Public Service Events

Bike The Trail 2013

Bike the Trail is a 25km cycle ride on the Hutt River Trail, from Harcourt Park, Upper Hutt to Hikoikoi Reserve, at the Hutt River mouth, Petone. This is a non-competitive family cycling event promoting cycling as a fun, healthy, safe means of recreation. The event is run by Activation, the recreation event organizer for Hutt Council.

Wellington Wander Search rolls out more pendants

Wellington Wander Search Trust has continued to deploy pendants (beacons) to users in the Wellington area. So far they are all in the northern suburbs of Wellington, but the list of candidates is growing. Wellington Wander Search has reported that they are keen to expand tracking equipment to Porirua, the Kapiti Coast and the Wairarapa, if funding and local support is found. The Trustees are looking to recruit AREC members with good links to their local LandSAR groups to initiate Wander Search in those areas.

Wellington Wander Search Initial Meeting Thursday 5 July 2012

Wellington Wander Search is a trust that is being set up to support Police searching for people living with Autism, Dementia or Alzheimers. The group is similar to others operating around N.Z. and will use the WandaTrak system that has been adopted by organisations such as LandSAR. John Andrews ZL2HD and Ray Harkness ZL2REES, members of the Wellington VHF Group, have initiated Wander Search in Wellington, based on interest in the search technology, Radio Direction Finding (RDF or "fox hunting"), and the Wellington VHF Group association with search and rescue organisations, through Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (AREC). One area that they are keen to explore is improvements to the system, or effective alternatives.

Bike The Trail 2012 - A community service event

Bike the Trail, a popular recreational event, provides either a 25km cycle ride from Harcourt Park in Upper Hutt, or a 12km ride from Stokes Valley, down the Hutt River Trail to Hikoikoi Reserve in Petone. The ride is held annually and is designed as a non-competitive family cycling event promoting cycling as a fun, healthy, safe means of transport and recreation. Wellington VHF Group were contracted to ensure public safety during this event.

Bike The Trail 2011 - A wet and windy event

The VHF Group were requested to provide safety marshals for the “Bike the Trail” event again this year. This is a public 26km cycle ride from Harcourt Park in Upper Hutt, or a reduced 12km ride from Stokes Valley, down the Hutt River Trail to Hikoikoi Park at the mouth of the Hutt river at Petone. The ride is designed as a safe non-competitive family cycling event, which promotes cycling as a fun, healthy, safe means of transport and recreation.

Jamboree On The Air 2010 – with Paparangi Scouts

We were privileged to participate in Jamboree On The Air , (JOTA), again this year with the Paparangi Scouts. The scouts lashed up and erected several poles for the antennas, one over 10 metre tall. Three short poles were lashed end-to-end and guy ropes attached in preparation for erecting the pole in the field, adjacent to the Paparangi Scout Hall.

Post Activity Report: Bike the Trail 2010 - An Amateur public service 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.

'Bike the Trail 2009' Post Activity Report

Updated: We also were mentioned in an article in the Upper Hutt Leader on 4 March 2009. Click to view a scan of the article. 8 members of Wellington VHF Group, assisted by 6 members of Hutt Valley Amateur Radio Club, assisted Hutt City's 'Leisure Active' and Upper Hutt City Councils' 'Activation' groups with Bike the Trail, a scenic fun bike ride between Harcourt Park in Upper Hutt, and Hikoikoi Reserve in Petone, Lower Hutt, this morning.

The 'Bike the Trail' route. The full route is 24km long; an abbreviated course was available starting in Stokes Valley.