Fitter2, I made a simple suggestion but you reply to say I have "failed" to come up with a solution (to suit you). A deliberate, inflammatory use of words, in my view, but I don't bite so easily.
However, I didn't know I had a duty to find a solution for you. The CAA and BGA haven't managed to do it so far, so why do you think I should or could? I merely saw a positive suggestion which I thought could help improve the awareness and safety of common airspace users in IMC, glider pilots included. Perhaps because it would mean giving something on your part (a simple radio call), you refuse to countenance it?
This wasn't my previous view, but my thought in response to you can only be
"Bring on mandatory Mode C".
Gpn01, Your quotes referring to the difficulties of glider pilots using a RAS in IMC are understood, at least by me. This is clearly an inappropriate service for a glider, or any other type of aircraft requiring to freely manoeuvre in cloud. You could use a RIS instead (or "Traffic Service" as it will soon be called). I routinely transit in Class G in IMC (I have to, I'd be out of a job if I didn't, only for someone else to replace me) and I don't ask for a RAS, it's too restrictive. However, I will certainly accept an RAS if ATC ask me to in order to satisfy their requirement to separate my aircraft from other traffic. If I called a radar unit for a service and ATC were aware of your presence, I would be very pleased to accept a radar vector to go round you.
Alternatively, rather than ask for a formal service of any kind (so you could get back to the glider IMC frequency), you could, as I suggested earlier, make a very brief call to inform a sensibly chosen ATC agency who can pass details of your flight to other aircraft on his frequency. Powered aircraft then at least have an informed chance to avoid the area previously reported by yourself. Other gliders, suitably informed, could head straight for your area in an attempt to steal your thermal
