Alex Discovers Amateur Radio

The Radio Amateurs' Emergency Network

RAYNET, The Radio Amateurs’ Emergency Network is the UK’s national voluntary

communications service provided for the community by licensed radio amateurs.

RAYNET was formed in 1953 following the severe East

coast flooding, to provide a way of organising the valuable

resource that Amateur Radio is able to provide to the

community.

Since then, it has grown into a very active organisation with

around 2000 members, providing communication assistance

on many hundreds of events each year.

The primary aim of the organisation is to provide communications in times of emergency and

disaster. The list of 'User Services' (i.e. people who we are allowed under the terms of the Amateur

transmitting licence to pass messages on behalf of) who may call on our help include:

• Any UK Police force, Fire & Rescue service or Ambulance trust.

• HM Coastguard

• Local Authority Emergency Planning Officers

• Any health authority

• Any government department

• British Red Cross

• St John Ambulance

• St Andrew’s Ambulance Association

• WRVS

• Salvation Army

• Any 'Public Utility'. This can include BT, Gas and Water suppliers etc.

As well as planned events, RAYNET is available to the user services on short notice callout, with

teams mobilised typically within one hour. In many cases the use of RAYNET is written into the

user services' major incident plans, so that they may alert the organisation at an early stage.

To ensure that our approach to an incident is professional and that the members have a good idea

what is expected of them, the organisation is involved with may hundreds of community events

such as sponsored walks, marathons etc. which, as well as providing help for the User Services

(most often St. John Ambulance and Red Cross), provide a valuable training ground for our

members.

During the summer months, many groups are out on events nearly every weekend. During the

winter, there are regular training evenings to introduce, discuss and learn new skills.

One of the rewards members of the organisation get is a strong sense of providing worthwhile

service to the community in return for the privilege of the transmitting licence, as RAYNET is the

only really public face of Amateur radio.

If you would like to find out more about RAYNET, including how to find and join a group near you

please visit the RAYNET website at:

or, if you have a smartphone scan the QR code on the left