DAREN of WV News July 12, 2015(.C01)
WA8LLM (304) 679-3470 wa8llm@yahoo.com
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, P.O. BOX 3328, PARKERSBURG, WV 26103
http://www.wc8ec.com
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.com website.
Things have been quiet this week. While I was posting the DAREN News and State Wide DAREN Net Announcement last we, I found I was unable to connect to the Mineral County NODE/PBBS of MINEWV/KEYSWV. From looking at the NODE Lists from different stations, it looks like the Mineral County station hasn't been heard for a couple of weeks. With all of the storms that we have had in the last few weeks, one of them may have damaged the station. With the Mineral County NODE off the air it makes it hard for some stations to get checked into the state wide net.
Since Field Day is over for this year, Sammy Mercer, N8SVX, and I have been playing with the N3FJP ARRL Field Day Logging program. We have been using some EnGenius EOA3630 Wireless Multi-Function AP units to put together our wireless logging network. Sammy and I have been playing with the units trying to put together a 2.4 GHz Mess Network in the county, but we got busy on other projects. The Wood County Emergency Communications group is going to hold a wireless network class on Saturday, July 25th. The group tries to hold some kind of class on the 4th Saturday of every month. Sometimes there are other activities on the 4th Saturday, so we use them as classes. Speaking of classes, the WCEC group will be holding a one day Technician Class Amateur Radio class on August 29th. The class will be held at the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department, 211 6th Street, in Parkersburg. The class will start at about 9:00 am. If you know of anyone who is interested in getting started into Amateur Radio, have them give me a call for additional information.
There were 37 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week. Terry Mills, KC8TUE, who has been checking into the State Wide DAREN Net since October 19, 2002, has completed 600 check-ins. And, Melvin Shiflett, KD8OHG, who has been checking into the State Wide DAREN Net since May 7, 2011, has completed 200 check-ins. Both of these operators will be receiving their certificates. Frank Hughes, WD8DEP, needs only one more check-in to make 500.
That's all that I have for this week. If I don't get any information about the DAREN system, or Amateur Radio in general, it's hard to have something to write about.