WICEN recently assisted VRA with the provision of Liaison Officers to SES Metro Zone, Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). Several Volunteer Rescue Association teams have been operating in the Sydney Basin, assisting the SES following the recent storms.

Sunday, February 3rd is a WICEN training day, here at ARNSW in Dural.

WICEN NSW will be at the Wyong Field Day, on Sunday, February 24th, 2019. This is a good opportunity for members to pay their annual membership.

The 2nd and 3rd of March are planned as a training weekend at Newnes, near Lithgow.

Members should remain prepared, as summer has traditionally been the period in which WICEN has had the most activations, including for fire and storm events.

For Facebook users, there is an official WICEN NSW page; and an informal national WICEN group.

WICEN Northern Rivers has a weekly net on Tuesdays at 8:00pm, on the Lismore repeater VK2RSC on 146.8 MHz, requiring a 123 Hz tone. Listen for VK2WIR.

The WICEN Mid North Coast Region monthly meeting is held on the first Saturday of the month, at SES HQ, Central Road, Port Macquarie, beginning at 15:30. The region runs an HF net on Thursday evenings at 19:00, on the WICEN frequency, 3.600 MHz.

WICEN ACT is part of the Canberra Region Amateur Radio Club, and supports events in the "Capital Country" region, and on the South Coast. Dementia Australia is kicking off the 2019 Memory Walk & Jog season in Canberra, on the foreshore of Lake Burley Griffin, on February 24th, 2019, supported by WICEN ACT. The Canberra Two Day walk is March 30 and 31. See the "WICEN" and "Events" pages on: http://www.crarc.ampr.org

As an aside, it is possible for community groups, including your local radio club, to run a "DIY" memory Walk and Jog event.

WICEN Victoria has the Pajero Challenge, tentatively scheduled for the 9th and 10th of February, at Big River. Duncan's Run, billed as the "Gipsland Ultra-Marathon" is Saturday, March 23rd; while the Sunraysia 400 off-road racing event is just south of Wentworth NSW on the 27th and 28th of April. The group holds a net on 3.6 MHz each Tuesday at 8:30 pm, resuming in the new year. Their site includes write-ups of recent events, and is at: http://vic.wicen.org.au

Finally, a Happy and safe New Year to members and readers!

Submitted by Julian Sortland VK2YJS on behalf of the WICEN State Management Committee.