DAREN of WV News August 26, 2012(.A51)
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.
There's not much news this week, but here is what I have. I haven't heard from anyone about any of the stations that have went off the air in the last few months. I'm planning to re-install a station in Wirt County. That station has been off the air for a couple of years. There was some interference to the State Road radio system, and we think if may have been caused by the switching power supply, so we took it out of service. Since there are some new Amateurs in Wirt County, we decided to give that location another try. It may be a few weeks, but I'm sure it will go back on. I still need to make a trip to Wetzel County to see why that station went off the air. It's been gone for a long time. The old building which the cabinet was mounted on may have been removed, the antenna may have been damaged, the power supply may have gone bad, the radio or TNC just quit working, it's hard to tell. I'll just have to take all new equipment up to the station, and find out what is wrong. If anyone knows what has happened to any of the other stations that have went off the air, you may be able to help get them back into operation. I know I need to work on the Chat Room NODE of CHATRM, which is located at the same location as the Ritchie County NODE/PBBS of RITCWV/HRVLWV. It quit working the same time the NODE/PBBS went off the air. I just didn't have enough time to check it out when I worked on the NODE/PBBS. That's all that I have for this week. If you have anything that you would like to pass on to others, let me know.
The Parkersburg/Wood County Hamfest will be coming up soon. The date for the Hamfest is October 13. The location is the 4-H Camp Ground 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. And, Ann Rinehart, KA8ZGY, said they are going to have a meeting for next years ARRL WV State Convention at the Hamfest.
There were 47 check-ins the State Wide DAREN Net this week. Bill Bayless, KB8HEK, who's been participating in the net since February 27, 1993, has completed 450 check-ins. Terry Mills, KC8TUE, who's been participating in the net since October 19, 2002, has completed 450 check-ins. And, Douglas Haines, W8DEH, who's been participating in the net since May 2, 2009, has completed 150 check-ins. All of these operators will be receiving their certificates. I want to welcome Tim Davis, KC8TYK, back to the net. Tim has been missing from the net since January 16, 2010. He sent me a message and said that had his equipment set back up, and was going to be on the air. Tim has been active on the APRS system, and was taking care of the Wood County APRS NODE, until it went off the air. I was hoping to get the certificates printed up for those who have been waiting for them, but I've been so busy with other activities outside, that I just keep getting farther behind. If the rain gets here from Hurricane Isaac, like they are talking about, that will keep me inside, and I might be able to get caught up, and get the certificates printed up and mailed out.