SCG Delivers Estate-Wide Radio System for Remote Scottish Estate

Scottish Communications Group has supplied and installed a new Hytera digital radio system to improve safety and communications for staff across a 52,000-acre estate in Scotland.

The system includes 13 Hytera PD-985 GPS handheld radios with “mandown” functionality, issued to gamekeeping, maintenance and farm staff. The radios support private and group calls, SMS and telephone interconnect. In an emergency, the radios automatically send an alert and GPS coordinates to all users, ensuring rapid response in critical situations.

Coverage is provided by a hilltop repeater located on Scaraben, a remote and exposed point at the centre of the estate. The Hytera RD-965 repeater is powered sustainably through a combined wind and solar system, with equipment mounted on a six-metre mast and housed in a weatherproof enclosure designed to withstand harsh environmental conditions.

The estate previously struggled with unreliable mobile reception, making communication and lone-worker safety a significant challenge. With the new system, staff now benefit from reliable, estate-wide coverage that supports daily operations and enhances worker safety.