Thank you for the reminder. Alas we will not be renewing our license because we have sold the off road caravan and Land Cruiser into which our Coden was fitted. The hf radio went with the sale and I recommended VKS to the purchaser. After no interest the sale suddenly completed extremely quickly. It was so rapid that it caught me unawares and I did not have time to go on air to thank VKS for the eight years (winter only) that it has been there for us. Although we never needed help it was always comforting to chat to the Sched. Operators when we were miles from anywhere and sometimes had not seen other people for > 24 hours. Occasionally the heads up of inclement weather was a godsend. We are now home in New Zealand for 12 months or so; after which, if old age permits we may buy a rig in USA and tour North America for a few years. This is VKS 2723 ~ Over and Out Thanks to all at VKS particularly the Sched. Operators. Two Wandering Kiwis Pauline & Keith Dick

Dear Steve, Much appreciated for taking the time to write a very kind article about me in the winter edition of Network News regarding my upcoming retirement. It certainly reminded me of rescues undertaken that had very happy endings due to the joint efforts of your organisation, Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and agencies in Birdsville, such as the Clinic, Police, National Park Ranger, RACQ mechanic and community members. Fortunately Birdsville is a town where you can always rely on the community in times of need. I could always count on Network News and your subscribers to be the ears and eyes on the ground particularly in the Simpson Desert and other remote areas. Many times we have been able to narrow down a search area due to information passed on to you by one of your subscribers and locate the missing person(s). The most notable rescue assisted by you and your organisation was in May 2013 when a bike rider was badly injured on the Warburton Track, Simpson Desert, South Australia. The situation deteriorated when his travelling companions all deserted him, leaving him to fend for himself with a punctured lung and fractured ribs. Due to excellent information from Network News and subscribers on the ground in the Simpson Desert a successful rescue was completed. The rescue team consisted of myself, the Birdsville Nurse Prue HANNAH, Ambulance Driver John WHITE and Peter BARNES the Birdsville mechanic. We arrived at the site in the early hours of the morning and the patient was treated by the nurse and placed in the ambulance. Due to deteriorating weather conditions we did not get back to Birdsville until that afternoon and the patient was then evacuated by RFDS to Adelaide. The success of this rescue and other such rescues was in deed due to the reliable and accurate information supplied by your organisation that alerted me and allowed the rescue ball to start rolling. Once again many thanks for the excellent support and assistance you and your subscribers have given to me over almost a decade in Birdsville.

We have recently returned from our trip on the CSR and wanted to thank VKS-737 and Base Operator Robert (2500) for the assistance for one of our party which broke the U-bolts on his Landcruiser. The other members of our party all had Sat phones and quickly worked out the benefits of a Sat phone are very limited as compared to the services from VKS-737 and the other mobile subscribers. With the assistance of Robert and a subscriber we identified a wrecked Landcruiser at the Well 33 community that had the parts we required and he coordinated the removal and delivery. A big thank you from our party and I can assure you the other members in our party now know the benefits of a HF Radio and VKS-737. Regards Cameron Stevens

We were travelling up past James Price Point on the Dampier Peninsular, Wednesday 2nd September 2015 when at 13:30 we came across a lady standing on the side of the track with an EPIRB in her hand. It turned out that an hour earlier they had driven their Apollo rental onto the beach to get to a campsite they had picked. The sand was soft, they got stuck, dug it out then drove further onto the beach to turn around and got more stuck than previously. They were a Swiss couple, 2nd day of their rental and had been there, at the top of the tide for about an hour before we arrived. The EPIRB had been set off and she thought we were the rescue team sent to help them. The sand was far too soft and the king tide too high to risk our vehicle on the beach with no one else around. I contacted Jack thru Derby Base on the HF who contacted police etc. About an hour after our arrival a plane turned up to locate the source of the PLB, we indicated that all was ok and he eventually disappeared back towards Broome. Message came via Jack for the PLB to be turned off. Some hours later a recovery vehicle from Broome arrived and with some digging the vehicle was extracted from the sand. The tow truck driver drove his vehicle off the beach while I drove the rental Hilux. All was sorted and the couple left in company of the tow vehicle back to Broome to get a replacement. We carried on and found a camp for the night. Interesting thing is that as Switzerland has no oceans they had no real concept of how the sea works or that tides change by the hour every day. They were very lucky that they got stuck at the top of the tide, that very little water entered the vehicle and they were able to drive it away after recovery. We are from New Zealand and started our 2 year’s travel around Australia in June this year. We have already covered, in previous years since 2007, about 30,000km in the outback of Central Australia. This trip covers the entire coast road which will take us to as many road ends as they can get to and fill in gaps previously missed. We would like to thank Jack, Derby Base Operator for his great help and assistance which made giving assistance to these travellers very smooth and efficient.

