DAREN of WV News March 27, 2011(.976)
Harris WA8LLM (304) 679-3470 wa8llm@yahoo.com
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
P.O. BOX 3328, PARKERSBURG, WV 26103
http://www.wc8ec.org
DAREN News, are articles and information about the Digital Amateur Radio "Emergency" Network of WV, which operates on 145.69 MHz. Anyone having any information about DAREN, or Amateur Radio in general, and would like to share it with others, may send it to WA8LLM @ PKBGWV on 145.69 MHz, or to my E-Mail: wa8llm@yahoo.com. A State Wide DAREN NET is operated every Saturday from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and lately, before and after those hours. The DAREN Net Announcement, showing the MAIN NCS, ALTERNATE NCS, NODEs accessible to both, and the previous week's check-ins, are posted by Thursday on most of the Main county DAREN PBBS'. The DAREN News can also be found on the wc8ec.org website.
I received an E-Mail from David Arms, WV8DA, this week explaining why he's been missing from the DAREN system for a long time. It seems that David had a mishap, broke his back, and was laid up for quite awhile. Dave's last check-in to the State Wide DAREN was October 30, 2004. Dave said that he is back with the living, and is in the process of moving to a farm. The new location is 20 feet higher than the Marshall County tower site. He is hoping to put the Marshall County DAREN NODE/PBBS back on the air. At his new location he's able to see about 14 miles to the North, 8 miles to the East, and 12 miles to the South. He says that he can connect the Ohio County NODE, OHIOWV, using only one watt, and the Wetzel County NODE, WETZWV, using only five watts. He doesn't know what he'll be able to do when he gets his new tower up. I'm glad that David is well and glad to see him back on Packet. I will also be glad to see the Marshall County NODE/PBBS back on the air. Thanks for letting us know what happened to you Dave.
If anyone has an article like the one above, I would like to hear about it. It seems like the news is getting less and less each week.
While I was at a FEMA training class at North Bend State Park last week, I talked to Dave Bradley, N8DMB, who does a lot of training for the WV State Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security. Dave has been working with the WV National Guard about holding a State Wide communications exercise called "Contact 2011". The exercise will be using Amateur Radio to provide back-up communications to, and for, the National Guard. Dave already has the blessings of the State OES. I don't know much about the exercise, but as soon as I get more information about it, I'll pass it on. We haven't had a state wide communications exercise in a long time. This might be a time to use the DAREN system to pass information. If you get a chance, try the DAREN Chat Room "CHATRM". I wrote information about it in the February 27, 2011, DAREN News. The DAREN News is also posted on the: www.wc8ec.org website.
There were 56 check-ins again to this week's State Wide DAREN Net. John Johnston, KF8OM, who has been participating in the net since December 3, 1994, has completed 700 check-ins, and will receiving his certificate.