D.A.R.E.N. News 2013

DAREN of WV News June 30, 2013(.A95)
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, but I do want to wish everyone a Happy and Safe 4th of July.  If you're playing with fireworks this week, try not to blow your fingers off, you need them to type on the computer using Packet Radio.  I'm still trying to get all of the equipment that we used during Field Day put away so I can find it next year, or in case we need it for a real emergency or disaster. If you remember last year at the time, the Electricity was off over 75 percent of the state, I hope that doesn't happen again for a long time, but it could happen tomorrow.  If your club or group did anything special for Field Day, let me know so we can pass it on to others.

There were only 38 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week.  Randy Thomas, K8KHW, needs only one more check-in to make 500.  Daniel Ritchie, KC8ZLK, needs only one more check-in to make 350.  I want to welcome Tyler Lewis, WV8VFD, back to the DAREN system.  Tyler has been gone from the system since June 26, 2010, when his callsign was KD8CPP.  After Tyler joined the Eastwood Volunteer Fire Department, he changed his call to WV8VFD.  The net has been dropping in attendance for the past year.  I think a lot has to do with the losing of NODEs around the state.  I have at least two NODEs that need to be repaired, and put back in service.  With the loss of the NODEs, everyone needs to be sure and try different paths to get to the Net Control Station. Even though the State Wide DAREN Net only operates once a week, you can still practice connecting to other NODEs and PBBSs.  The more you practice connecting through the system, the better you will become in a real emergency.  If at any time you are not able to make it all the way to the NCS, let me know so that I can still give you credit for trying.  I want to thank everyone for using the DAREN system and helping to keep it going.