DAREN of WV News APRIL 17, 2011(.979)
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.
They say that when it rains, it pours, and I can believe that. Yesterday the Wood County Emergency Communications group provided the Safety Communications and Timing Coordination for the Vienna River Run and Walk. The run was five miles and the walk was three miles. The races started at 8:00 am, so we needed to be on location by 7:30 am. The rain started about midnight and didn't stop until late afternoon. Most of the communicators had to stand out in the rain for most of the race. Before I headed for the race I wanted to check my E-Mail so I brought up my main computer. It got started to load up, then it shut down. I tried it again, and the same thing. I had to wait until I got back from the races to try my E-Mail again. This time the computer came up and lasted until I tried to read the last E-Mail, and it crashed again. For the last seven or eight months I have been having problems with it working for a few hours and then shutting down. Then it didn't give any problems for a few months and then it would start again. Last week I had changed the power supply in it, and that seemed to take care of it, but the problem came back again. Now I'm setting up a Laptop computer to try to get my E-Mails, ARES Bulletins, DAREN News, and DAREN Certificates caught up. As soon as I get every working on the Laptop computer, I'll start repairing the main computer again. It has a lot more information that I don't want to lose.
Everything else seems to be pretty quite, at least I haven't heard from anyone else. I do want to report on one of the youngest members of the Wood County Emergency Communications’ group. Eight year old Kendale Peterson, son of Judy Peterson, N8UFQ, took the test for his Technician License on April 9th, and passed it by missing only five questions. His Aunt Lisa Hendershot, KB8UER, has been working with him. Kendale is no stranger to Amateur Radio, since he has been operating Field Day, with supervision, for three years. He's been wanting to get his own license ever since he make his first Field Day contact. Kendale is not a bit mic shy, since he also knows how to call BINGO games, one of the groups major fund raisers. Since he's not 18 years old, he's not allowed to call any real BINGO games, but he gets a lot of practice before the actual games start. I've also communicated with Kendale on Packet Radio, using his mom's station. I'm sure that as soon as his License comes in, he will be checking into the State Wide DAREN Net, on Saturday, and the Local District 3 DAREN Net on Sunday. I just hope he keeps up his interest in Amateur Radio, we need to get more young people involved.
There were 55 check-ins to this week's State Wide DAREN Net. Donnie Woodford, KC8YVR, who's been participating in the net since November 27, 2004, has completed 300 check-ins, and will be receiving her certificate. Steven O'Dell, N8SNR, who's participating in the net since April 2, 1994, has completed 500 check-ins, and will be receiving his certificate.