DAREN of WV News July 31, 2011(.994)
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.
Not much news this week. I spent a lot of time getting things put back in place after the BINGO games at the West Virginia Interstate Fair and Exposition. When we took everything apart after the fair, all kinds of items were just loaded on to the trailers, and removed from the fair grounds. There is still a lot of equipment that needs to be put back where it belongs. This coming Saturday, the Waverly Volunteer Fire Department will be holding their annual Ice Cream Social. They have already requested the use of the Wood County Emergency Communications two 24 by 40 canopies. I will need to hook up the canopy trailer and take it to their Fire Station on Thursday so they can get it ready for Saturday.
Last week I missed one station on the State Wide DAREN Net who had his 549th check-in. Tom White, W3JTW, had his 550 check-in this week. I like to recognize all of those who participate in the net each week. Since there is very little traffic handled on Packet Radio, holding the weekly net is one way to keep Amateur Radio operators interested in Packet, and keeping the DAREN system available for use. I don't know of any other state that holds a weekly Packet net, or any other state that has a dedicated emergency network. I'm proud that we have our system up and running, and having several dedicated operators using it.
Be sure to mark your calendar for the WV State ARRL Amateur Radio Convention. The convention will be held on August 20th. The location will be at Jackson's Mill State Park, in Lewis County.
There were 51 check-ins to this week's State Wide DAREN. Tom White, W3JTW, who has been participating in the net since November 7, 1998, has completed 550 check-ins. Jim Woodford, KC8MLK, who's been participating in the net since February 7, 2004, has completed 350 check-ins. Both of these operators will be receiving their certificates as soon as I can get them printed up. Frank Hughes, WD8DEP, needs only one more check-in to make 300.