TARANAKI LAND SEARCH & RESCUE

COMMUNICATIONS

 
 
Taranaki lends itself to the predominant use of VHF Radio’s for Search and Rescue Communications, with nearly 85% of all operations involving Mt Taranaki/Egmont.

 To this end an Incorporated Society known as "Taranaki Search & Rescue Equipment and Services Organisation" was set up as a result of a local Radiothon some 20 years ago.  The money raised from this Radiothon was used to purchase 3 Portable Repeaters, 1 each for New Plymouth, Stratford and Hawera, plus 36 VHF Handheld Radios (Yaesu FT202M).
 
In 1997 it was decided to replace those Handheld Radio’s with a newer version and the Yaesu FTH2010 was chosen (see Pictures) complete with dry cell battery pack's.  This handheld transceiver is programmed using a computer and it is a very simple task to change any one of its 15 Channels.  At the same time, 2 Portable VHF Repeaters (see picture) from Tait Communications Ltd, were also purchased.  To date, this equipment has provided excellent service and has proven to be extremely popular with the members of the search teams.

Yaesu FTH2010	Yaesu top view	Repeater	Repeater internals

 
We have an established fixed VHF Repeater Network with repeaters placed in strategic locations around MT Taranaki/Egmont.  These are Manaia (South), Midhurst (East), inland from Waitara (North), and Lower Parihaka Road to the West. They are all fitted with remote tone on/off facilities, which, with the appropriate equipment, can be accessed from almost any location in the Region. This equipment is now complimented by 12 Icom 3F VHF Handheld Transceivers supplied by the NZ Police.

As well as VHF equipment, we have Portable HF transceivers such as the PolSAR and Condor available. A Codan HF Transceiver and HF antenna system located within the Taranaki Regional Emergency Management Office and grounds, is operated remotely from the New Plymouth Police Station Special Operations Room via a UHF Linking Unit.

Currently all search operations are controlled from the NP Police Station Special Operations room, with radio operators in Hawera and Stratford being responsible for communications within their respective areas. Backup radio operators from New Plymouth can be provided when need be.  Most of the Communications equipment available in the NP Police Station Special Operations room is replicated in a NZ Police owned Command/Communications Caravan and easily transported to Field Headquarters sites as/when necessary. 

There is a very dedicated team of radio operators working within the Taranaki Region to ensure, that when search team’s go out into the field, be it Alpine, Land or Marine, they will be provided with some of the best SAR Communications equipment available in the country.