March 9, 2008 (.817)
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.
It's that time again, to set your clocks ahead an hour. After you've set your clocks in the house, it's time to set the clocks in your Packet Radio Terminal NODE Controllers (TNC), both your home station and any remote, hilltop or mountaintop stations, both DAREN, and all other regular Packet stations. When changing the time in the Packet stations, it's a good time to give them a "RESET", which may help them operate better. The information given here is for most of the Kantronics TNCs, KPC-2, KPC-3, KPC-4, KPC-9612, KAM, KAM Plus, KAM- XL, KAM-98, etc. Not only is it a good time to reset the TNC, it's also a good time to do other things. For one thing, it's a good reminder to change the battery in your Smoke and CO Detectors. Here's how to change the time in your TNCs. If you're at the TNC just type the command "DA", <space>, followed by the two number year, month, day, hour, minute, and second. Example: the command for the date of March 9, 2008, at 2:00 am would be; DA 080309020000, and then press <enter>. If you're connecting to a remote station over the air, you must give your passcode. After you get the (prompt:) command, then do the "DA" command. After you finish setting the time, and get the (prompt:) command back, do a "RESET" command. Doing the "RESET" command may clear out some minor problems that have been building up for the last few months, or the last time you did it. While you're into you remote station, and if you haven't done so already, now would be a good time to change the "MYA" to "DAREN". I know there are still several remote stations that are using the same "MYA" ALIAS as their "MYN". I found that's it's not necessary to make the "MYA" and the "MYN" the same. By changing the "MYA" to "DAREN" it will allow any necessary, or EMERGENCY BEACONs cover the DAREN system a lot better. If you are going to Digipeat through the DAREN system, use the "MYN" of the remote stations, don't digipeat using the "DAREN" ALIAS, you would be surprised how many DAREN stations it ties up.
I received a telephone call from Vivian Arnold, KA8VAH, the other day. Vivian said that she and Jerry, NQ8B, haven't been able to participate in the State Wide DAREN Net for a few weeks. They also had a computer problem but were unable to get it fixed, so they got a new one. Now they're having a problem getting a communications program to work with their TNC. The program they used to use for Packet was the Yapp program, which is a DOS Based program, but they can't get it to work in their new computer. I gave her a suggestion of using the Hyperterm Communications program which may have came with their new computer. I know it came with the XP operating system. The operating system on their new computer is Vista. She says she has a cable to convert one of the USB Ports to an RS-232 serial port. The Yapp program will only work with serial ports 1 and 4. I don't have any computers with Vista in it, so I was unable to explain to her where it's at, if it's in their computer. If anyone can help them get back on the air, I know they would appreciate it.
Don't forget the Charleston Hamfest next Saturday at the Coonskin Armory. I'll be there if we don't get another batch of snow like we did this weekend.
There were 62 check-ins to this week's State Wide DAREN Net. John Peterson, K8ZPR, needs only one more check-in to make 700. I'm caught up with the DAREN Check-in Certificates. Everyone who has been waiting should have their certificate in their hands.