Training evenings : 3rd Wednesday of each month
RAYNET provides voluntary communications services to a wide range of organisations.
Originally formed by amateur radio operators to support the emergency services, we now also support a wide range of voluntary organisations and events, from those providing first aid to search and rescue teams, allowing them to provide their services without being distracted by the challenges of establishing communication links in adverse conditions.
Cambridgeshire RAYNET forms part of the 2500-member UK-wide RAYNET organisation, allowing us to work with and draw on the experiences of those around the country while providing a local service to the many events we support.
For event organisers
A typical year for us might include triathlons, fun runs, cycle rides and other athletic events, fundraising walks, music festivals, and horse rides. If you organise events like this, and you need assistance with communications, please contact us as early as possible.
In return for a voluntary donation, we can help you by planning and installing temporary setups to cover areas that basic handheld radios can’t – ideal for long distance courses. We can also assist with marshalling and liasing between you, the organisers, and other organisations providing medical or safety cover.
See our case studies for more examples of the work we do.
Please note that for legal and insurance reasons we can’t close roads or offer a first aid service ourselves.
For prospective members
Cambridgeshire RAYNET is one of the more active RAYNET groups in the country, often attending about twenty events per year. As a result, we’re always in need of additional help. If you are a radio amateur, or interested in radio, and able to help out at at least two events per year, please get in touch. If you are interested, but live outside Cambridgeshire, please see the national pages to find a group more local to you.
To improve the service we provide, we believe that regular training is essential. We hold a net every Tuesday at 19:00 local time on the GB3PI repeater, and meet for monthly training evenings on the third Wednesday of each month at The Sun Inn pub, Waterbeach, about 5 miles north-east of Cambridge.
For district/parish Emergency Planning Officers
Have you considered what would happen if a catastrophic event were to cut off communications with part of the area? RAYNET was formed as part of the response to the East Anglian coastal flooding of 1953, when large parts of the region were without a means to raise the alarm.
Times have changed, and communication systems have improved, but many systems now rely on infrastructure like cellphone towers or internet connectivity to work. Infrastructure like this may be one of the first casualties of a major disaster. Well-trained RAYNET members are located throughout the county and operate their own, portable, radio systems that don’t depend on infrastructure, meaning that we can assist as a service of last resort if other providers have failed.
If you’re putting together or updating your emergency plans, please contact us and we’d be delighted to discuss our capabilities further.