DAREN of WV News April 3, 2016 (.C39)
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 www.wc8ec.com and www.wc8ec.org websites.
While working on the check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this morning, I noticed that several usual participants to the net weren't on the list. I checked the back-up computer, and they weren't there either. I decided I would check around the system to see if any DAREN stations were out of service. I noticed the Wood County NODE/PBBS of WOODWV/PKBGWV and the Jackson County NODE/PBBS of JACKWV/RPLYWV were both off the air. When I checked to see the last time they had been heard, I found the last time was on Friday. It looks like I will need to make a trip to the two stations, if they don't come back up. The last time the stations were off the air, they came back up a few days later. If they come back up in a few days, I'm beginning to think there may be some kind of interfering signal that both stations are hearing. If they hear another signal on the frequency, they won't transmit until the signal is gone, and frequency is clear.
The Wood County Emergency Communications group had a Hot Dog Supper yesterday, and there was a good turn-out. A lot of those coming to the supper were Politicians that are running for some kind of office. If your group wants to have a good fund raising event, now is the time to do it. Politicians will come out of the woods for something to eat, and let voters see who they should be voting for.
Speaking about the woods, the Amateurs in this area are going to be heading for the woods this coming Sunday. They will be providing the safety communications for the Challenge at Mountwood Mountain Bike Race which will be held on April 10th. The bike race will be held at Mountwood Park off Route 50, about 15 miles East of Parkersburg. The Amateurs will be stationed at hazardous locations around the bike trails in the park. They are there to report any problems that might occur during the race. In the past years, the Amateurs have reported several severe injuries of the racers, and had to help guide the Rescue and Ambulance personnel to their location. It's a good time to let the public see what Amateur Radio can do.
There were only 33 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week. Donnie Woodford, KC8YVR, who has been participating in the net since November 27, 2004, has completed 550 check-ins. Sammy Mercer, N8SVX, who has been participating in the net since October 14, 1995, has completed 300 check-ins. Both of these station will be receiving a certificate. Michael Whitco, KC8OAN, needs only one more check-in to make 500.