December 30, 2007 (.807)
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'.
I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and that you got
everything you wanted, or needed. Now I want to wish you a very
safe and Happy New Year, and it's time to start getting ready for the
2008 Amateur related activities.
Not much news this week since I haven't heard from anyone, but that
could be because everyone has been busy over the Christmas holiday.
I did get to check out a couple DAREN stations that I haven't seen for a
couple of years. The Camden Clark Memorial Hospital Packet
stations haven't been heard from in quite awhile and the location they
are at keeps moving around. The stations are part of the
hospital's EOC (Emergency Operation Center), and there's been a lot of
construction with the expansion of the hospital. There are two
stations at the hospital, one is a Two Meter voice station, and the
other is a transceiver with two Kantronics KPC-3's connected to it.
One of the TNCs is setup as a NODE with the ALIAS of WOODCC, and the
other TNC is setup as a PBBS with the ALIAS of PKBGCC. Originally
the stations were installed on a cart that could be wheeled out of a
closet, and placed in a meeting room where a couple of antenna
transmission lines were waiting. Later the stations were installed
in the Engineering Room that was used as an EOC when it was established.
When the expansion of the hospital started, the complete EOC radio
equipment was installed in a construction trailer, and the radio tower
moved to the back of the hospital. After most of the construction
was completed, the trailer and tower were moved around to the front of
the hospital, where it will stay for an undetermined amount of time.
Originally the hospital officials said they were going to build a room
in the hospital expansion that would be for the EOC, but now they are
not for sure what they are going to do. Anyway the radios were
turned on, but they were sitting on the frequency of 145.00 MHz, just
like they came out of the box. Both the voice and Packet stations
are back in operation, but the antenna for the voice station has a
problem. In any case the stations are ready to be used if we ever
have to respond to the hospital. The Packet station can also be
used anytime we're in that area of town, and need a NODE to go through.
There were 63 check-ins to this week's State Wide DAREN Net. Bob
Hanson, AF8RH, who's been participating in the net since November 16,
1996, has completed 550 check-ins, and will be receiving his
certificate. Bub McDowell, W8OO, and Anna Hendershot, KC8JWW, need
only one more check-in each to make 500. John Riddle, N8RIG, needs
only more check-in to make 300. And, Barry Wagoner, N8WG, needs
only one more check-in to make 150. I'll be posting the annual
DAREN Net Check-in list this week when I post this week's DAREN News,
and Net Announcement. Have a Safe and Happy New Year, and I'll see
you next year.