Bellevue's Resilient Relays: WICEN West Australia Rebuilds its Emergency Communications Cadre

BELLEVUE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA – In the critical domain of emergency preparedness, WICEN West Australia (Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network, callsign VK6WIE) stands as a pivotal, volunteer-driven organisation dedicated to providing amateur radio emergency communications. As a federated member association, its role is one of co-ordination and training, aiming to furnish a supplemental or auxiliary communication backbone when conventional systems are compromised. The organisation is candid about its current phase: "rebuilding at the moment," a necessary response to the "ravages of time" as a previous generation of dedicated members has passed into "Silent Key" or retired.

This period of renewal underscores WICEN WA's operational philosophy, which balances a serious commitment to service with a profound respect for the voluntary nature of its membership. For a modest annual fee of $25, members make themselves available based on their personal comfort and interest, with no rigid obligations. The focus is on connecting and co-ordinating individuals who wish to maintain and apply their radio communication skills in crisis situations, using both educational initiatives and practical training opportunities – such as providing structured communications for car rallies – to ensure operational readiness.

WICEN WA actively seeks integration with state, regional, and local emergency management plans, highlighting its strategic importance. This is complemented by the fact that many Western Australian radio amateurs are concurrently active members of other emergency and support organisations like the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES), the State Emergency Service (SES), and St. John Ambulance, fostering valuable inter-agency understanding. To maintain skills and connectivity, the group runs a weekly on-air net every Wednesday evening at 8:00 PM local time (12:00 Zulu). This net impressively utilizes both HF (around 3.600 MHz) and VHF frequencies (146.750 MHz via the linked repeater network), with net control (VK6WIE) often managed by Bob VK6KW from Northam, leveraging the Allstar linked repeater system.

Physical meetings are held on the second Monday of each month (excluding January) at 7:00 PM for a 7:30 PM start, at the 1st Midland Scout Hall in Bellevue. Looking to the future, WICEN WA is proactively investigating accredited training courses relevant to its emergency communication mandate, with the intention of making these available to members and supporters "in due course," always within the flexible framework of volunteer commitment.

Under the leadership of President Mark Bastin (VK6XLZ/VK6FIVE), Secretary Kevin Byrne (VK6KQ), and Treasurer Bob (VK6KW), WICEN West Australia's current phase of rebuilding is vital. Its enduring mission to provide a skilled, volunteer-based auxiliary communication service remains an indispensable component of Western Australia's broader emergency response architecture, ensuring that when crisis strikes, skilled operators are prepared to help keep vital information flowing.