DAREN of WV News January 5, 2014 (.B22)
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.
I hope everyone had a Happy New Year. Now it's time to start thinking about the activities that will be coming soon. If any of your clubs or groups participated in some kind of exercise involving communications, such as a Simulated Emergency Test (SET), don't forget to report it. The deadline to report the SET to the ARRL is February 3, 2014. Normally the deadline is January 31, but this year it's been changed. If you participated with any Public Safety agencies, between September 1, 2013, and November 30, 2013, where Amateur Radio was used, that can be classified as a SET and can be reported. I know it's only January and Field Day is six months away, but it will be here sooner than you think. Now is time to start planning. Hamfests will be starting shortly. I know the Charleston and Oak Hill Hamfest are coming up in the next two or three months. The Jackson County Hamfest is in May, The WV ARRL State Convention is in August, and the Parkersburg/Wood County Hamfest is in October. I'm sure there are other Hamfests close to where you live. Try to get more Amateurs involved with these activities. Get your clubs or groups to help put on Amateur Radio classes to get new Amateurs. The Wood County Emergency Communications group is sponsoring a one day Technician Class license class on January 11th. With more and more counties putting together Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), they are suggesting their members get their Amateur Radio license so they can communicate with each other. Members of these CERT groups may even get involved with your Amateur Radio group or club. In any case it won't be long summer will be here, and outdoor activities will begin.
There has been the passing of a couple of Amateur Radio operators this weekend. Charles Helmick, W8JZN, and Jerry Arnold, NQ8B. Charlie passed away on Saturday, and Jerry passed away today. Charlie was never on the DAREN system, but I think he dabbled in Packet Radio a little bit. Since he was licensed in the early 1950's, he's been involved with a lot of radio and television. Jerry was involved with the DAREN system since November 7, 1992, shortly after the DAREN system started. Jerry had 786 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net when he last participated on May 15, 2010. I will miss both of these Amateur Radio operators.
There were 46 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week. I'm going get started printing the certificates for those who have been waiting. I had a lot to do over the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year holidays. I hope i don't get as far behind getting them out to those who have waiting.