US Hams show UK the way

On June 27th – 28th at Carl Barton Jr. park in Montgomery County US in conjunction with the week-long Amateur Radio Week, sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, Montgomery County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and County Amateur Radio Enthusiasts (CARE) will be holding a public demonstration of what they do and how they do it. The local press have been out and announcements made on local radio stations.

Have a look at the nice article and photographs in The Courier of Montgomery County

Now compare it to what is happening in the UK where a report into Digital Britain has been published (Click Here) The report is primarily concerned with the delivery of digital services, however it speaks of the importance of resilient communications networks and the need for regular tests of emergency communications systems. There is mention of a major test in late 2009 to manage and recover from a major loss of network capability, but no mention of RAYNET. A response from the Radio Society of Great Britain states that “The RSGB regrets that Government communications planners seem to have completely overlooked the valuable resource that RAYNET can offer in such emergency situations.” It is totally ridiculous that RAYNET who have the skills and knowledge to set up reliable portable communication quickly and at zero cost does not seem to be completely integrated into the nation’s emergency communications planning.

See my web page for what RAYNET get up to…

http://gw7aav.googlepages.com/raynet

GW7AAV is a member of the Flintshire RAYNET Group