Our organisation has the motto: Mare Terrum Aerius, meaning sea, land and air and we apply this to our radio communications.
An explanation and brief history of our organisation explains that we began in the mid 1970’s during the cyclone Tracy emergency, with only one individual radio operator assisting with communications and then combining with other operators to form the Australian radio rescue service.
Several years later becoming VMR Westernport with other bases taking on VMR call signs designating their region of service.
Since this time we have assisted with radio communications for other disasters such as the national telephone breakdown 1981, the 1983 Ash Wednesday bush fires, National pilots strike and Newcastle earthquake by advising concerned relatives via radio.
As well as providing communications for Australians overseas who have been stranded by natural disaster.
Our Service has worked alongside other emergency services such as the various state police forces, fire authorities, SES, Royal Flying Doctor Service, coast guard, and volunteers such as WICEN (wireless institute civil emergency network) and CREST (citizens radio emergency service teams) providing radio services but staying in the back round without formal recognition.
As a result of concerned boat owners wishing to have improved radio communications when other marine services were unavailable through no fault of there own, we began night radio transmissions on the marine radio frequencies in 1983, providing weather and tidal information as well as assisting with search and rescue radio operations when needed.
We have radio operators with over 25 years of experience who have retired from military and essential civilian services such as police and fire, and quite some time ago our radio network was extended from VIC to S.A., N.S.W ,QLD, W.A & TAS.
With several more operators currently in training we hope to provide more radio bases.
Our Service is linked to the Australian 4wd radio network VKS-737 as well as the Royal Flying Doctor, and so our communications extend to remote outback Australian regions for assistance to travellers in need.
Please note that although these stations are primarily maritime they have been involved with communications for search and rescue operations on land, sea and air and have 27 MHz, VHF, HF and monitor UHF emergency ch5, with capability for emergency services such as SES, police and fire.
Currently we are running a program called be safe communicate, promoting the use of radio as a lifesaving device, and are also authorised to conduct radio examinations for the Australian Communications Authority by the Australian communications college in Launceston Tasmania.
Our radio operators are trained personal handling many emergency radio calls, they provide an essential service to the public by the use of their radio equipment, transmitting weather reports, tidal information and other safety messages.
We have several radio bases Australia wide operated by qualified volunteer radio operators with several years of experience aiming to provide a 24hour safety service