DAREN of WV News November 29, 2015(.C21)
WA8LLM (304) 679-3470 wa8llm@yahoo.com
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, 319 COMMUNICATIONS DR, WAVERLY, WV 26184
www.wc8ec.com or 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.com website.
We held a Packet Radio class yesterday. There were 12 people at the class. I think the group had a good time playing on packet. The class is set up with 8 Kantronics KPC-3 TNCs. The TNCs are connected into an artificial radio made up with relays, resistors, and LEDs. The artificial radio is designed to simulate radios in the real world, even the weak signals between the TNCs. The first part of the class is a Power Point that describes how packet is designed and works. The Power Point even has packet radio data bursts as the signals pass from station to station, either by NODE connecting, or digipeating. The best part of the class is the hands-on, where the students get to set up the TNC parameters and commands, and communicate with NODEs, PBBSs, and each other.
It's been a busy week with the holiday, getting ready for the packet class, and getting ready for the WCEC business meeting and Christmas Dinner. But, I did manage to finish printing up all of the State Wide DAREN Net Check-in Certificates. All I need to do now is get the envelopes addressed and taken to the Post Office. With any luck I will get them ready to go to the Post Office this coming Friday. Anyone who has been waiting for a certificate, should have it in their hands by the middle of next week.
The WCEC group is getting ready to participate in a Hospital Exercise to be held on December 10th. The group will be providing radio communications with as many hospitals and health care facilities as possible in Hospital Region 5. The group will also provide the exercise Command Center with a Telephone PBX, and several wireless telephones. The same type of exercise was held a couple of years ago, and it was a great success. All of the Amateurs who helped with the exercise said they learned a lot.
There were 40 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week. Kendale Peterson, KD8QAK, who has been checking into the since April 23, 2011, has completed 250 check-ins, and will be receiving his certificate. There was one new check-in to the net this week, and that was Nathan Scott, N8ACC, from Mill Creek, WV. I want to welcome Nathan to the DAREN system, and hope he can participate in the State Wide DAREN Net as often as possible.