DAREN of WV News October 18, 2009 (.901)
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 think about it, but week was issue number 900 of the DAREN News. It's hard to believe that 900 weeks has gone by since we started producing the DAREN News. The first issue came out July 19, 1992, when the DAREN system looked like it was going to grow. At that time there were only five NODE/PBBS'. A large exercise used Packet Radio and caught the eye of the WV State Office of Emergency Services. The WV OES told any of the 26 FEMA registered counties that if they wanted to install a DAREN station in their county, and their Emergency Operation Center, the state would reimburse 50 percent of the cost. Thirteen of the 26 counties took them up on their offer, and the DAREN system started to grow from there. When the DAREN News first started it was used to keep everyone up on what was happening with the DAREN system. After several years the DAREN system seemed to stop growing and became stable, but we didn't want the DAREN News to stop. Now anything that has to do with Amateur Radio can now be put in the News. Back issues of the DAREN News are available for those who want to read through them. I haven't looked on the Wood County Emergency Communications website: www.wc8ec.com lately, but you used to be able to get back issues of the News on that site.
I got a message from Gene Roy, N8ER the other day. He is looking for a keyboard for an IBM 3151 terminal. I'm assuming it's a Dumb Terminal, but I'm not for sure. If any one has any ideas of where to get a keyboard, or has one they are no longer using, I'm sure Gene would like to hear from you. I know I have a bunch of old keyboards lying around, but I need to know what kind of plug it takes. If it's a very old terminal, it probably has a 5 pin DIN plug on it, or 4 or 6 pin modular plug. I'll get back with Gene for additional information.
Did anyone have any Boy Scouts over this weekend for the JOTA (Jamboree On The Air)? I took my trailer onto one of the hilltops around here today and had a couple of Boy Scouts get on the air. There was supposed to be six Boy Scouts, but only two showed up. The two Boy Scouts were a little mike shy, but did get on the air. I did have one Cub Scout that stayed with me all day, and that was Kendale Peterson, the son of Judy Peterson, N8UFQ. Kendale is only seven years old and isn't Mike Shy. He has operated Field Day with us the last two years. The first year he made five contacts, and this year he made at least 10. He's even good at calling BINGO games now that he has learned his numbers. In a couple of years we are hoping that he can get his Amateur Radio License. If you or your group operated in the JOTA, I'd like to hear about it.
There were 59 check-ins again to this week's State Wide DAREN Net. Joe Peterson, N8DSN, who's been participating in the net since March 26, 1994, has completed 750 check-ins. And Bud McDowell, W8OO, who's been participating in the net since July 5, 1997, has completed 550 check-ins. Both of these operators will be receiving their certificates. My wife Dot Harris, KC8HAI, needs only one more check-in to make 650. As soon as I finish this News, I think I'll head for the other computer and try to get certificates printed up so that I can get them mailed out in the next couple of days. I'm not for sure how far behind I am.