 September !
by Phil Longworth 17 Aug '22

17 Aug '22

Good evening everyone in the WICEN Members email list,I had hoped to be out of hospital and fit enough to handle the Narooma Rally in just over 3 weeks time, but as the last 'tube' only came out of my abdomen today and I have a few (unknown number) of weeks in Rehab I realise that's not realistic.This event is normally done by John Woolner VK1ET and/or myself but neither of us is available, hence this call out for help.The event uses 2 networks, one being an 80 MHz WICEN repeater we erect on a hilltop just out of town, and the other being the Eurobodella Shire Council repeater on 'Peak Alone. The WICEN repeater is normally put in place early afternoon of the Friday and remains in place til Mid Sunday morning.Once the repeater is in place, you grab lunch and head to Rally HQ (this year this is at the Swimming Club rooms adjacent the service park) to set up the HQ radio's for each network and prepare the various other radio's ready to be issued to the Officials.It's proposed the Council Network is used as the main "Officials" network, and the WICEN network is used to provide the SOS tracking (now know as "Positive Tracking") in a manner similar to the way WICEN has done the tracking for NatCap and Rally of Canberra over the years, it just won't be a trained radio operator out in the field.It's understood this is a big ask of an individual to take on by themselves, and are happy if a couple of people want to team up to do all the different tasks, etc.If you can help then please send an email to the wicen(a)crarc.org.au email address and I'll try to coordinate things from here.Cheers,....Phil Longworth VK1PL (Sent from my phone so please excuse any typos)

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A further desperate call for assistance with the WICEN exercise next weekend - NatCap Rally 10/11 April
by PHILLIP LONGWORTH 25 Mar '22

25 Mar '22

Good morning all, With the change of dates we have unfortunately had a large number of people having to withdraw from the WICEN effort in supporting the Netier Ntional Capital Rally and hence this desperate call for more people. We are currently short of 4 people on the Saturday and 3 people short for the Sunday. The Saturday stages we need people for are... Start of SS1 - Meet Time 6.00 AM @ Cotter Pub Car Park - estimated finish approx 11.30 AM (will be on 439.925 MHz Portable Repeater, VHF as Back-up) Start of SS2 - Meet Time 6.00 AM @ Tidbinbilla Lane (Near Discovery Drive entry to Tracking Station) - estimated finish approx 12.00 Noon (will be on 147.125 MHz Portable Repeater, UHF as Back-up) Stop of SS3/6 - Meet Time 9.30 AM@ Kowen Road gate - estimated finish approx 6.15 PM (will be on 439.950 MHz Isaacs Ridge Repeater, VHF as Back-up) Stop of SS4/7 - Meet Time 9.00 AM@ Kowen Road gate - estimated finish approx 6.30 PM (Located on Sparrow Road off Kings Hwy) (will be on 146.900 MHz Bulls Head Repeater, VHF as Back-up) The Sunday stages we need people for are... Start of SS9/14 - Meet Time 7.00 AM @ Hyles Block (near Uriarra Village) - estimated finish approx 4.00 PM (will be on 146.900 MHz Bulls Head Repeater, VHF as Back-up) SOS Alpha of SS9 - Meet Time 7.00 AM @ Hyles Block (near Uriarra Village) - estimated finish approx 11.30 AM (will be on 146.900 MHz Bulls Head Repeater, VHF as Back-up) Start of SS11 - Meet Time 7.30 AM @ Cotter Pub Car Park - estimated finish approx 12.15 PM (will be on 439.925 MHz Portable Repeater, VHF as Back-up) If you don't have gear then please let us know and we'll arrange a loan. If you can help out with any of these items then please send an email to wicen(a)crarc.org.au ASAP so we can finalise the roster and distribute it early. Regards, Phillip Longworth VK1PL Deputy State Coordinator, WICEN ACT

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FOLLOW-UP : WICEN - Call for assistance - National Capital Rally - 2nd & 3rd April 2022
by PHILLIP LONGWORTH 12 Mar '22

