DAREN of WV News May 25, 2014 (.B42)
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.
Nothing much has happened this week. Due to a building scheduling mix-up, the Wood County Emergency Communications group wasn't able to hold their Hot Dog Supper yesterday as planned. The group will be holding the supper this coming Saturday, May 31st.
I have a busy week coming up. On Tuesday I have several stops to make around town, then I'll be going to the Ritchie County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) Meeting in Pennsboro. Then on Wednesday I'll be making a trip to Spencer, to attend their LEPC Meeting at the Roane County General Hospital. While I'm down there we will be planning the move of their Joint Emergency Management (JEM) 800 MHz radio from a tower site to the roof of the hospital. While at the tower site, I will take a look at the Roane County NODE/PBBS of ROANWV/SPNCWV. That station has been off the air since November. But, since the weather was so bad over the winter, I wasn't able to get it repaired. I plan on putting together a complete station including the transceiver, TNC, power supply, and battery, since I don't know what the problem is. I want to make sure that when I leave the tower site, the station is back on the air.
I'm going to put together another station to take to Wirt County to get the NODE/PBBS of WIRTWV/ELIZWV back in good operating order. Sammy Mercer, N8SVX, says that he is able to hit the station, but it doesn't sound too good. I used to be able to hit it from here at the house, but not any more. I may have to change out the antenna. I've been using the Diamond CP-22E antenna, but the screws that hold the elements together seem to work their way out, and the antenna just falls apart. I've been changing out most of the Ringo Ranger, Ringo Ranger 2B, and the CP-22E antennas, with my homemade J-Pole antenna, that seems more sturdy, and is completely weather proof. I've had the J-Pole antennas in operation at several locations for several years, and they seem to be holding together, and working just fine.
There were 49 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week. John Johnston, KF8OM, who has been participating in the net since December 3, 1994, has completed 850 check-ins, and will be receiving his certificate.