DAREN of WV News APRIL 10, 2011(.978)
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'm a little bit late getting started on the News out this week. I was helping the Wood County Emergency Communications group provide the Safety and Logistic Communications at the Challenge at Mountwood Mountain Bike Race today. This is about the only event that I get to go to the field and provide communications back to the Command Post. The race started at noon and the last bike rider didn't make it back to the finish line until about 5:00 pm. I had to walk a couple miles back into the woods, and up the hills to get to my monitoring station. It will take me a couple of days to get rested up.
I received an E-Mail from Bob Sellars, KB2FEL, saying that he is now using a Kantronics KPC-3 on the Hardy County NODE/PBBS of HARDWV/OLDFWV. He was using a Kantronics KAM XL, but he needed an HF/VHF Dual port TNC for his MARS (Military Affiliate Radio Service) and SHARES (SHAred RESoure) work. He said that he has tested the system and it seems to be working okay. If anyone has problems connecting to the station, or using the PBBS, to let him know. I want to thank Bob for keeping a Hardy County NODE/PBBS on the air.
Lee Mairs, KM4YY, said that he has been working with the Navy/Marine MARS Headquarters, and now has authorization to post alerts via the DAREN system. His vision is to post messages to all Navy/Marine MARS members asking them to join the Navy/Marine MARS Net and give what frequency it's on. To make sure that his plan doesn't get stuck in the bureaucracy he needed a copy of the DAREN NODE List and Map. I sent him a copy of the latest DAREN map which was dated October 2010. I need to update the map since a couple of stations have disappeared, and I can't contact their System Operators. Anyone wanting to join the Navy/Marine MARS organization should contact Lee. His E-Mail address is: lmairs@sagcorp.com
Roy Humes asked me about the DAREN Net Certificates that I'm getting behind on, and also said that he has equipment that he would like to get rid of. Some of the equipment can be used to get in operation on Packet Radio. If you are interested in a couple of PK-232 TNCs and a couple of KPC-2 TNCs, or a complete portable Packet station, contact Roy at: roy_humes@comcast.net. He also has other equipment like rotors/with controllers, tuners, and a G5RV.
There were 58 check-ins to this week's State Wide DAREN Net. Lisa Hendershot, KB8UER, who's been participating in the net since August 20, 1994, has completed 850 check-ins, and will be receiving her certificate. Donnie Woodford, KC8YVR, and Julie Hartley, KB8SYE, needs only one more check-in each to make 300.