12 Mar '22

Thanks to all who have responded to my earlier email, I am slowly working through creating a roster. We are however still quite short of volunteers for both the field stations and HQ Net Control station at this point hence this reminder call for assistance... The 2022 Netier National Capital Rally which will be conducted on the weekend 2nd & 3rd of April and be run on both days with the Saturday stages being held in the Uriarra / Tidbinbilla area in the morning and moving to Kowen in the afternoon and Sunday being in the Kowen Forest only. Saturday Morning see's the running of 5 stages commencing with a single run of Hyles Block near Uriarra Village followed by Blue Range and then Oakey Creek with the competitors heading back for their first “service” before heading back out to run Blue Range & Oakey Creek once again. Saturday afternoon see’s the rally moving across to Kowen with the running of 2 stages there being River Road and Rangers Way. Sunday is very similar as last year with 3 stages in Kowen with each run twice. "Wamboin" stage that includes the 'jump' at Kowen, followed by a revised "Charcoal Kiln" stage, then the newer stage at the far western end of the ACT called "Bald Hill" Meet times and locations have been firmed up and are as follows .... Stage Name Meet Point Meet Time Estimated Finish Field Stations SATURDAY Hyles Block Hyles Block Stop 5.30 AM 10.15 AM Start, SOS A, Stop Blue Range East West Road 5.15 AM 2.30 PM Start, SOS A, SOS B, SOS C, Stop Oakey Creek Old Cotter Pub site 6.00 AM 3.30 PM Start, SOS A, SOS B, SOS C, Stop River Road Kowen Gate 12.30 PM 6.15 PM Start, SOS A, SOS B, SOS C, Stop Rangers Way Kowen Gate 1.00 PM 6.45 PM Start, SOS A, Stop SUNDAY Wamboin Kowen Gate 7.00 AM 3.15 PM Start, Stop Charcoal Kiln Sutton Rd Driver Training Centre 7.00 AM 3.40 PM Start, SOS A, SOS B, SOS C, Stop Bald Hill Hibernian Road 7.30 AM 4.15 PM Start, SOS A, Stop Please consider the above times and include travel time to the meetpoints when responding. Unfortunately due to the nature of the rally events we can't exchange people in the field during the day. Please also note that the weekend of 2/3 April is the end of Daylight Saving, so we wind the clocks back an hour on Sunday morning so (supposedly) you can get an extra hours sleep ! Can I ask that you respond to this request for volunteers using the google form at this link: National Capital Rally 2022 WICEN ACT (google.com) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSefFi9HmK6jlFDY79GptCuyq0IcjlZmOyr… Please use this form for your responses rather than emailing us (as we need answers to the questions asked on the form), but of course if you do have questions or cannot access the link, please email us on the WICEN(a)crarc.org.au address. Please let us know if you are unable to assist also, so we can make a notation and try not to harass you further. Thanks everyone, Phil Longworth VK1PL, Deputy State Coordinator, WICEN ACT Life Member, Canberra Region Amateur Radio Club

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WICEN - Call for assistance - National Capital Rally - 2nd & 3rd April 2022
by PHILLIP LONGWORTH 26 Feb '22