Hi Steve and Crew It is with regret that I will not be renewing my subscription this year. I have sold my Off-Road Discovery, and settled for an On-Road 4 wheel drive a couple of months ago. We are now towing a heavy caravan so basically restricted to the black top where there are many campers like us. This negates, somewhat the need for long range communication due to the remote locations that I have travelled in the past. I have purchased a handheld UHF, so limited air traffic is possible. Do I WANT to maintain my HF, you’re right, but do I really NEED it now in my circumstances............no, but I still would like it. The reason for this email is two-fold, firstly to advise non-renewal and the reason why, but more importantly to thank all the operators I have encountered in my many years as a subscriber. Looking back over the years I have been involved in a couple of adventures that were possibly life threatening and thank God VKS-737 was there, or the results may well have been different. It was only the absolutely professional way in which the Network went about the difficult situations that the matters were totally solved. Also I will seriously miss all the air traffic, plus the wonderful assistance you have all given me, and most of all, FOR JUST BEING THERE. As most of us know, especially if you’re single handed, that whatever wherever whenever, our most reliable friend is only a call away, and just the sound of that voice makes US feel special. Due to the professionalism displayed whilst I was a subscriber I am sure your organisation will continue to grow and be successful. I believe it, IS the Voice of the Outback and the traveller. It’s a shame the Government cannot assist financially in some way. Perhaps maybe soon. Thank you so much for just BEING THERE and I shall really miss the interaction. Pass you soon Mike Herbert

Hi and greetings Thanks to VKS-737 for being there for us would-be explorers over the years that we have travelled far and wide, God willing we will continue to do so. I just like to say that the Network and the dedicated people behind it put us at ease while we are out in the sticks enjoying this magnificent country of ours; it never ceases to amaze us that it’s like a magnet and a bit like going back to school. Really we learn so much each and every time we travel, must say though I enjoy it so much more than I ever did at school, ah but that was a long time ago and keeping up with the rest of the kids was very difficult for me, I spent most of my time out in the garden, the teachers must have thought I had potential as a labourer that’s the way it was for us slow learners back in those days. I really paid the price for being so slow over the years, I wasn’t able to read or write till I was in my fifties, slowly over the years I taught myself, then just a few years back my grandson encouraged me to have a go at the laptop and I thank god he did - it has been a godsend for me, a great tool for staying in touch etc. Got off the track there for a while, it’s great to see so many likeminded people out there doing it and yes there are a lot of young and not so young 4x4 drivers who think the vehicle and themselves are invincible, a lot of them are finding it out the expensive and the hard way. It’s a subject that comes up often, I have varied thoughts as to why they travel so fast, young and lack of experience maybe, gung-ho possibly, lots of them don’t have much time and push far too hard during the time they are on the road. I only hope that the experience for them is not so bad it turns them off what could be a life time adventure, the endless story so to speak. Those who stay on the long black road are missing so much, in recent years we have noticed many younger families getting out and about, and that’s great. I had previously thought only us oldies felt so strongly about our country, every time we come across a young family group I make a point of encouraging them and tell them how pleased I am to see them so determined to show the little ones what it’s all about, great stuff. Love your work with thanks Bill & Patricia Gerhard

