WDN History

WDN History

Over 40 Years of Service to the Community and Amateur Radio in the Western NY Area.

Western District Net - Historical Highlights
(Compiled from the WDN Archives)

June 15, 1976	The first session conducted by founder and Net Manager, Don Partis, WA2AIV, on 146.640 repeater at 9:30 p.m.
September, 1978	WB2KHT becomes Training Manager, N2AOB Records Manager.
March 1, 1979	N2APB appointed ANM, WB2KHT and N2AOB leave respective positions.
May 1980	N2APB appointed new Net Manager as WA2AIV resigns.
August 1980	KG2D appointed Assistant Net Manager.
October 1980	WDN "Simplex Night" established, last Sunday of each month.
January 1981	Traffic Handlers Information Net (THIN) starts.
May 1981	WB2OWO appointed new Asst. Net Manager replacing KG2D who resigns.
August 16, 1981	First WDN Picnic, Letchworth State Park.
August 22, 1981	6:30 p.m. Session established; now two sessions daily.
January 1, 1982	WDN "Honor Roll" established (Top 10 Check-ins each month).
April 1982	KA2GOH appointed Simplex Night Manager, WB2IDS and KA2GOH co-managers of THIN.
September 1, 1982	KC2QQ (ex-KA2GOH) appointed new Net Manager as N2APB resigns.
October 1982	N2ABA becomes Simplex Night Manager, WB2PID and KC2QQ become co-managers of THIN as WB2IDS resigns.
February 26, 1984	NCS KA2QIK breaks old record of 45 with 52 check-ins at 6:30 session with unusually high traffic volume as a direct result of K2GXT (R.I.T.) Valentine Massacre.
April 1, 1984	WDN/Morning Session established at 11:00 a.m.
August 4 1984	WB2OWO appointed Net Manager as KC2QQ resigns.
September 2, 1984	KA2QIK appointed Assistant Net Manager.
Nov. 23, 1984	KA2QIK resigns as Assistant Net Manager; replaced by KA2DQA.
January 1, 1986	KA2DQA resigns as Assistant Net Manager.
April 1, 1986	N2ABA appointed new Assistant Net Manager.
May 17, 1986	N2EVG becomes new Simplex Night Manager.
December 31, 1989	WB2OWO Retires as Net Manager, N2ABA Resigns as Asst. Net Manager.
January 1, 1990	N2EVG appointed Net Manager; WB2OEV Becomes Simplex Night Manager.
August 1990	WB2OEV becomes Assistant Net Manager.
April 1, 1992	AA2CX appointed new NM as N2EVG resigns; AF2K becomes ANM and Simplex Night Manager.
January 1, 1994	N2GUN becomes new ANM and Simplex Night Manager as AF2K resigns.
June 1, 1994	AA2CX and N2GUN both resign. Net Managers established: WDN/Morning AF2K NM K2BCL, ANM WDN/Early ND2S NM AA2ED ANM WDN/Late WI2G NM
August 1, 1994	WI2G resigns as WDN/L NM, WB2DYJ appointed new WDN/L NM with N2TOY new ANM.
April 1, 1995	WB2OWO resigns as THIN Coordinator.
May 1, 1995	N2JRS becomes new WDN/E Net Manager as ND2S resigns.
June 15, 1996	WDN Observes 20th year of continuous operation and enters third decade.
August 1, 1996	KB2TIY appointed WDN/L Net Manager as WB2DYJ resigns; KB2UQZ becomes ANM. N2TOY becomes new VHF THIN Manager.
July 1, 1998	WB2UQZ (now W2GUT) appointed WDN/L NM as KB2TIY resigns.
July 1, 1999	KB2VVD appointed WDN/M NM as AF2K resigns.
July 28, 2001	KA2IWK appointed WDN/M NM as KB2VVD resigns.
July 1, 2004	KB2DQ appointed WDN/L NM as W2GUT resigns.
June 15, 2006	Celebrated WDN 30th Anniversary on the 6:30 Net.
July 1, 2006	KB2DQ appointed Simplex NM as AF2K resigns.
February 1, 2007	KB2DQ appointed WDN/M NM as KA2IWK resigns.
May 1, 2007	KB2DQ resigns as WDN/M, WDN/L and WDN/Simplex NM and N2JRS Takes Over As WDN NM and the Morning Net and Early Net Sessions are Discontinued.
Sept. 23, 2007	The 146.640 Repeater is Down - Using 145.450 Repeater.
January 1, 2008	KB2DQ appointed WDN NM as N2JRS resigns.
August 7, 2008	The 146.640 Repeater is Back Up.
November 1, 2008	The 146.640 Repeater is Down - Using 145.170 Repeater.
Nov. 15, 2008	Last night for Simplex Night as Simplex Night is Discontinued.
January 6, 2009	The 146.640 Repeater is Back Up.
July 22, 2009	The 146.640 Repeater is Down - Using 145.170 Repeater.
Dec. 19, 2009	The 146.640 Repeater is Back Up - Still Using 145.170 Repeater. Obtained Permission From BARRA to Use the 145.170 on a Permanent Basis.
April 10, 2010	Start Early Net Session (6:30 pm) on Saturday and Sunday, KB2DQ Appointed as WDN/E NM.
January 1, 2011	It is with deep sadness and regret to report that Western District Net founder Donald C. Partis, WA2AIV, of Batavia, NY became a Silent Key January 1, 2011 at age 74.
March 7, 2011	N2WKT Appointed Assistant Net Manager.
June 26, 2011	End Early Net Session (6:30 pm) on Saturday and Sunday.
July 23, 2012	KC2VUX Appointed Net Manager for the VHF Thin Net as W2GUT resigns. KB2DQ Appointed Assistant Net Manager for the VHF Thin Net.
July 23, 2012	KB2YAA Appointed Assistant Net Manager for the VHF Thin Net as W2GUT resigns.
Sept. 1, 2013	KB2DQ Steps Down as Net Manager for the WDN. (Temporary Health Reasons.) KC2FEN Appointed Temporary Net Manager for the WDN.
Sept. 29, 2013	KC2VUX Resigns as Net Manager for the VHF Thin Net. KB2DQ Appointed Net Manager for the VHF Thin Net.
Oct. 16, 2013	KC2FEN Resigns as Net Manager for the WDN. KB2DQ Appointed Net Manager for the WDN.
April 1, 2014	KB2DQ Resigns as Net Manager for the WDN. (Health Reasons.) N2WKT Appointed Temporary Net Manager for the WDN.
June. 1, 2014	N2WKT Resigns as Temporary Net Manager for the WDN. KB2VVD Appointed Net Manager for the WDN.
June. 1, 2014	KB2YAA Appointed Assistant Net Manager for the WDN.
Oct. 1, 2014	N2LJM Appointed Section Manager for WNY Section.
Feb. 23, 2016	K2RMF Appointed Section Traffic Manager for WNY Section.
November 1, 2016	KB2VVD steps down as Net Manager to become Assistant Net Manager. KB2YAA steps up from Assistant Net Manager to Net Manager for the WDN.
September 14, 2019	KD2IWN takes over from W2WDD (formerly KB2VVD) as assistant net manager.
November 6, 2020	K2RMF Resigned as Section Traffic Manager. K2EAG Appointed Section Traffic Manager for WNY Section.
March 19, 2021	W2ZXN Appointed as Assistant Section Traffic Manager for WNY Section

