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

DAREN of WV News September 15 2013(.B06)
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.

It's going to be another busy week.  Tuesday evening the Wood County group is going to be providing safety communications for another four High School/Middle School Cross County races.  I'm usually the one who sets up the communications and computer system for the races.  The computer allows the race officials to announce the names of the runners as they approach the finish line.  On Wednesday my plans are to make a trip to Jackson County to work on the NODE/PBBS of JACKWV/RPLYWV, and then attend a meeting.  After the meeting I plan on going to Roane County and get the NODE/PBBS of ROANWV/SPNCWV back on the air.  After that, on my way to a Skywarn Class in Elizabeth, Wirt County, I hope to stop by the Wirt County NODE/PBBS of WIRTWV/ELIZWV and see why it's not on the air.  I'll have a report on them next week.

I got an E-Mail from Tom White, W3JTW, with an idea that could help keep some of the DAREN stations on the air.  Since a lot of the stations are placed in operation, and kept operational, by Amateurs using their own money, it would be nice if some kind of fund was set up to help keep the stations in operation.  I know in Wood County the Wood County Emergency Communications group helps provide the money to keep their many DAREN stations on the air.  Maybe we can get other clubs, groups, individuals, or even businesses, to help sponsor the DAREN stations.  It's just an idea.  We might even approach county governments for funding.  At one time a large number of the DAREN stations were funded by county Emergency Services using FEMA money through the State Office of Emergency Services.  Since the transceivers, Terminal NODE Controllers (TNC), power supplies, and antennas are getting older, they are starting to break down and need to be replaced.  The transceivers may be getting cheaper, but the TNCs are getting more expensive.  If anyone has any ideas how it can be done we need to hear about them.

There were 44 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week.  My daughter Cathy Wotring, KC8DJJ, needs only one more check-in to make 900.  John Western, KC8ODI, needs only one more check-in to make 450.  And Mark Sweitzer, KD8MIV, needs only one more check-in to make 150.  There was one new check-in to the net this week, and that was Travis Sines, KD8VKP, from Elkins.  I want to welcome Travis to the DAREN system and hope he uses the system and participates in the net as often as possible.