DAREN of WV News April 18, 2021(F02)
(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.
Last Tuesday, April 13th, the Wood County LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee) held their first face-to-face meeting in over a year. At the meeting I was able to describe the Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN) HSMM (High Speed MultiMedia) 2.4 GHz system. I let them know how the system can be used to provide backup communications, it they need it. While at the meeting I was able to talk to a couple people who gave me contact information about installing some more nodes on the system. Don Brown, KE8GLJ, is a safety and security supervisor for the Wood County School system, and Mike Pifer, the Vienna Police Chief. Don said that I need to write up a letter describing how the system works, and how it may be able to help with their communications, before allowing us to install nodes on any of the school buildings. Mike said that I need to talk to the Vienna Public Works director about installing nodes at the city water tanks. The nodes that we install at the water tanks do not go on the water tanks. They are attached to, and outside of, the fence on 20 foot mast pipes. The stations are powered by solar panels.
After the LEPC meeting was over I received a lengthy telephone conversation from Larry Cook, KC8ZRE, with the Jackson County Amateur Radio Club. Larry wanted to know if I had been down to the DAREN NODE/PBBS of JACKWV/RPLYWV yet. He said there are several members of the club that are interested in learning about packet radio. The club has a trailer they converting into a communications trailer, and are wanting to install a couple voice stations, and a packet station. I told him I still need to come to Jackson County and work on the DAREN NODE/PBBS station. We also talked about holding a packet radio class if they would be interested.
There were 33 check-ins to the State Wide DAREN Net this week. Alan Currence, N8POB, who has been participating in the net on and off since March 19, 1994, has completed 150 check-ins and will be receiving his certificate. Morris (Mo) Kittle, AD8T, needs only one more check-in to make 250.