DAREN of WV News December 15, 2013 (.B19)
WA8LLM (304) 679-3470 wa8llm@yahoo.com
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, P.O. BOX 3328, PARKERSBURG, WV 26103
http://www.wc8ec.orgDAREN 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.
The Wood County Emergency Communications group, and the Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) participated in two Christmas Parades yesterday. One of the parades was in Vienna, the other one was in Parkersburg. The groups decorated a 16 foot trailer owned by Bill Davidson, N8JXO, which he pulled. The trailer was equipped with an HF Transceiver, a 20 Meter antenna, solar panels, and batteries. A Public Address (PA) system with four speakers was also placed on the trailer. The audio out of the transceiver was patched into the PA system. Terry Mills, KC8TUE, tuned around the band looking for signals that could be used for the parade viewers to listen to. At one time he found a Special Event Station from Rudolph, Wisconsin, but it faded out before the parades started. Later he found several CW stations which he used. Even though it was pouring down the rain and 33 degrees, it gave the parade viewers a sample of what Amateur Radio operators can, and may have to do in emergency situations.
That's all I have for this week. If you have any events like the one above, let me know about it.
There were 48 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week. Ray Gorrell, WV8RG, needs only one more check-in t make 1000. On Saturday, December 14th, at about 4:15 pm, one station checked into the net with the callsign of "CALL". If you don't see your call on this week's State Wide Net Announcement, checked into the net about that time, and think it may have been you, let me know so that I can update your check-in records. I want to make sure everyone gets the credit they deserve for supporting the DAREN of WV Packet Radio System. Terminal Node Controllers such as the MFJ default back to the callsign of "CALL". Everyone should check the callsign in their TNC on a regular basis, just to make sure the callsign is right.