The importance of communications within isolated rural communities cannot be overstated. Many rural households carry two-way radios for security, civil defence, emergency and casual use. This page details how the AVERT emergency radio network is setup and how the general household 'hand-helds' operate.  

 

Radio Etiquette

• Listen to ensure there is no other party talking on the radio
• Press down the Talk button and speak clearly into the microphone
• Call the name of the other party first then yours, followed by your message. For example, 
    "Mary Jane, this is John Smith calling"
    "Go ahead John Smith"
    "Mary Jane, this is John Smith, radio check required"
    "John Smith, this is Mary Jane, you are loud and clear"
    "Roger Mary Jane, this is John Smith out"
    "Mary Jane out"  
  

  Handhelds

  CB UHF hand-helds are readily available from Dick Smith. Uniden or Motorola brands mostly. Due to the operating frequency these work line-of-sight only, ie. if you can't see the other person then you can't communicate with them.
  • Purchase the highest power you can afford (1-2 watts).
  • Purchase the type that can be left on, sitting in a recharger. That way they are constantly monitoring the airwaves and ready for use.
  • Leave them on channel 1
  • In use, push the talk button to communicate, then suggest switching to some other channel
  • No general conversation on Channel 1 - leave this open for emergencies
   
  

  HVEMC Base Station

  AVERT have one of the Civil Defence radios distributed by the Hutt Valley Emergency Management Office in 2009. Staglands have access to a second radio. 
  Designed to be used only in Civil Defence situations, they will operate over the entire Hutt Valley. They will not communicate with the domestic CB hand-helds. This portable CD radio is a high-powered base station:
  
  • Tait TM 8000 transceiver
  • with whip antenna, magnetic base, 12v battery cable, operating instructions
  • unit number 19152339
  • pre-set to emergency channel 13 - Mt Climbie (ESX7) - transmit frequency 138.0875MHz - receive frequency 141.0875MHz.
  The instructions are included in the sturdy carrying case. Here are a copy for download and reference: 
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