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Next: Ten Reasons To Do ARRL Field Day 2005

1. HAVE FUN! Bring together a group of like-minded hams for 24 hours of setting up equipment, eating, operating radios like persons possessed, eating, telling old war stories, eating, telling new war stories, eating, seeing who can stay up the longest and, oh yes, eating!

2. TEST OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS! Take the radio equipment from our cool, comfortable homes and set it up in the middle of nowhere (well, sort of). Texas in late June? Hot, hot, hot! Where else but South Texas can you have a cold front, a heat wave, a drought and a flood all in the same day! Power the operation with my noisy generator, the one with the rusted out muffler. This will help in keeping everybody awake for the entire field day.

3. SHARE OUR LOVE OF HAM RADIO WITH THE PUBLIC! Set up our operation around the University of Texas Health Science Center's gazebo as we have in the past. With the picnic grounds, ball fields and 24 hour lighted running track; we will be surrounded by the public during the entire operation. And when that one person comes up to you and asks " what channel you on, good buddy?", offer him a cold soda, mass quantities of food and introduce him to the wonderful world of amateur radio.

4. INVITE ELECTED OFFICIALS! Demonstrate the various methods we employ in communicating with other parts of the country and the world. While you're at it, explain how antenna restrictions and BPL can be deleterious to emergency communications.

5. INVITE MEMBERS OF THE VARIOUS MEDIA! We are fortunate to have a local TV personality as an active member of the club. Let's challenge him to see which TV station will give us the most on-the-air time.

6. SET UP OUR AMATEUR RADIO DISPLAY TABLE! Be sure to have an ample supply of club newsletters and pamphlets showing club meeting place and time, future ham radio classes and VE sessions. Display awards earned by various club members and be prepared to explain how they were obtained. Post pictures of our past activities, but please don't post the picture of me asleep at the mike during the last field day!

7. GET ON GOTA! It was easy to spot our GOTA setup last year. It was the one with a line of people eagerly waiting their turn at the mike! If they are not members of our club, invite them to our next club meeting. Be sure to get their name, address, phone number, blood type, DNA sample, next of kin...
   

   ARRL is committed to support Affiliated Clubs in their efforts to mentor new hams. [Full Story]

8. PERSONALLY INVITE NEWLY LICENSED HAMS! Extend a personal invitation to any newly licensed hams that you may know. This also holds true for anyone you know that may be interested in amateur radio. Inform them that their assistance is needed at the field day site. There are many duties they can assist with, such as; help keep logs current, check the barbecue fire, fill in for operators while they eat (next to the rig, of course), baste the barbecue, help in the erection of antennas, turn the 100 pounds of barbecue meat, operate HF at the GOTA station, carve the barbecue, keep the operators awake during the late hours and take home 2 pounds of barbecue, 1 pound of potato salad, half a loaf of day old bread and three cans of warm sodas.

9. MOST OF ALL, HAVE FUN!!!

Previous: CNCS Emergency Communication Training Grant News

Next: Ten Reasons To Do ARRL Field Day 2005