Volunteers in Marine Rescue have a long history in search and rescue of disabled boats long before the majority of boats carried a marine radio. They went to sea, became disabled for various reasons, and then waited for a concerned relative to raise the alarm.
This period back to the early 1960s, 1970s and 1980s was also before an active water police unit was formed in Gippsland. When alerted by a concerned relative reporting an overdue boat, the police routinely called on a volunteer either at a unit, or after hours at his/her home requesting their vessel put to sea, often in private boats.
Coordinating a search by radio with no other electronic means available - even the Rescue vessel’s crews were navigating by compass and taking fixings to ensure they remained on course - was a talent developed over many years.
A long serving Coast Guard skipper and technical expert with the Victorian Coast Guard, Marcus Grinblat, had for many years promoted a vision to establish a state-wide comprehensive marine radio network. He established Coast Guard's first domestic frequency and erected a site on Arthur’s Seat (still active today after almost 40 years) with a UHF link back to Coast Guard's headquarters at Sandringham. He also organised the erection of a repeater at Portland with the antenna mounted on the smelter stack (organised by the Coast Guard members employed there).
This period back to the early 1960s, 1970s and 1980s was also before an active water police unit was formed in Gippsland. When alerted by a concerned relative reporting an overdue boat, the police routinely called on a volunteer either at a unit, or after hours at his/her home requesting their vessel put to sea, often in private boats.
Coordinating a search by radio with no other electronic means available - even the Rescue vessel’s crews were navigating by compass and taking fixings to ensure they remained on course - was a talent developed over many years.
A long serving Coast Guard skipper and technical expert with the Victorian Coast Guard, Marcus Grinblat, had for many years promoted a vision to establish a state-wide comprehensive marine radio network. He established Coast Guard's first domestic frequency and erected a site on Arthur’s Seat (still active today after almost 40 years) with a UHF link back to Coast Guard's headquarters at Sandringham. He also organised the erection of a repeater at Portland with the antenna mounted on the smelter stack (organised by the Coast Guard members employed there).
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In December 1960 the Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron announced the formation of a Coast Guard Flotilla to maintain a picket station off the main Beaumaris bathing beach at weekends and holidays throughout the season. This would include a High Speed Flotilla capable of responding to calls from all beaches in the Sandringham and Mordialloc munipalities. 'Webray', a 65 ft cruiser, owned by Wally Peterson, acted as a communications base for the coordination of small fast boats to respond as required. Webray was registered 'CG1', Call Sign 'Coast Guard One'.
(Photo courtesy of 'Beaumaris Motor Yacht Squadron 50 years')
THE VHF MARINE COMMUNICATIONS PROJECTS