On Saturday 2nd July we pulled into Saddle Creek NT to camp for the night. Not long after that a car with two Aboriginal women and four small children came into the camp area. One of the women was having what appeared to be a heart attack. Their English was very limited. At first the driver wanted petrol to push onto to Timber Creek which was their destination after leaving Kununurra. The car was out of petrol and despite one of the campers putting some of his generator fuel in the car, it refused to start. The car was in such a state that we could not even get the bonnet up. So the woman was made comfortable on the back seat with a bit of water and a fellow camper fanning her. We did establish that she had previously been treated for a heart condition and had left her medication in Kununurra. Around 3pm I called the VKS-737 operator in Alice Springs and I think it was George – thank you George. He was extremely helpful and after getting what information we were able to provide, he made the appropriate phone call. By about 3:30pm he was able to tell us that an ambulance had been despatched from Kununurra, about 110km to the west, with an ETA of about 60 to 90 minutes. The ambulance arrived not long after 4:30pm NT time. As it turned out the Ambulance Officer told us after stabilising the lady with intravenous fluids that he didn’t think her condition was life threatening, but she definitely required an ambulance to take her to hospital. We were also told that another car had been despatched to pick up the remaining members of the group, which did in fact turn up some time later. Whilst I thought the car would probably be abandoned, three men turned up the next afternoon and got it started and took it away in the direction of Timber Creek. So, the VKS-737 Radio Network has once again shown itself to be a very worthwhile organisation and I am proud to be a subscriber. It is a comfortable feeling to know that we have that Network and the assurance that goes with it while we are in the outback and remote areas. Best Wishes Tony Hind and Wendy Caughey

Dear ‘Voices in the Wilderness’ ]My son and I recently crossed west over the flowing ‘white tea’ of Eyre Creek. We were slugging to the Simpson Desert’s lonely heart then north to the Hay. The Eyre, a fencing wire thin channel of immigrant water bordered by a single row of euc spectators has successfully ring fenced the Simpson on and off for the last couple of years, crossing it was like gaining entry to new territories. Although I have crossed this red sea of tranquillity on numerous occasions I have never seen it in such grey green health. A reptilian ark of tracks in the sand, Kites flocking over any terrestrial movement, rabbits under a flag of false comeback and rats. The Simpson and the vascular network of creeks, channels, streams and rivers which flank her are continuing to radiate the hope for life. Thank you VKS-737 for being our voice in the wilderness. Although we felt privileged, happy and confident alone on the Hay River track in the middle of the Simpson we acknowledge some of this came from the scheduled communications with your friendly and supportive Network staff, thank you. Best Regards Guy and Hugh Cameron

Ali and I just completed a five-week dream trip on the Anne Beadell Highway from Laverton to Coober Pedy, up to Darwin via Kings Canyon, Palm Valley, Finke River and the MacDonnell Ranges, then to Kununurra via Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks, across the Gibb River Road taking in the Mitchell Plateau, then home to Perth via Chichester and Karijini National Parks. The scenery on the Anne Beadell was indescribable and apart from a flat tyre and a dead car fridge on the Anne Beadell we had a trouble free trip. Having said that, it was always comforting to know the VKS-737 network was there to help if needed. Thanks to everyone at VKS-737, particularly base operators at Adelaide, Alice Springs, Derby, Meekatharra and Perth, for being there. VKS-737 is truly an excellent service and well worth the subscription, even if only for the peace of mind brought by the evening skeds. Keep up the good work. Peter Beard & Ali Coates

We just wanted to say ‘thank you’ to the people who run the radio bases and do it so well. We recently did a trip along the Gunbarrel Hwy and along the Canning Stock Route and it was wonderful to be able to radio in and let them know where we were. When relaying our mobile number our names were immediately used which was very personal and appreciated. The guys were always very efficient and sounded happy to be doing their job. We had a great trip knowing that we had contact in case of emergency. Thanks so much. Look forward to renewing our subscription. Kind regards Greg & Neda Smith

Cape York Trip by a distressed lady. I would like to thank the team that were in operation on two important days starting on Sunday 22/8/10, when our Mitsubishi Triton had broken “U” bolts, smashed rear shock and drive shaft disconnections on a trip into Maytown via the old coach road north from Laura. At about Lunchtime the event happened and with the help of VKS-737 radio listeners relaying and Charters Towers Base, we were able to get a tow truck to meet us on the other side of the South Palmer River two days later. Ron was able to keep me calm and let my partner and a passing traveller Greg Harders (who came along that night at 5pm) do the impossible of a bush repair that involved a big block of wood and two chains. He and his wife Angie then stayed with us for the two days to help get us out of Maytown, as we only travelled 50km in 12 hours and sometimes had to be towed by them on uphill tracks on that Monday. Ron stayed with me on air during that Sunday afternoon and then again all the next day on the Monday and then on the Tuesday morning till we met the tow truck from Mt Molloy. We then went to Charters Towers where we were able to meet Ron on the following Monday 30/8/10 when we were leaving Charters Towers, not knowing that we would need him again that day. On the way to Emerald and just 80km short of Clermont we saw smoke coming from the back end and the back right tyre moving away from the car. Yes another tow job and it was Ron that I managed to contact through a relay and he got another tow truck, an RACQ repairer who came to our rescue and took us to Clermont to get another axle and new bearings. So thankyou to all those people on the VKS-737 Radio Network for the help they provide travellers out there and especially thank you to my Angel – Ron Gough. Jane Atkinson & Dennis Muldoon

