Raynet Organisation

Raynet the Radio Amateur Emergency Network, is an organisation of radio amateurs who are able to provide communications in times of emergency or disaster. There are about 5000 members in the UK and many more in associate organisations worldwide.

Radio amateurs hold a license to transmit issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). This allows them to communicate with each other across town or across the world.

Raynet is a national organisation but with the day to day operations run from the region, county or local group level. Raynet usually operates under the instruction of a 'User Service', which can be organisations such as the Police, Fire, Ambulance, St. John's Ambulance, Red Cross and County Emergency Planning Officer.

Emergencies where Raynet is needed to provide emergency communication thankfully do not occur everyday. Some events where Raynet has been used are the Lockerbie Air Disaster, Floods, Coastal pollution monitoring/clearance, missing person searches or where the communications infrastructure is damaged.

When not working for the emergency services the members practice their communications skills in exercises or by providing safety communications for events such as charity walks, fell races and youth organisation hikes

Manchester Scouts Group

The Manchester Scouts Raynet Group was initially formed to provide safety communications for scout hikes in mountainous areas. The group has expanded and now includes members from outside the scout organisation and resident over a wide area of North West England

The group continues to specialise in communications in difficult country and mountainous areas. The members have developed outdoor skills and equipment that can be carried in rucksacks and operated for long periods on battery power. The majority of the members are fell walkers or climbers with excellent survival skills. Many members have equipment permanently installed in their vehicles or available for mobile installation.

The group has the capability to use computers, either as a means of passing text messages or maintaining records, for example of competitors passing checkpoints. Specialised computer programs have been developed to monitor and print out progress of competitors in large hikes and similar events.

There are currently 23 members of the group. The group works with the Greater Manchester County Raynet and the North West Raynet Association and can call on the resources of many local groups for larger emergencies or events.