Daren News (00-04-23)

=============================================================================== D.A.R.E.N. NEWS of WV. April 23, 2000 (.406) by Ken Harris WA8LLM (304) 679-3470 (HOME) or 428-9980 (WORK) WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, P.O. BOX 3328, PARKERSBURG, WV 26103
D.A.R.E.N. 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. A State Wide DAREN NET is operated every Saturday from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. DAREN NET Announcements, 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'.

I talked to Charlie, KC8LPG yesterday about the new tower being placed on the Wood County/Wirt County line. Charlie stopped at our Free Coffee Safety Break on his way back from purchasing a new pre-built 8 by 8 building which will be going on the tower site. He also has a base plate welded to the bottom section of tower, the section painted, and is ready to put it in place. He dropped off a can of paint so that I can get the other sections ready to go up. In a few weeks you should start seeing a new DAREN NODE/PBBS in operation.

After talking to Mac, W8XF last week I'm thinking about putting an APRS station on the new tower. Since the tower isn't very far from I-77 at the Jackson County/Wood County line, there should be good coverage up and down I-77.

Not much news this week, but I notice I've been having a hard time getting into a couple of PBBS' to post the net announcements. I don't know if the stations are down, or it's just band conditions. With the Spring and Summer storm seasons coming, I'm sure we will lose some Packet and Voice stations due to lightening. If you can get to your tower sites, now might be the time to check out any damage that may have occurred over the Winter, and make sure everything is grounded and lightening protected.

I can't remember who it was, but someone asked me about Packet Nets. Here are the only Packet Nets that I know of. Beside the State Wide DAREN Net, there is the PARC Net that operates from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Thursday on 145.09 mHz. The Tyler County Amateur Radio Organization holds a Packet net on 145.01 mHz along with their Two Meter Voice Net on Mondays at 9:00 pm. Our group, Wood County Emergency Communications holds a Packet Net on 145.69 mHz along with our Two Meter Voice Net on Sunday evenings at 8:30 pm. The net control station on these Packet nets is called "NET". If you know of any other nets that are operated, let me know so that I can pass the word on.

There were 73 check-ins to this week's State Wide DAREN Net. Gene, N8ER needs only one more check-in to make 350, John KB8QJM needs only one more check-in to make 200, Bill, KC8GGK needs only one more to make 100, and Maurice, N8VA needs only one more to make 50. I got a message from Ted W8KVK who gave me an update on a new callsign that was on the March 18, 2000 State Wide DAREN Net. The call was W8CEO, for Earl, who's old call was KC8HXB. Earl's check-in records have been updated. If you know of anyone who has a new vanity call, and doesn't read the DAREN News, but checks into the DAREN Net, have them, or someone send me a message so that I can get their check-in records corrected.
73 Ken WA8LLM ===============================================================================