26 Feb '22

Happy New Year everyone (yeah, I know it’s almost 2 months late !). The first WICEN activity is now just some 5weeks off and so we need to get things moving for the 2022 Netier National Capital Rally which will be conducted on the weekend 2nd & 3rd of April. The rally will be run on both days with the Saturday stages being held in the Uriarra / Tidbinbilla area in the morning and moving to Kowen in the afternoon and Sunday being in the Kowen Forest only. Saturday Morning see's the running of 5 stages commencing with a single run of Hyles Block near Uriarra Village followed by Blue Range and then Oakey Creek with the competitors heading back for their first “service” before heading back out to run Blue Range & Oakey Creek once again. Saturday afternoon see’s the rally moving across to Kowen with the running of 2 stages there being River Road and Rangers Way. Sunday is very similar as last year with 3 stages in Kowen with each run twice. "Wamboin" stage that includes the 'jump' at Kowen, followed by a revised "Charcoal" stage, then the newer stage at the far western end of the ACT called "Bald Hill" At this stage, meet times and locations are being worked through and the following is subject to change .... Stage Name Meet Point Meet Time Estimated Finish No. of Operators SATURDAY Hyles Block Hyles Block Stop 6.00 AM 10.00 AM 3 Blue Range East West Road 5.30 AM 2.30 PM 5 Oakey Creek Old Cotter Pub site 6.30 AM 3.15 PM 5 River Road Kowen Gate ?? 1.00 PM 6.15 PM 5 Rangers Way Kowen Depot ?? 1.30 PM 6.40 PM 3 SUNDAY Wamboin Kowen Gate ?? 7.30 AM 3.00 PM 2 Charcoal Kiln Kowen Gate ?? 7.00 AM 3.30 PM 5 Bald Hill Hibernian Road ? 11:30 AM 4.30 PM 3 Can I ask that you respond to this request for volunteers using the google form at this link: National Capital Rally 2022 WICEN ACT (google.com) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSefFi9HmK6jlFDY79GptCuyq0IcjlZmOyr… Please use this form for your responses rather than emailing us (as we need answers to the questions asked on the form), but of course if you do have questions or cannot access the link, please email us on the WICEN(a)crarc.org.au address. Please let us know if you are unable to assist also, so we can make a notation and try not to harass you further. Thanks everyone, Phil Longworth VK1PL, Deputy State Coordinator, WICEN ACT Life Member, Canberra Region Amateur Radio Club

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WICEN support to Fitz's Challenge 2021 - call for volunteers
by Matt 22 Nov '21

22 Nov '21

Good evening all, after multiple date changes and reducing hopes of an event happening, it really does look like the 2021 Fitz's Challenge will actually be going ahead - albeit a little later this year than in previous years. The Fitz Challenge is a long distance cycling event (sub rides between 50km and 255km) where we provide communications for safety monitoring at checkpoints at various locations along the course. The course will be through Namadgi National Park and Paddy's River Rd Tidbinbilla. The course is mostly the same as previous years although there have been a couple of changes due to the closure of Orroral Rd. This year we anticipate that there will be checkpoints at Tharwa Village, Rendezvous Creek, Honeysuckle Creek U-turn, Corin Forest recreation facility, Corin Dam and at Blue Range (near the old checkpoint of Uriarra Homestead). We believe the Orroral Valley U-turn, Kangaroo Creek U-turn and Uriarra Homestead checkpoints are not being used this year. One WICEN operator will be needed at the checkpoints, but happy to have extras if we have them. HQ at Stromlo cycle park will run two networks, one on 2m amateur band and one on an 80MHz WICEN allocation and we will need at least two operators on each of the two planned shifts. Further information about the Fitz Challenge is at http://www.fitzs.com.au/ We will need approximately 12 operators (possibility of some other checkpoints being manned in addition to the above), so please let us know if you are available or not via the registration form at the below link. Any questions, please email us on wicen(a)crarc.org.au <mailto:wicen@crarc.org.au> , but please use the link to advise us if you are available or not. <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PEEoYLG_zMCRbjXjrEqcONacI9-w8XBFGAeOcFxV-T k/edit?usp=sharing> https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PEEoYLG_zMCRbjXjrEqcONacI9-w8XBFGAeOcFxV-Tk /edit?usp=sharing Regards Matt VK1MA WICEN ACT Coordinator

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WICEN update for late 2021
by Matt 19 Sep '21

