Eastern Southland Amateur Radio Club: Gore’s Silent Guardians of the Airwaves

In the heart of Southland’s farming country, where the Mataura River winds through rolling pastures, the Eastern Southland Amateur Radio Club (Branch 8) stands as a quiet sentinel. Operating from their Latham Road clubrooms, this tight-knit group of rural communicators keeps the district connected when modern technology falters.

Seasonal Shifts in the Deep South

The club adapts to Southland’s dramatic seasons:
☀️ Summer Months: Wednesday nights at Latham Road clubrooms (8pm sharp)
❄️ Winter Months: St Andrews Church Hall gatherings (7:30pm start)
📻 Wednesday 8pm net on 695 repeater – the district’s bush telegraph

"During last year’s floods, we relayed stock movement alerts between isolated farms," says AREC Group Leader Lindsay Eunson ZL4LC, a local plumber by trade.

Critical Rural Infrastructure

The club maintains essential services:
• 695 repeater network covering from the Hokonuis to the Catlins
• AREC emergency team trained for flood and snow response
• Farm radio maintenance workshops for rural members

Learning the Southland Way

With exam supervision from experienced operators, the club offers:
✅ Agricultural-focused licensing courses
✅ Farm emergency communications training
✅ Youth STEM initiatives at local schools

Join the Southland Network

Contact: Secretary Lindsay Eunson (027 432 5136 | eunsonplumbing@xtra.co.nz)
Visit: 2nd Wednesdays – location varies by season

In a region where weather dictates daily life, these radio operators prove that the most reliable connection isn’t always the fastest – just the one that works when it matters most.

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[Did You Know?]
The club’s 695 repeater has exceptional range thanks to Southland’s flat topography – their Wednesday net regularly reaches boats fishing the Foveaux Strait. President Ross Dickie ZL4DIK once coordinated a veterinary emergency across three districts during a cellular blackout.