An update on the current facilities CMRS provide

3 styles of radio are available

This weighs 1.6kg and comes in two packages, one for the radio, and one for the aerial. Being in two packages, they are easier to pack in backpacks and more popular with trampers.

This weighs 1.9kg and comes in a single package. The microphone is external on a twisty cord. This makes this version more popular hunters.

This version is identical to the MRS 1 except it has a special intelligent microphone which enables connections to be made to the telephone network via one of our two base stations. This saves a lot of relaying as you can initiate a call to helicopter bases, emergency services, home or whoever, at any time of the day or night yourself from in the field. It is not a telephone call, but is a telephone connection via a two way radio so is a little more difficult but does work very well and saves a lot of message handling on all sides.

To combat rising electrical and electronic noise levels, CMRS operates two remote bases in quiet rural areas, one at White Rocks in the foot hills of Arthurs Pass and one above Glenorchy. The Glenorchy installation has a remote second receiver further up the valley which further improves the sites ability to receive weak signals.

The northern base is UHF linked back into Christchurch where it is continuously monitored at the city base in Ballinger’s building, and also by the various operators at their homes via extra links. This ensures almost continuous safety monitoring all during the day and evening.

Further, both remotes bases have Broadband internet connections meaning all CMRS operators can use the internet to monitor the two bases. This means for instance, where-ever my laptop has a T3G internet connection, I can monitor either base. Hence, the Canterbury Mountain Radio operators are maintaining continuous daily monitoring of the two remote bases, not just listening out at sked times. AS a further safety device, all traffic is recorded in a similar manner to the emergency services. These recordings have already been instrumental in helping recover missed or difficult messages in emergency situations.

Both remote bases have the telephone interconnects which allow the Telcall function – hence both remote bases have a telephone number which means the base operators simply dial the remote base on any phone and are able to transmit and receive messages.

Require further information

Try http://www.mountainradio.co.nz/ or ring me on 4543 262 or (027) 4375242

Want the additional safety of a personal locator beacon – land based version of the EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon)

These small devices can give you added safety as they can be carried on the belt during the day when it is inconvenient to carry the larger Mountain Radio which are left at base camp. They are life savers but have some limitations in comparison to Mountain Radio – they are one way communication only, so you do not know, after having set off a beacon, what is happening, and the rescuers do not know what they have ahead of them – an accidental activation, somebody fit and well except for a sprained ankle, or someone seriously ill crumpled at the bottom of a cliff. Further, the Mountain Radio has the added advantage of being able to receive suitable weather forecasts, information from other parties, and in some cases the ability to make telephone calls, and in the case of disaster, the big plus of being able to talk to your rescuers and assist each other .

We carry the Mountain Radios as the Dunedin base for the Canterbury Mountain Radio Service and hire PLB’s including the new GPS equipped 406 beacons as part of MB Technology Ltd’s business.