Burton Upon Trent & East Staffordshire
RAYNET Group

Burton upon Trent Amateur Radio Club has formed the
Burton Upon Trent & East Staffordshire RAYNET Group

RAYNET, The Radio Amateurs’ Emergency Network is the UK’s national voluntary communications service provided for the community by licensed radio amateurs.

Who is RAYNET

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.

Amateur Radio operators have access to a wide range of radio bands, operating modes and equipment which allows RAYNET to offer a unique range of emergency communication services to our user services. Coupled with our members endless resourcefulness, RAYNET is regarded as a professional support organisation by both the statutory and volunteer emergency service organisations.

In addition, RAYNET is able to assist organisers of local community events. This can include small local events such as a fun run or an agricultural show right up to events that cover wide areas and in areas where mobile phone and other commercial communications services are poor or non-existent.

RAYNET volunteers normally use their own equipment to provide communications. Voice transmissions are the norm, but typed messages in the form of data transmissions are being increasingly used, allowing 100% accurate messages to be passed over both long and short distances.

RAYNET, under the terms of the amateur radio licence, are permitted to pass messages on behalf of

• 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 utility service

How can RAYNET Help

Events such as charity walks, fun runs, marathons, and open-air concerts can benefit from radio communications.

RAYNET communications can be useful for several reasons:

• The central control can inform the other volunteers about the event progress- last runner, returned, etc.
• The out-stations can inform control about progress, checkpoint closed, walker retired, etc.
• People can be informed about exceptional events, competitor overdue, injury etc.
• Administrative information can be passed, such as lists of walkers who have not passed through a check point and may be lost
• Administrative information can be passed, such as the first runners/walk/riders through a checkpoint

RAYNET can also help you reduce your events carbon footprint by reducing the amount of fuel used by support vehicles.

RAYNET normally attaches one or more radio operators to each point where the user wants communications. The users, such as marshals, are not expected to talk on the radio. (Under the terms of the Amateur Radio License this is not allowed.)

RAYNET also has the ability to communicate over a greater distance than PMR446 radios, and radio equipment that can be hired.

RAYNET can also send data to and from checkpoints to finish lines.

Can I join RAYNET?

Anyone can be considered for membership, though most members have a strong interest in amateur radio. Most members have an Amateur Radio Licence (not the same as a CB Licence).

Can only licensed amateurs join RAYNET?

No, people without a Licence are welcome and can play an active part. Most such members aim to pass the Radio Amateur Examination and get their Amateur Radio Licence. M3/6 licence holders can play a part with RAYNET they can operate a checkpoint or control under the supervision of a full licence holder

What does Burton upon Trent & East Staffordshire RAYNET Group do?

Burton upon Trent & East Staffordshire RAYNET Group provides radio communications for events. These are such things as fun-runs, marathons, car rallies, cycle racing, long distance walks. Many of these events are operated jointly with nearby RAYNET groups. Burton upon Trent & East Staffordshire RAYNET Group is ready to provide communications for the user service in the event of emergencies such as storms or floods. Fortunately, these are rare in the Burton upon Trent area.

Who is the user service?

The user services are the British Red Cross, St John Ambulance, the St Andrew's Ambulance Association, the Women's Royal Voluntary Service, the Salvation Army, any Government Department, any Category 1 responder, and any Category 2 responder as defined in the Civil Contingencies Act (2004)

What is expected of Burton upon Trent RAYNET members?

Members are expected to try and provide their own equipment. (Burton upon Trent & East Staffordshire RAYNET Group does own a limited amount.) and to attend some events each year.

What can you expect to get out of it?

You can expect to get a lot of operating experience, passing messages for others. (If you have never really enjoyed chatting on a net, you may well find you enjoy operating a lot more when there is a purpose to it.) You may find that your operating practices improve as you find your shortcomings under heavy traffic conditions. You will probably find that you decide to build a lot of minor pieces of equipment - power leads, battery boxes, adapters of various kinds ... (If you have never got round to building things, you may find that this gives you the incentive to get started.)

You will also get an excuse to use your radio equipment in the attractive environment of Burton upon Trent and surrounding areas, meeting and working with different people.

How can you join Burton upon Trent RAYNET?

The easiest way is to join is to come to the Burton upon Trent Amateur Radio Club on Wednesday night at 20:00

Burton upon Trent & East Staffordshire RAYNET Group
C/O Burton upon Trent Amateur Radio Club
Stapenhill Institute Club
23 Main Street
Stapenhill
Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire
DE15 9AP