DAREN of WV News November 22, 2015(.C20)
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.
Sammy Mercer, N8SVX, my wife Dot, KC8HAI, and I made the trip to the Jackson County NODE/PBBS of JACKWV/RPLYWV on Tuesday. When we checked out the transceiver, we found that it had only about one watt of power heading for the antenna. We changed out the transceiver, and the power supply. It's hard to believe, but the 12 volt 3 amp laptop computer power supply, that we were using kept the batteries up to full charge. We changed out the power supply with a 6 amp power supply. We also looked at the antenna which had a good SWR, even though the top section of the antenna is bent at a 90 degree angle. Even with the bent antenna, there is still a good path between Jackson County and the Randolph County NODE/PBBS of RANDWV/ELKNWV. We are planning to make another trip to Jackson County and change out the antenna. While we were there we experimented with a temporary antenna mounted onto 20 feet of mast pipe. The paths weren't as good as the antenna mounted at about 40 feet on the tower, but for an emergency setup, it would do good.
After we left the Jackson County station, we stopped at the Wirt County NODE/PBBS of WIRTWV/ELIZWV. We rebuilt most of the station and got it back in good working order. We did the same experiment with the 20 feet of mast pipe and a J-Pole antenna. The temporary antenna did a better job than the one mounted about 40 feet on the tower. We're also planning to replace that antenna on the next trip down that way.
We're now planning a trip to Wetzel County and work on the NODE/PBBS of WETZWV/NMARWV station. The Tyler County Office of Emergency Services will be holding their covered dish Christmas Dinner on Thursday, December 10th. Tom Cooper, WV8TOM, the Emergency Services Director, has invited us to come to the dinner. I'm planning to work on the Wetzel County station during the day, and attend the Christmas Dinner, in Tyler County, that evening. I'm planning to do the same 20 foot mast pipe antenna experiment in Wetzel County. With any luck the Wetzel County station will be back in operation at that time.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving on Thursday, and if you are going to be in the woods trying to get Bambi, be careful their too.
There were 44 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week. Randy Thomas, K8KHW, needs only one more check-in to make 600. And, Kendale Peterson, KD8QAK, needs only one more check-in to make 250.