RAYNETAmateur Radio Emergency Communications in the United Kingdom

Paul Gaskell, G4MWO, RCVS National Coordinator Radio Society of Great Britain

David Smith, G8IDL, Emergency Planning Team, The Radio Amateurs’ Emergency Network

RAYNET

RAYNET is the UK’s National Amateur Radio Emergency

Communications Organisation

Its name is made up fromThe RA(Y)dio Amateurs’ Emergency

NETwork

Amateur Radio Emergency Communications in the UK and the

Licence Regulations

Amateur Radio in the UK is now regulated by

OFCOM The Office of Communications

(this includes the previous RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS AGENCY)

The UK Licence permits us to pass third-party traffic for the following organisations –

these are called ‘THE USER SERVICES’

USER SERVICESThe UK Licence permits us to pass third-party traffic

for the following - these are called ‘The User Services’

Any United Kingdom POLICE force, FIRE,

AMBULANCE service or HEALTH Authority

CHIEF EMERGENCY PLANNING OFFICERS (Local & Regional Levels)

HM COASTGUARD, ANY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT

BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY, ST JOHN AMBULANCE, ST ANDREW’S AMBULANCE (Voluntary Ambulance Services)

WOMEN’S ROYAL VOLUNTARY SERVICE, the SALVATION ARMY

UTILITY SERVICES (Gas, Water, Electricity etc)

RAYNET

The Radio Amateurs’ Emergency Network

The Radio Amateurs’ Emergency Network

David Smith G8IDL, CEng FIEEEmergency Planning Team

RAYNET was formed following the East Coast Floods in 1953, when radio amateurs first provided emergency communications.

The United Kingdom is split into a number of areas – called ZONES – and each has its own Zonal Co-ordinator.

RAYNET ORGANISATION

RAYNET Organisation

Member

Group

County/Area

Zone

Committee of Management

RAYNET Organisation

Committee of Management

Emergency Planning

Finance

Information Systems

Technical

Media

Training

Supplies

What have we done?

RAYNET has provided additional communications at major incidents, including:

Lockerbie

© GM4SRL

We have assisted with

Flooding incidents

Pollution disasters

Major telecommunications disruption

We also provide safety communications for large-scale community events, such as:

• London Marathon

• Mildenhall Air Fete

• Great North Run / Great South Run

• Many charity cycle rides

• Long-distance walks and orienteering

• Endurance horse rides

Mildenhall Air Fete

Flora London Marathon 2005

Womens 10km run , Glasgow

© GM4SRL

How we trainRAYNET personnel provide additional safety communications for local fun runs, marathons, car rallies and a wide variety of events, whereby message passing, engineering skills and operational procedures can be tried and tested.

RAYNET Training weekend, EP College, Easingwold

Aerial rigging for RAYNET Control

Message handling on an event

What do we offer?

In times of major civil emergency, existing communications can become rapidly overloaded.

RAYNET can offer:

• Additional flexible communications links to complement established systems

• Members who come from a variety of backgrounds and can bring a wide range of skills, knowledge and expertise

• Established local contacts

• A national 24hr emergency contact telephone number

RAYNET in the future

• Increased liaison between RAYNET and the Radio Society of Great Britain

• Increased discussion with Central Government

To deliver the country’s needs now and in the future

RAYNET

The Radio Society of Great Britain

RAYNET

Specialist Organisation

THE RADIO AMATEURS’

EMERGENCY NETWORK

LIAISON

&

JOINT

APPROACHES

Radio Society of Great Britain

RADIO COMMUNICATIONS

VOLUNTARY SERVICES

LIAISON WITH

THE USER SERVICES

&

UK GOVERNMENT

CIVIL CONTINGENCIES

SECRETARIAT

LIAISON WITH

THE UK’s

RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS

REGULATOR

OFCOM

& IARU

RAYNET & Amateur Radio Emergency

Communications in the UK

The Radio Communications Voluntary Services (RCVS)

Concept

http://www.raynet-uk.net

RAYNET – The Radio Amateurs Emergency Network

The RSGB’s Emergency Communications Webpages

http://www.rsgb.org/emergency/

Weblinks

Questions