DAREN of WV News May 18, 2014 (.B41)
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.
Today the TCARO (Tyler County Amateur Radio Organization) held a cookout to commemorate the 20th anniversary of their club. Their repeater was hit by lightning, destroying the antenna, a couple of years ago, but couldn't find anyone to replace it. It has been in operation with just the bottom part of the antenna. Even though the repeater was in operation, it took 50 watts from most operators to get into the repeater. The group contacted me about helping them change out the antenna. Since they were having their anniversary cookout we felt it was a good time to get the repeater up-to-snuff. My wife Dot, KC8HAI, and I went to Tyler County to change out the repeater antenna, and enjoy a cookout. After I changed the repeater antenna at 100 feet, I moved down the tower to about 30 feet to work on the antenna of the DAREN NODE/PBBS of TYLEWV/MIDBWV. I also changed out that antenna which had just fallen apart in the wind, and been off the air for a couple of years. After both antennas were changed, and I was back on the ground, I started working with the Packet station. When we tested the paths, there was only two other DAREN NODEs that it could connect to, and they were RITCWV and RANDWV. Knowing there should have been more paths, I checked the power of the transceiver. The output was just a little above 2 watts no matter what power setting the radio was on. Ray Gorrell, WV8RG, said that he would get another transceiver and replace it. At least everything is operation now.
After we left the Tyler County site, we headed for Wetzel County, since we had a couple of hours to kill before the cookout. I noticed the Wetzel County NODE/PBBS of WETZWV/NMARWV was down when I tried to post the DAREN News and Net Announcement on Thursday of last week. I had enough equipment to replace the station in case it was off the air due to lightening. I was lucky, when I opened the cabinet door; I saw the radio had went back to the default frequency of 145.000 MHz. After I changed the frequency back to DAREN, and hooked up a computer, the station was back up and running again.
At about 2:00pm, we went to Ray's house where the cookout was going to be and talked to the 30 or so TCARO members who were there. I think everyone had a very good time. They said they would do it again in five years. While I was there, I got to meet Tom Martin, WW8TM. Tom hasn't checked into the DAREN Net since September 15, 2012. Tom said that he has sold all of his Amateur Radio equipment, and the only thing is using is the Internet.
There were only 43 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week. I know of a couple operators who normally check in, that went to the Dayton Hamfest. John Johnston, KF8OM, needs only one more check-in to make 850.
Everyone have a safe Memorial Day Holiday weekend end next weekend.