Jersey RAYNET is a Jersey Charity No 277 affiliated to the RAYNET-UK national organisation which has over 1800 members who have helped in many situations such as the Lockerby air disaster, the air show crash on to the motorway and with lots of flooding all around the UK plus, regularly providing communications for many local events. Jersey is part of the South West RAYNET Association, UK Zone 7.

RAYNET which stands for Radio Amateurs Emergency Network is an Emergency Communications service provided for the community voluntarily by licenced Radio Amateurs. It is intended as a back-up and/or additional communications facility for the Blue light services and their agencies in the event of a major Island disaster or incident. Jersey RAYNET is listed in the Island Emergency Plan.

Radio Amateurs are permitted within their licence to operate in an emergency or properly constituted exercise for the following organisations

(“User Services”):-

Police, Fire and Ambulance Services, Coastguard, Emergency Planning Officers, St John Ambulance, British Red Cross Society, WRVS, Salvation Army, Local Health Authority, Government Department, Public Utility

The Jersey RAYNET works closely with the Jersey Emergency Planning Office (EPO) attending the EPO Meetings along with the emergency services and their associated agencies. We provide support for things like air crashes, ferry disasters, local searches and anything where additional communications would be required anywhere in the Island at any time, this could be at the various ports, rescue centers, the hospital or at any other location. We provide communication to Guernsey, France and the UK. We can provide communications locally, nationally and if required worldwide especially when other forms of communication have failed and did for the Nepal disaster.

As emergencies are fortunately rare, we practice our skills by providing radio cover (on behalf of one of the user services) on all sorts of community events such as the The Gorey Fete, The Air Display, St Martin Bonfire and more. This is all voluntary and is good training for members of the group. We also take part in training exercises, where voluntary and full-time emergency service groups practice working together in a simulated major incident.

We train local scouts, and air cadets in the use of radio communications and cyber including the Radio Amateur Foundation license.

We also run the yearly Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) for the Scouts where they can talk to other scouts all over the world

To be able to provide these facilities we have a considerable amount of different radio equipment which all has to be provided, maintained and sometimes replaced.

This support is achieved by providing a trained team of RAYNET members, together with a clearly identified set of resources at its disposal.

Jersey RAYNET is looking for additional members/volunteers to join our Group. You do not have to have an amateur radio licence to join. We meet a few times a year and will provide training.

Thank you for your support.

Please note all donations are anonymous unless otherwise stated.

Peter Bertram GJ8PVL

Jersey RAYNET Controller