06/28/2006 | W5DDL With a long standing tradition of Field Day activities, the Acadiana Amateur Radio Association set out to reinvigorate their annual entry in Field Day 2006. All club members participation in every aspect was of the utmost importance, and this year was a resounding success.

Members and former members gathered at Gossen Memorial Park in Rayne, La. to cheer on, support, and operate in W5DDLs Field Day station. Two trailers were set up, both running from generator power, in order to protect our well decorated list of operators from the sweltering Louisiana daytime heat and world famous nighttime mosquito population. Support personnel came from far and wide to assemble antennas, raise towers, repair coax connectors, supply food and drinks and to show our newcomers what Ham Radio was all about. Boys from our local Boy Scout Troop along with their leader came out to help setup, operate, and learn about Ham Radio. Through word of mouth and a blitz of advertising prior to the weekend, we received guests from all over the Acadiana area who wanted to simply visit and or operate, opening a whole new world of ham radio to plenty of them.

W5DDL operated in the 2A class, along with bonus points earned from the GOTA station, satellite contacts, solar powered contacts, ARRL officials, Traffic Net participation, digital contacts, section manager messages, public location event staging, information table, ARRL handouts, and numerous other Field Day requirements aimed at enhancing our public awareness and maximizing our score.

The weekends events were wrapped up on Sunday with a huge bar-b-que, giving our well-deserved operators and support personnel a relaxing moment to sit and unwind, as well as an opportunity for all club members to enjoy one anothers company and swap tall tales.

http://www.w5ddl.org -- KI5XP