How the radios work

Download this information as a PDF for when you do not have mobile coverage.

The Radio system is VHF. So any VHF will usually work. Ask your local dealer. During testing we have found Tait radios have given best coverage.

Schools and clubs etc that own their own radios can have the frequencies put into the radio. Please contact the Trust. Others who only have sporadic use can rent a radio for $15 per day. Booking of these is done here.

There are 3 repeaters (view map):

1. No 1 is at Waitere Station above the TeKooti Bridge on Pohukura Road.

2. No 2 is on the Titioukura Station on State Highway 5

3. No 3 is on the Boundary of the Kawekas

4. All channels are linked to No 2 and can be monitored from most of Napier and Hastings area

The radios will be linked by Christmas. At the moment No 3 is not linked but can be monitored on request. No 1 and No 2 are linked and being monitored.

Each repeater has its own channel 1, 2, 3 respectively. If you are in an area serviced by a repeater you can monitor it from that channel. If you are monitoring outside of that repeater’s area you can monitor trips from Channel 2 if you are in range of this repeater.

People on trip should use the closest repeater. However there is large over laps of coverage to achieve the coverage we wanted. So as you travel around you may need to switch channels if you have difficulty with reception.

For example if you are kayaking from the Mangatainoka Hot springs to the end of the Garde 5 at Willowflat bridge you will start on channel 3 then change to Channel 2 above State highway 5 bridge and the change to channel 1 below the GoldMine. Someone monitoring on Channel 2 will hear you on all channels.

The repeaters are solar powered and run on batteries. To conserve power they switch off after 10 minutes from the last use. When calling out on the hand radios you must wake the repeater up by clicking the talk button at least twice. Repeaters are involved so please wait for a couple of seconds after clicking the talk button before talking.

Talk in a slow steady, firm voice (do not shout it will distort things). If you can here the “clunk” of a repeater but can’t get out, move to another spot and try again. Try to visualise which direction the repeater is and move to avoid a close hill or trees from interfering. This should not happen too much as we have tested the radios in some interesting places.