DAREN of WV News October 26, 2008 (.850)
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.
The News is late getting out this week. I spent Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday at Camp Dawson, at an Interoperibity Conference. It was interesting with a lot of good forums, and I got to see several of the West Virginia Amateurs who are involved with Emergency Services, Emergency Communications, and 911 Centers. Nothing was mentioned at the conference about Amateur Radio being a backup communications for the state if Public Safety communications were disrupted or made inoperative. Just because Amateur Radio was not discussed doesn't mean that it's not needed. The State Wide IRP (Interoperable Radio Project) isn't finished yet, and it won't be for several years. When it does get near completion, there can still be problems. The IRP system uses a digital Microwave Backbone system that is controlled by one central controller in the state. There is another controller being planned, but it may be awhile before it goes on line. Not all of the counties will be using interoperable radios, so some of them won't be on the IRP. Also they are talking about using Internet Protocol systems, over the Internet, for some of the radio controls. There are, and will be, several places that communications can be disrupted, and backup communications will be needed.
I talked to John Peterson, K8ZPR, this past week and he said the Hancock County NODE/PBBS of HANCWV/WEIRWV, is down, and has been for a couple of weeks. He said that Roy Humes, N8RH, usually works on the station, but he doesn't know if Roy has checked on it lately. I saw the son of the owner of the Hancock County tower site at the conference, but he doesn't know anything about the Packet station at that tower site. Maybe in a few weeks that station will be back in operation.
That's all I have for this week, I need to get this News posted around the state along with the November 1st Net Announcement. I still have to get this week's net check-ins updated.
There were 60 check-ins to this week's State Wide DAREN Net. Joe Peterson, N8DSN, who's been participating in the net since March 26, 1994, has completed 700 check-ins. Terry, KC8TUE, and Denise Mills, KC8TUF, who have been checking into the net since October 19, 2002, have completed 250 check-ins. Bob Ott, WB8OIF, who has been checking into the net since June 26, 1993, has completed 150 check-ins. All of these stations will be receiving their certificates. I want to welcome Bradley Thomas, AD7BR, back to the DAREN Net. Bradley has been missing from the net since February 5, 2005. I got a E-Mail from one of the DAREN operators who didn't see his callsign on last week's net announcement, and thinks the "ALL" callsign from last week's net might have been his. His records have now been updated.