DAREN of WV News February 17, 2013(.A76)
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.
While I was posting the DAREN News and Net Announcements this week, I received an E-Mail from Gene Roy, N8ER. Gene wanted to let me know the Barbour County NODE/PBBS of BARBWV/PHILWV was back in operation. He said that he didn't have any idea what was wrong with the station, or who got it back in operation.
It's been a busy weekend for me. Yesterday the Wood County Emergency Communications group was asked to set up their two inflatable tents to be used at fund raising activity for the Special Olympics. Those asking for the tents held an event called Polar Plunge. Those participating in the event were going to jump into a swimming pool filled with cold water. The tents were heated and used to let the participants have a place to get warm and change out of their wet clothes. There were 41 people who took the plunge.
I just got back from a 5K foot race in the city of Vienna. There were six communicators along the three and half mile road course. This was the second of four races the running club will be holding, before the Parkersburg Half Marathon, which will be held in August during the Parkersburg Homecoming. The first race was held last month in Belpre, this month it was held in Vienna, and next month two races will be held in Parkersburg. Since the weather is cold, and the races are held on the city streets, the race officials felt they should have safety communications, just in case something was to happen.
Tom Cooper, WV8TOM, who is the Emergency Services Director for Tyler County has asked me to hold a communications class for those who have received their Amateur Radio licenses, but have not been on the air in fear of doing something wrong. Tom is planning to hold the class this coming Sunday, February 24th, if he get enough response back when he sends out an E-Mail.
If you know of any events like those above, let me know about them and how Amateur Radio or equipment is used. I would like to keep the DAREN News going, but without any information it's hard to do.
There were 47 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week. Judy Peterson, N8UFQ, who's been participating in the net since the net first started on October 31, 1992, has completed 1050 check-ins. Judy will get her certificate when I get around to printing up the certificates for the ones who have been waiting from them.