19 Sep '21

Good morning all, with the uncertainties of covid and the various lockdowns and other restrictions, WICEN activities have not surprisingly been effected, so I thought I should provide an update on where we are at. We have been advised that the Brookvale event has been cancelled, which really just only leaves us with one remaining event for the year - that being the Fitz's challenge bike ride that has been rescheduled several times, and is now planned for 12 December. The Fitz's organisers are hopeful and planning for the event to go ahead, although a delay to December improves their prospects, there is no certainty that it will with the current covid situation. All I can say is that once we know what is going on, we will let you all know. Although from the WICEN perspective it is a far quieter spring than usual, this does not mean you have to do nothing. Take this time (particularly whilst in lockdown) to better prepare yourself and your equipment for events and exercises that may pop up at short notice. I have been making up some additional portable antennas and planning out some portable stations for use not just with WICEN activities but also for other radio activities like Summits On The Air and the VKFF/WWFF park activations. If you are bored and wanting something to do, how about constructing some portable antennas. A great resource for this is on one our own local amateurs website. Andrew VK1AD has a large number of antenna construction articles on his site that are easy to build with minimal equipment or material - my personal favourite is the so called flowerpot antenna - https://vk1nam.wordpress.com/2018/02/10/portable-2m-144-mhz-coaxial-dipole-a ntenna/ This antenna can be made in a couple of formats - the first being inside a PVC pipe to allow it to be easily mounted or without the PVC pipe to make it really compact and portable - it can either be tied to a squid pole or alternatively strung up on a rope thrown over a tree branch for that extra bit of height. These antennas are extremely simple to build and offer major performance improvements over HT antennas - so having one of these antennas in your bag of tricks can be a great help when you are having problems getting comms. I will usually have a couple with me for WICEN exercises - one of the coiled up versions is almost always in the back of my car as a just in case antenna -I highly recommend the construction of these simple but very effective antennas. On the go-box front, even if you are not going to make one, at least have a look and laugh at all the variations on youtube - definitely a way to fill several hours of your time if you are bored and if you do make one up, it gives you an easy pick up and go-box with all the radios you need! Matt VK1MA

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NatCap Rally this weekend has been POSTPONED til April 10/11 !
by Phil Longworth 26 Mar '21

26 Mar '21

Good afternoon all, The Netier National Capital Rally that was scheduled for this weekend has been postponed and will now be conducted on the weekend of 10 & 11 of April. Further down this email is the details sent out to competitors for info. SO, how does this effect the WICEN effort ? Well we'll need confirmation from all those who had volunteered for this weekend that the same info and details that was supplied holds true for the weekend 10/11 April. Some people may no longer be available, and some may now be available so I ask that you all go into the GoogleDoc's form and update your information - I'll try to update the form but not sure how successful that will be. Otherwise, please email me directly with a confirmation you are still OKAY, or indicate what changes there are. thanks in advance, Phil Longworth VK1PL Deputy State Coordinator, WICEN ACT ======================================================================================== -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: URGENT NOTICE: POSTPONED - Netier National Capital Rally 2021 Hello Competitors, I am the bearer of bad news unfortunately! The 2021 Netier National Capital Rally has been POSTPONED to 9-11 April 2021. Please see the official statements below. From Clerk of Course , Adrian Dudok As I sit here listening to the news of people losing their homes and businesses it seems petty to feel as bad as I do about our forestry permit having been withdrawn for the rally this weekend due to the road conditions. For all the crews who needed to travel I hope we have caught you in time to save travelling in these dangerous conditions. To say the team who have worked on the event for the last months are gutted is an understatement and we are all keen to have another go in 2 weeks time, I hope you can all find time to visit Canberra and join us in what is The Netier National Capital Rally. My thanks to all our supporters, Netier, ACT government, Abode Hotel and National Capital Toyota. To the 50 odd crews our thanks and we will be in touch. From Motorsport Australia Motorsport Australia can advise that the 2021 Netier National Capital Rally will be postponed until 9 - 11 April. Due to torrential rain in the region, organisers were unable to receive a permit from ACT Parks and Conservation Service, meaning the event was unable to go ahead this weekend. “We’re disappointed that the event has to be postponed, however event organisers have worked quickly to secure a new date just two weeks later in April,” Motorsport Australia Director of Motorsport and Commercial Operations Michael Smith said. Netier National Capital Rally’s Adrian Dudok said it was pleasing to see the event would run. “A lot of work has gone into this event and while it’s unfortunate we can’t run the event this coming week, to have a new date locked away so quickly is a terrific result,” Dudok said. “We can’t wait to welcome everyone to this event in April and thank our sponsors, competitors and officials for their ongoing support.” The Netier National Capital Rally will now open the 2021 RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship season on 9–11 April ***** -- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. https://www.avg.com

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