Author: Kevin G1SCQ

Report from Sandringham Charity Horse Ride 3rd Oct 2021

Thank you to all the team that were able to help provide safety communications cover at this multi-distance event.  There were 220 riders taking part and only a limited number of issues to deal with.  This was mostly related to a change in course layout made following heavy rain. However by 10:00 we were all where we needed to be to monitor the activity.

We ran an amateur net on 144.650MHz and a PMR net for several non Raynet volunteers.

Report from Wissey Half Marathon Sunday 5th Sept 2021

We provided safety communications cover at this yearly half marathon. Our user service St John Ambulance were kept busy towards the end as temperatures were high and several runners struggled in the heat.
A 2m simplex net from a local high spot provided good cover around the course.

Kevin G7WGL – Silent key

It is with with great sadness that we have to report that Kevin Firth G7WGL (Big Kev/Wiggle) went silent key on Monday 2nd August 2021.

He was a big character with a heart of gold and will be very much missed at all the events he supported. Over the years he always went the extra mile to help people. Kindness costs nothing and he gave it all the time.

Report from Exercise Hammond 17th June 2021

Thank you to all the group that took part in the Norfolk Resilience Form virtual exercise on 17th June. Highlights included a test of a Whats App group for group alerting and a really good availability level if it had been a real call.

The exercise centred around a severe weather event that had power outages around Norfolk.  We were asked to provide communications from several village halls set up as places of safety back, to the emergency control room in King’s Lynn for the emergency planning team.  The scenario does lend itself to more thought outside of the exercise about how we could achieve the links using minimum equipment and personnel.

Report from Group AGM 2020

The groups AGM took place on Saturday 21st November via Skype. There was a good turnout of members.  Re – election of the group officers took place with G1SCQ, G4OKH and M3MPD staying in post.

Topics discussed included:

  • recruitment and training of new members
  • use of digital modes
  • the impacts of Covid-19 on community events.

Report from Sandringham Charity Horse Ride 27th Sept 2020

Thank you to the members that were able to assist at the first and one of the few events of our year.  The Covid-19 rules had prevented all of our other traditional activities from taking place. As part of the Covid-19 Secure risk assessment the arrival times were staggered throughout the day and riders were pre-booked to avoid any over crowding at the start point. I suspect if they hadn’t pre-booked  a lot would not have attended as it was particularly cool in the wind and at times wet. We had around 150 riders taking part with some travelling from as far south as Kent.

We established a good 2m net for the main traffic on 144.650.  A small PMR net was also run to the non-licensed marshals that helped at two of the check points.

With little usage over the year several batteries on handhelds failed  at control, even having been put on a top up charge the day before. A lesson to check in advance the condition of older NiMH cells. The main sealed lead acid battery used for the repeater unit also suffered a similar fate at around 15:00.

 

Corona virus (Covid-19) and Raynet

The group is a member of the voluntary and faith working group of the Norfolk Resilience Forum. Appropriate plans are being followed by those that need to respond to this current outbreak.  We are closely monitoring the situation and how it may impact on any public events we are due to attend.

Links to the current Government and NHS advice is available using the links below –  this advice is changing on a regular basis, so please check regularly for updates.

Report from group AGM 2019

The groups AGM took place on Sunday 10th November with a good turnout of members. Re – election of the group officers took place with G1SCQ, G4OKH and M3MPD staying in post.

Topics discussed included potential for using digital modes at events, HF usage and membership.

Report from Sandringham Charity Horse Ride 6th Oct 2019

Thank you to the members that were able to assist with safety communications at this event. We had one of the wettest days of the year to contend with but still had 70 riders turn out to brave the elements.

We established a good 2m net for the main traffic and a couple of the team used 80m as well. A small PMR net was also run to the non-licensed marshals that helped at two of the check points.

Control location with dual band 2m/70cm Slim Jim and 80m vertical deployed.

 

Report from Wissey Half Marathon Sun 1st Sep 2019

Thank you to the team that turned out to cover this annual event. Just over 300 runners took part with the bulk finishing without any issues.

We used simplex communications on 144.650 MHz throughout the event with control moving between two strategic locations on the higher parts of the course. This provided good coverage between our stations.