DAREN of WV News October 25, 2015(.C16)
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.
I'm not for sure what is going on with the DAREN system. I had a hard time posting the DAREN News and Net Announcements again this week. I had to work my way around the whole state to get some of them posted. I know I may have missed a few. Some of my tests show a path problem between the Ritchie County NODE of RITCWV, and the Randolph County NODE of RANDWV. I don't seem to be having trouble with RITCWV, but until I can make a trip to the tower site, I won't know. I was hoping to have more spare Packet stations put together to replace at least three of the NODEs that I maintain, but I don't have them put together yet. My Nephew Sammy Mercer, N8SVX, and I have tested and repaired several Alinco DR-1200 Transceivers, we just need to start working on the Kantronics KPC-3 Terminal Node Controllers that are sitting around. I know several of them were taken out of service due to lightening hits over the past several years. As soon as we can get some of them repaired, I will need to make the interface cables to go between the TNCs and the transceivers. Sammy will coming out to my house on Tuesday, and we will start testing the TNCs. With any luck we will get at least three stations put together so we can swap out the ones in Wetzel County, Wirt County, and Jackson County. I've been thinking about how I can get some of the other counties on the air without a lot of trouble. Since we just need to have paths between the main county NODEs, it should be easy enough to place an antenna on a 20 foot mast pipe alongside of a building. it's getting harder to get permission to hang antennas on some of the towers, so why not just place the antenna on a 20 foot mast pipe and strap it to a transmitter building. All we would need would be enough electricity to operate the station. I have a couple of locations that I'm going to try that. If it works it may make it easier to get more DAREN stations on the air.
Something must have happened this week with the State Wide DAREN Net. There were 38 check-ins. I notice that some of those who checked in have been missing for a few weeks. Even Delmas "Gene" Hartley, N8JYS, checked into the net this week. Of course I have been talking to Gene on the telephone since he won the main prize at the Parkersburg/Wood County Hamfest, and I have been in the process of getting it shipped to him. I mailed the transceiver on Friday, and was told that he should have it by Monday. While talking to Gene, I found out that he has been operating Packet Radio, but it hasn't been 2 meters. He has been operating on 20 Meters HF. In the process of discussing 20 Meter Packet, I've been thinking about using a Kantronics KPC-4 TNC to cross over from the DAREN system to 20 Meters. The only problem I can see is how to keep the Amateurs who only have a Technician License from crossing over to 20 Meters where they are not licensed. Any way that is all I have for this week.