To all the people that make the VKS-737 Network: "Thank you for a very good service!" We just returned home from our travels by 4WD around Australia in 2009 and during that year contacted the bases a number of times just to check in and let them know we are OK. We were fortunate that we did not need any further assistance but knew that support was not too far away from all the remote locations that we visited. Will recommend the VKS-737 Network to the buyer of our 4WD and camper. Kind regards, Ernie & Chris Gruijthuijsen

VKS-737 to the Rescue again, thankfully I was enjoying the High Country approximately the middle of the first week in January 2010. It was late afternoon and we were just off the Davis Plain Track near a stream not far from the Davis Plain Hut in the Victorian High Country. It was a hot day and some of my friends & children were wading in the shallows of the nearby creek. Being later afternoon I was lounging around in our camp with remainder of friends. One of the gang came driving into camp, running around like a chook with its head off as one may say. A youngish lady in our group had slipped in the stream and was injured. He went straight for a satellite phone (no I don’t have one...) and I went for my first aid kit. I donned the latex gloves and found my patient; she was shaking in minor shock whilst standing at the rear of the Prado. Sitting wasn’t an option at present. I soon established that she had slipped and fell onto a sharp rock in the stream tearing a large L shaped gash to her left buttock. It wasn’t a very nice injury, but then no injuries are I guess. It was approx. 50mm x 50mm and 20+mm deep. To one’s surprise it wasn’t bleeding at all. But it was deep and I guess a little nasty! Reassuring my patient & to settle her that all was OK and only a few stiches were all that was required, then all will be good again. I set about the work of cleaning her wound up, patching her up for transportation to a local doctor or hospital. She did pass out and thankfully I had help assisting her to a safe and comfortable position until regaining consciousness. Back to the Satellite phone conversation I could hear the frustrated caller [boyfriend] saying we don’t need a Flaming ambulance... we are nowhere neara main road and I just need to know where the closest available doctor for minor surgery please... Nothing was forthcoming as the ambulance people were playing out of the routine worksheet. Sadly the Ambulance people could only ask where are you situated & No we don’t have that location or place on our system etc but I can send an ambulance if you give me exactly where you are etc... He didn’t want to go through the, I’m here in the... again, so He thanked them & hung up. Frustrated as all hell I guess. I reassured him that all will be OK and requested that he travel slowly and carefully to Thredbo first, find the local doctor and get treatment. If no luck there, then travel onto Jindabyne for help for her if nothing was available at Thredbo... It didn’t take long after settling down my patient who was now through the shock and passing out stage she was on her way to some much needed help. I was now able to get onto the VKS-737 Radio Network for the real background work. It was now approx. 17:00hrs, the VKS-737 Radio Network Adelaide Base was now contacted as I was a little less busy now and with my patient on her way. I advised our Adelaide Base operator the Sat Phone (and mobile phone info for all of the good that will do...) The Adelaide operator (name?? sorry) was most helpful as I have always found after I explained her age, her status & injury in detail. He went for medical help information & I stood-by. I suppose he called the ambulance service as well. Adelaide Base called me back several times during the next hour to find further info like anticipated departure and travel time, approximate arrival time to each location etc... He also found that Thredbo had no medical GP at that time so Jindabyne was the next stop but he stated it would be advisable to travel to Cooma Hospital. The patient was treated approx. 3½hours later at Cooma Base Hospital having 30 stitches, 15 internal and 15 external, so it was a bad gash after all. She returned much later the next day a little sore and sorry with meds for infection and meds for pain control. All had worked out well in the end. I really think that we have the best of possible help with our HF radios & the VKS-737 Radio Network. I want to thank the VKS-737 Radio Network and all our operator/s for their valuable help and the network for having such dedicated staff that are willing to go that extra mile in such cases. A job well done thank you.