146.640 and WDN Origins

The Western District Net was the brainchild of Bart Bridge, W2ZYQ. In 1973, a group met at the home of Allen Capwell, WA2GVM, Sheriff of Wyoming County and made plans for a new repeater. Bart was a Commercial Sales Manager for General Electric radio systems, and obtained a reconditioned GE Mastr II repeater which was donated to the Western District Office of NY Civil Defense, now the State Emergency Management Office. W2ZIA/R (now WA2CAM/R) was activated on 146.04/64 in October, 1975.

Since the original meeting in 1973, the philosophy was, and continues to be of a state-owned repeater, tested daily and available to public service agencies in the Western District as a backup to government communications.

By the summer of 1976, I had eight years of operating with the NYS CW Traffic Net, NY State RACES Net, and Navy-Marine Corps MARS. While operating during the Hurricane Agnes disaster in 1972, I had heard some really terrible procedures. I realized that the amateurs of Western New York needed some training in handling messages and now there was a means for doing so.

As the RACES Radio Officer for Western District, and with a repeater owned by New York, there was no one to tell me I couldn't use 15 to 30 minutes to run a net. I called the first session of the WDN at 0133Z, June 15, 1976. The net began running Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 0130Z for liaison with NYS, and had continually increasing attendance. On August 9, 1976, the WDN became a daily net and has continued to grow, train operators and serve the public ever since.

Except for my two sons, I am most proud of having created the WDN.

Don Partis, WA2AIV

Updated June 2016