RAYNET is the UK’s national voluntary communications service provided for the community by licensed radio amateurs. The organisation was formed in 1953 following the East Coast floods, when radio amateurs provided emergency communications.
RAYNET can provide a flexible communications service for major civil emergencies or related exercises and local community events.
Over the years, RAYNET has provided additional communications during major incidents involving aircraft, trains, flooding, evacuations, telephone exchange failures, missing-person searches, adverse weather, oil/chemical pollution, etc.
RAYNET volunteers, through their local groups, use their own or group owned equipment to provide vital additional communications.
RAYNET, under the terms of the amateur radio licence, is permitted to pass messages on behalf of:
- Any UK Police force, Fire & Rescue service
- Any Health Authority or Ambulance trust
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency
- Local Authority Emergency Planning/Resilience Officers
- Any Government department
- British Red Cross
- St John Ambulance
- St Andrew’s Ambulance Association
- Royal Voluntary Service
- Salvation Army
- Any utility service
Membership of RAYNET is open to anyone aged 14 or over with an interest in the organisation’s aims.
Some groups may have different policies regarding age, so please check with the local RAYNET group you wish to join.
RAYNET comprises a national network of local groups that liaise with emergency services, local authorities, and other voluntary agencies that could be involved in the integrated management response to major civil emergencies.
Groups are supported by a County/Regional, Zonal and National structure.
RAYNET has provided additional communications during major incidents involving aircraft, trains, flooding, evacuations, telephone exchange failures, missing-person searches, adverse weather, oil/chemical pollution, etc.
We also provide safety communications for large-scale community events, such as
- Marathons
- Triathlons
- Long Distance Walkers Association 100-mile events
- Many charity cycle rides, running events and community events
- Long-distance walks and orienteering
- Endurance horse rides
- Car rallies
and many more, on a regular basis. Many of our groups are supporting community events each weekend.
Groups work with the emergency services and local authority emergency planning units on both live exercises and table-top simulations. It is, of course, important to have “hands-on” experience regularly and throughout the year and to carry out training to nationally agreed standards.
RAYNET volunteers provide additional safety communications for local fun runs, marathons, car rallies, and a wide variety of events, where message passing, engineering skills, and operational procedures can be tried and tested.
In times of major civil emergency, existing communications can become rapidly overloaded.
RAYNET can offer
- Additional flexible communication links to complement established systems
- Members who come from a variety of backgrounds and can bring with them a wide range of skills, knowledge and expertise
- Established local contacts