Very recently I had the occasion to be reminded of the very great benefits provided to me by being a subscriber of the VKS-737 for over 10 years. I would like to share this experience with you. In the middle of May at midday, I was driving solo on a dirt road in the Mallee country 60km NE of Burra when my vehicle’s (Nissan Patrol GQ RB30) engine just died! I had fuel and I did check the fuel filter. I was out of mobile telephone and UHF radio repeater range. What to do? Call the RAA? Three beacon calls later established that I was able to use channel 2 with either Alice Springs or St. Mary’s, but not Adelaide base stations. I then successfully made two selcalls but unfortunately the RAA operator could not hear me; although I was able to hear them. Whilst I was contemplating what to do next Mobile 1777 called up and offered his assistance. Just what I needed! The transmissions that followed were very professionally handled by 1777as I was asked for, and provided, relevant information. During our radio exchange signal strength dropped to such an extent that I could not understand what was being said to me. Imagine my surprise when the same operator, saying “Standby, standby”, very quickly came up on air as Alice Springs Base! Charlie (aka 1777), who lives in Melbourne, was off duty; he was due to carry out his Charters Tower sked that afternoon. A friend in need indeed! Quickly I was advised that the RAA had been contacted in Adelaide, that assistance was on the way and, that I should listen out on UHF Channel 24 for the “RAA man”. ETA -plus 2 hours. It is important to understand the very beneficial influence this radio contact had on me. The calming effect cannot be over stated. I was very re-assured. Whilst I knew exactly where I was and, that I that was not in any immediate danger, it was with great relief that I was able “to share” my problem with someone who was very understanding! It was whilst waiting for the RAA, reviewing my situation, and re-reading the manual, that I realized that I had not checked the fuses (indeed I hadn’t realized THAT the ignition was fused!). Very quickly problem solved! Subsequently on reaching the bitumen I was able to stand down the support services. A job very well done. I would now like to take this opportunity to thank the VKS-737 volunteer Radio Operators for their professionalism and for “being there”. Specifically Charlie your help that day was exemplary. Thank you very much. I believe it is very important for members to be in no doubt on the value of their membership of our organization. It is priceless and, it is there when we need it most. It will not let us down. Do you know how to use your radio equipment and the VKS-737 inter connect equipment to its full potential? Mike Fretwell

Thank You VKS-737 The Just4KidsMotor Trail Survey team recently returned from an outback run from Mt Isa to St George covering 6,000km in far western Queensland, crossing the border into N.S.W. and South Australia. The purpose of this survey was to plot the route for the 2009 Just4Kids Motor Trail, supporting Q150 in August. We unfortunately encountered rain in Birdsville -very good for them, not so good for us. It was necessary on a couple of occasions to call VKS-737 communications to check on roads, and also to let them know the terrible conditions of roads that were actually opened but should not have been. It was fantastic knowing the operators were at the other end of the line, and that someone knew exactly where we were if we had become more permanently stuck in the mud. The radio voice clarity was amazing considering the distance and the remoteness of our situation. It is an organisation I am very proud to support and a very big thank you to those guys and girls at radio HQ from the Just4Kids Motor Trail Survey Team. I would just like to take this opportunity to thank the VKS -737 Network and in particularly Adelaide operator Darian Powell for his very professional assistance on Tuesday 23rd June. We arrived back in Perth yesterday after a caravan trip to The Kimberley’s. The plan was to leave Perth on Friday 19thJune and travel to Kununurra as fast as possible doing full day driving and roadside stops. We were booked in to a site from Wednesday 24th which should have given us plenty of time. On Tuesday 23rd June we were leaving the Ngumban Cliffs overnight stop and just turning right onto the main road when the axle on our single axle caravan snapped. The van was in the middle of the road and totally disabled, 95km from Fitzroy Crossing. I put the car into 4wd and dragged the van clear of any traffic and selcalled the motoring assist channel. Soon after I heard Darian’s friendly voice and managed to communicate through fairly heavy interference on channel 2 via Alice Springs. He asked me all the relevant questions and as a result we were picked up by a Tilt truck only 1 hour and twenty five minutes later from Fitzroy Crossing. I had also mistakenly given Darian the wrong distance from Fitzroy crossing (74km) but the RAC recovery driver continued until he found us. The caravan was transported and repaired in Fitzroy where we left for Kununurra on Saturday 27th. Could you please pass on our very sincere thanks to Darian and all concerned at VKS-737. Thanks again. Sincerely, Ian Williams

