February 04, 2007 (.760)
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 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'.
For those who have been using the Winlink 2000 Telpac system, you may have seen some problems, or changes. Since the Winlink system is still in the growing process, there are some changes that are taking place. I'm sure the Winlink operators will get the bugs worked out. The two access points that we have in West Virginia are just that, they are access points. The main access to the internet is the West Virginia Telpac NODEs that connect to internet servers in locations outside of West Virginia. If one of the internet servers has a problem, then our local access operators, Randy Thomas, K8KHW, and Dick Wilt, K8TPH, simply change their internet access point to another server. The Winlink 2000 Telpac NODEs here in West Virginia are just connection point between the DAREN Packet system, and the Internet servers. If you are having a problem connecting to either K8KHW-10 or K8TPH-10, it more in likely the path or paths from where you are located to the Telpac NODEs. The more hilltop or mountaintop NODEs that we can get into operation, the easier the access to the NODEs will be. If you know of a good hilltop/mountaintop location that is being used for commercial two-way radio work, maybe we can get a DAREN NODE located there. More and more DAREN operators are starting to use the Winlink 2000 system, which means we need to have a reliable Packet system to access it. Remember, Winlink 2000 and the DAREN systems are just additional communication tools that should be used as often as possible, to be familiar with, in case of an emergency or disaster.
I have a flyer for the Charleston Hamfest. The Charleston Hamfest is coming up on March 17th at the Armory at Coonskin Park in Charleston, near the Airport.
There were 74 check-ins to this week's State Wide DAREN Net. Bill Bayless, KB8HEK, who's been participating in the net since February 27, 1993 has completed 250 check-in and will be receiving his certificate. Vivian Arnold, KA8VAH, needs only one more check-in to make 600. Gladys Gorrell , KC8GIZ, needs only one more check-in to make 500. And, Bill Wagner , N8RSM, needs only one more check-in to make 350. There was one new check-in to the net this week and that was Mike Whilow, KC8RGV, from Beckley. Mike is also a member of the West Virginia Military Affiliate Radio System. I hope that Mike can check in as often as possible.