About Us
RAYNET was formed in 1953 following the severe East Coast flooding to organise the valuable resource of Amateur Radio operators for community support. Today, with around 1700 members nationwide, we provide emergency communication assistance to local resilience forums and on hundreds of community and charity events annually. Our operators have access to a wide range of radio bands and equipment, enabling us to provide a unique range of robust resilient emergency communication services to our user services and the wider voluntary and faith sectors.
Tailored - Resilient - Reliable - Radio
Power Shedding
Most households on Merseyside should have received a leaflet from SP Energy Networks "Preparing for a power cut". Power cuts are now considered a serious threat from cyber attacks as well as adverse weather. If it is not a total "wide area" blackout then planned systematic power shedding will be introduced. Rota Load Disconnection blocks will be introduced and switched off in turn, on a ‘rota’, for a period of three hours at a time. If the level of electricity shortfall increases, more blocks will be switched off each day. Cordless phones, phones via a switchboard, normal internet and email are likely to fail immediately: Mobile phone cell sites [2 hrs], battery satellite phones [5 hrs]. However it is anticipated that arrangements put in place by the Merseyside Resilience Forum, Blue Light, and other partners will cope with a limited number of geographically rotated power disconnections each day. Airwave has adequate contingency fallback provision. In the event of a wide area total blackout power will be retsored gradually using the same Reconnection Rota Load blocks.
RAYNET provision is built into the Merseyside Resilience Plan and we
have access to contact details for all the appropriate agencies. If
required to do so RAYNET will operate a controlled net for themselves
and other spontaneously volunteering radio amateurs offering their services.
RAYNET provides resilient PBR Repeaters [auto 3+ hrs backup] as well as equipment for each Local Authority and the Merseyside Resilience Forum Partners [12v / vehicle power backup]. RAYNET Control has 24/7/365 [12v and mains backup], and fibre to the premises with uninterruptable power supply on router and phone.
If activated Merseyside RAYNET will provide a daily bulletin, and contact point for other Radio Amateurs on Merseyside [144.650 MHz at 8.00am UK clock-time every morning]. Operational nets will be allocated other frequencies. 144.650 MHz will be the equivalent of a community information calling channel. For further details please contact the County Co-ordinator G8WHR (QTHR)
Emergency Contact
Category 1 and 2 Emergency Service
Providers should use the established VCAP protocols and contact details in the MRF Contacts Directory; or in an emergency situation if these fail – by telephone via our National
24-hour Emergency Contact number: 0303 040 1080
In the event of an extended National, or
large local area, power / communications outage licensed Radio Amateurs
wishing to volunteer their services within their local community should
listen on 144.650MHz analogue FM and call in when appropriate.
Merseyside
RAYNET maintains resilient radio links and contact points with each Local
Authority, and with the joint Merseyside Police and Fire and Rescue HQ - and will be able to co-ordinate offers of help with
identified needs.
We provide our own amateur radio equipment and expenses. There are two RAYNET Groups on Merseyside, Liverpool and Wirral, that are always looking to recruit radio amateurs, full, intermediate, or foundation, who can commit to three or four exercises/events a year. For further details CLICK HERE to contact us via the RAYNET-UK main website.
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