DAREN of WV News July 12, 2009 (.887)
Kenneth Harris 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 didn't find out until a few days ago that Don Jones, K8DSJ, passed away. Don, and his wife Tina, K8TMJ, used to check into the State Wide DAREN Net a lot a few years ago, but he told me that his Packet station had been hit by lightening and couldn't get on the air. A few weeks ago he was able to get a Packet station back in operation, and he and Tina started checking into the net again. I guess Don had been in poor health for several years. Don will be missed.
I got an E-Mail from Robert Sellars, KB2FEL, about Lee Myers, KM4YY. I was concerned that lightening or something had caused the Hampshire County NODE/PBBS of HAMPWV/RMNYWV to be off the air for the last few weeks. It turns out that the SYSOP, Lee, has been on vacation and turned the station off. Lee was going to be on vacation for June and July, and he may be on vacation into August. So, by the last of July or August the station may be back in operation.
I still haven't got the original Wood County NODE/PBBS of WOODWV/PKBGWV back in operation yet. I'm still running a backup system here at the house. I knew that it would be a little while before I got the original station back in operation, but I didn't know that it was going to be this long. I've been busy with the activities that our communication group has been involved in, and just haven't had the time to get to the tower site. Now this week our group is operating the BINGO games, as a fund raiser, at the county fair, so I'll be tied up all week with that. After this week I will have a couple of weeks that I shouldn't be too busy, and I might try to get the original NODE/PBBS back in operation.
Well, that's all I have for now. If there is anything interesting happening in your neck of the woods, let me know. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is busy trying to keep Amateur Radio communications ready for any emergencies that may arise. Let me hear about some of the things that you're doing.
There were only 55 check-ins to this week's State Wide DAREN Net. Daniel Ritchie, KC8ZLK, who's been participating in the net since June 24, 2006, has completed 150 check-ins, and will be receiving his certificate. Maybe after this week I can get caught up on the certificates for those who are still waiting for the ones they deserve. I haven't forgotten I’ve just been busy.