DAREN of WV News August 19, 2012(.A50)
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 haven't heard anything about the Wood County APRS (Automatic Position Reporting System) station since I re-installed it last week. Even though it is Packet Radio, I have only played with the system a few times. I don't have anything set up to monitor the system, so I am leaving it up to the APRS experts to tell me if it's working properly. Now that I have access to other computers that are capable of putting the APRS program on them, I may download the program and set up an APRS station here at the house. In the mean time I hope the system is working, and if it isn't, I hope someone will tell me how to fix it.
I didn't get to go to the West Virginia ARRL State Convention on Saturday due the other activities I was involved in. I hope there was a good turn out. If they ever decide to change the date back to what it was, or to any other date, that doesn't conflict with other activities I'm involved with, I may be able to start attending again.
Don't forget the Parkersburg/Wood County Hamfest will be coming up soon. The date for the Hamfest is October 13. The location is the 4-H Campground in Mineral Wells, just South of Parkersburg. When you get off of Interstate I-77, just follow the signs for about 5 miles. The Quarter Century Amateur Radio Association is planning to hold their meeting at the Hamfest.
There were 48 check-ins the State Wide DAREN Net this week. Jeffrey Hensley, WD4VA, who's been participating in the net since August 27, 2011, has completed 50 check-ins, and will be receiving his certificate. Bill Bayless, KB8HEK, needs only one more check-in to make 500. Terry Mills, KC8TUE, needs only one more check-in to make 450, and Douglas Haines, W8DEH, needs only one more check-in to make 150.