| Operating Procedure |
Callsigns
Always use your full callsign (e.g. “G5ABC”, not “ABC”). Essex Raynet tends not to use tactical callsigns, however, they do creep in sometimes. If you use a tactical callsign, you must also give your own callsign in every 15 minutes.
Precedence
Messages should be allocated precedence, either by you or the member of the user service asking you to pass the message.
- Immediate is the highest precedence of all, and should only be used for messages where life is immediately at risk.
- Priority, which is used where a message is urgent, but not of life or death urgency. An injured person will usually be PRIORITY, unless the injury is minor (but remember, telling Control you need an ambulance is urgent, telling Control the ambulance has arrived isn’t!).
- Routine is used for other non-urgent messages relating to the event or operation which the group are participating in. In the examples above, a message that the ambulance had arrived, and was dealing with your patient, would be routine.
Message Confidentiality
The rules of the amateur licence do not permit the use of secret codes when passing messages, but remember that anyone can listen to our frequencies and use tact, especially if passing information about injured people:
- Initially, pass minimal information: If requesting an ambulance, for example, the only information needed is age and sex of the patient, your location and a rough description of the problem. If Control require any further information, they’ll ask for it.
- Never use a ‘real name’ on air if there is any alternative: At an event, participants/competitors are identified by numbers, use that instead. If no number is available (for example, a member of the public watching an event), ask yourself whether they need to be identified on air anyway.
- Raynet members must never pass on any details regarding incidents, injuries, or anything else to the press or public: If you receive an enquiry, advise the person asking to contact the press officer of the user service.
General Guidance
Always monitor all radio traffic.
Never interrupt unless you have relevant traffic, or more urgent traffic.
Further information regarding operating procedures can be obtained from the Essex Raynet Manual
