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

DAREN of WV News November 10 2013(.B14)
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.  I haven't heard of anything going on around the state as far as Amateur Radio goes.  I've been trying to get caught up with some of my paperwork, and waiting to see what the weather is going to be like this coming week.  There's nothing I can do about it, but at least we can try to prepare for whatever comes.  I'm getting my truck cleaned out and putting things in it that may be needed during the winter.  Everyone should get prepared for the bad weather that will be coming shortly.  You never know if you may get stuck in the snow and have to be there for awhile.  Think of staying warm.  Put some blankets in your car in case you have to stay in it for awhile.  There are camping heaters that are designed to be used in campers and tents.  They have a safety design that causes them to turn off if the oxygen level gets too low, or the CO gasses get too high.  If you have to spend a lengthy period of time in your vehicle, you might get hungry and thirsty.  Put some can goods that don't have to be heated to eat, and some bottled water. I've read stories where people had to try to live several days in their vehicles with no food or water.  Some of them lived to tell the story, others weren't as lucky.  Winter won't be here very long, so just make the best of it and be safe.

I started playing with Randy Thomas, K8KHW's, Winlink 2000 system again.  Since things have slowed down, I've been able to practice sending messages via Amateur Radio through the Internet.  We all should learn how to use the Winlink 2000 system.  You can send E-Mails by Amateur Radio into the Internet, and receive some back the same way.  There are two Winlink systems in operation that are accessible via the DAREN system.  One is sponsored and maintain by Randy Thomas, K8KHW, in Newport, Ohio, which is just across the Ohio River from St. Marys.  I'm not sure who sponsors the other one, or where it is located, but I'm going to find out.  To use the Winlink systems all you have to do is connect to them and put in the protocol addresses and send your message.  To send an E-Mail use the following procedure.  Type the letters SP followed by the letters  SMTP:   followed by the E-Mail address, and press <enter> example: SP SMTP:wa8llm@yahoo.com <enter>   In the subject line place the following: //WL2K followed by an <enter>  otherwise the E-Mail may not go through.  After you have the address and subject line completed, type in your message.  When you are finished with your message press <enter> and then type  /EX   You should get a message back saying that you E-Mail has been sent.  Randy's Winlink 2000 is K8KHW-10, and can be accessed through the Ritchie County NODE of RITCWV.  As soon as I find out where the second one is at, and how to get to it, I'll let you know.  I do know that Jerry Sturm, KC8SIG, uses it.

There were 47 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week.  No one is within a couple of check-ins of making a multiple of 50, but that will change in a couple of weeks.  There are a few operators that I need to get their certificates printed up and sent out.  I'll try not to get too far behind.