I write to thank you for the service you provide, Before leaving Busselton in Western Australia I had a new multi-tap whip antenna fitted to my Landcruiser and the Barrett 250RC checked and tested by Barrett Communications in Perth. The radio worked well across WA, through Kalgoorlie, Rawlinna and down the Connie-Sue to Cocklebiddy and across to Ceduna. After leaving Ceduna and heading north past Lake Gardner, Coober Pedy, and the Painted Desert etc. our radio signal started to deteriorate. Adelaide Base suggested I get it checked out so we took the vehicle to a radio business in Mt Isa who found the radio OK, but we had a blown battery solenoid which we then had replaced by an auto electrician. Next day, 134km east of Barkley Homestead, our vehicle died electrically; we managed to limp into Tennant Creek to have a new fusible link and battery installed. Now all is well, not so, on making contact with Adelaide Base from Newcastle Waters we still had a poor signal. So thank you to the base operators at Charters Towers, Alice Springs and Adelaide for your patience and willingness to help, also to any other subscribers who relayed on our behalf. We still have 6-7 weeks to go, but for now we will leave our radio clear, but will monitor it for any incoming messages. Yours sincerely Robin & Ruth Flower

We would like to say thank you to the VKS-737 base operators for their hard work, professional attitude and the practical help they provide for subscribers. We have recently completed a trip which included most sections of the Gunbarrel Highway, Canning Stock Route, Tanami track, the Old Andado Track and part of the Oodnadatta Track. We reported in and listened to the skeds on a regular basis. We had travelled about 200km from Wiluna along the Canning when we had a major mechanical problem. A spline in the transfer case in our low kilometre Toyota Troop Carrier stripped leaving us with no drive. A fellow traveller towed us to a safe camping spot off the track. We made contact with Perth Base at the beginning of their regular sked. Base operator Kevin was absolutely brilliant. He spoke to us at the end of the sked and arranged a three way radio / telephone hook-up with Jim’s Mechanical Service of Wiluna who in turn arranged our retrieval. Jim towed us back to Wiluna the next day and had the repairs finished about two days later. Jim’s efficient service and help was also excellent. We completed our trip as planned and were fortunate to meet Perth operators Mike and Stewart who were also travelling along the Canning Stock Route. We have been VKS-737 subscribers for six years. Our experience this trip has reinforced the value we place on the service. A big “THANK YOU” to all operators for a job well done. Kerry & Margaret Costello

What a great service the VKS-737 Network provides. It is a real guardian angel for outback travellers and in particular all subscribers in general. Before we started travelling earlier this year, we joined the VKS-737 network. It’s the best value for money we’d ever had. It is reassuring to know that you have contact with the outside world when you are in a remote and often dry isolated area. Recently while we were travelling the CSR we had a fuel blockage which was causing us some grief. After limping into Well 33 and fitting a new fuel filter the problem was still unsolved. Next morning we mentioned it on ‘sked’ and a short time later we were called with some helpful advice. Unfortunately we attacked the wrong end of the fuel pump so once again no joy. The following morning we were called once again called and patiently explained what we had done wrong. This time we got it right and have had no further problems. Thank you so very much. We owe you one. In true Aussie spirit we have since been able to pass on the good deed and help out a couple of fellow travellers. Hopefully it will continue down the line. To all the base operators what a great bunch of people you are, dedicating your time and efforts to watch over the Aussie traveller. You have the patience of a saint when conditions are bad. We dip our lids to you all. A million thanks and keep up the great work Craig Bowditch

Please accept this email as my resignation from the VKS 737 network. I would like to go on record thanking all the staff for their dedication to fantastic organisation. Lyn & I have been very grateful to many sked operators when we have needed assistance and we wish VKS 737 all the best for the future. Kind regards Clarrie & Lyn Box