DAREN of WV News December 11, 2011(.A14)
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 to report this week. The Wood County Emergency Communications group helped line up the Parkersburg Christmas Parade yesterday. It was cold, but I think everyone managed to get through it. There was one incident where a little girl jumped off of a float she was on to pick up some candy and got ran over by the float. The last report was that her injuries weren't life threat.
With winter coming now would be the time to make sure you have everything ready for the house and the car. At the house make sure you have back-up power for your communications whether it is battery or generator. If it's generator, be sure you have plenty of fuel. Since the fuel will go bad after a while, be sure to put some kind of stabilizer in it. If your back-up power is batteries, make sure they are fresh if they are dry batteries, or charged up it they are re-chargeable batteries. Don't be like some people who wait for the last minute to get food just before a storm hits, or while it is hitting, stock up with at least three days worth of food and water. If you can stock up for more than three days, the better. Have you serviced your vehicle for the winter? Make sure the antifreeze is good, the tires are good and you have a good set of tire chains, and full tank of gas. Don't forget to keep blankets and some food supplies in your vehicle also. Don't forget to have a flashlight and batteries in your car, and some kind of portable transmitting radio, whether it's Amateur, CB, FRS, or GMRS. Your cellphone won't last for ever. These are just a few things to get you thinking about the coming weather.
There were 53 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week. Gladys Gorrell, KC8GIZ, who's been participating in the net since May 3, 1997, has completed 750 check-ins, and will be receiving her certificate. Jeremie Hamilton, KB3UMW, needs only one more check-in to make 50. There was one station that checked into the net again this week with the callsign of "TEST". The station with the callsign of "TEST" checked into the net at about 7:04 PM on Saturday evening. If your call doesn't show up on the DAREN Net Announcement this coming week, and think it may have been you, let me know so that I can give you credit for the participation in the net.