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KA9LCF > NEWS 10.10.12 09:03l 58 Lines 2134 Bytes #999 (0) @ ALLIN
BID : 38831-KA9LCF
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Subj: ARN: Rescue Radio
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Sent: 121001/0302Z 38831@KA9LCF.#NEIN.IN.USA.NOAM [169916]FBB7.01.35 alpha $:38
From: KA9LCF@KA9LCF.#NEIN.IN.USA.NOAM
To : NEWS@ALLIN
RESCUE RADIO: UK PARISHES ABANDONING EMCOMM SYSTEM FOR
CELLPHONES AND RAYNET
An emergency radio system that has provided a lifeline to
Heathfield in the United Kingdom for 25 years is to be
scrapped and to be replaced by cellular telephones. But
users of the ageing service have criticized the decision to
rely on patchy mobile phone service in an emergency. Bill
Pasternak, WA6ITF, has the details:
--
That's right Jim. It is supposed to go away and here's why.
The radio system was created back in 1987 after what has
been called the Great Storm. Six parishes still have the
gear in service to use emergency situations.
But the district council now wants to abolish them because
they are too expensive to maintain. The council pays 3,600
British Pounds a year to maintain the radio gear and a
repeater that they are used through.
Parish councilor Bob Wood who has one of the old radios. He
says that while thee gear my be old and possibly inadequate
for what they want, that doing away with them is silly. He
notes that mobile phone networks can only hold a certain
number of calls at a time if an emergency happens.
But according to Jim van den Bos, of the District Council,
the Wealden emergency radio network radio equipment is now
old, less reliable and more difficult to repair. He says
that last year a survey of parishes was conducted asking
which had been active in the network over the past three
years. Out of the 15 who took part, only seven were in
favor of continuing.
So what will happen when the old emergency radio system
falls silent? According to van den Bos it will likely be
ham radio that will be used to augment the cellular network.
In a statement he said that the council supports local
members of a network of amateur radio users called RAYNET
who are willing to respond in an emergency.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF,
in the newsroom in Los Angeles.
--
RAYNET in the UK would be quite similar to a combined RACES
and ARES here in the United States. (Sussix Courier,
Northcliff Media, Southgate)
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