08/04/2006 | K5TYR Tyler State Park again hosted the TARC Field Day. The Blackjack camping area and pavilion was chosen for its height, open area and great facilities. The entire Texas Parks and Wildlife crew provided excellent service and support to our Field Day efforts. Several Hams either spent the weekend in RVs or the Park shelters. As with last year, setup began around 3:00 PM on Friday. New this year were signs from the Park entrance directing people to our location. As a result of the prep meetings, we were able to locate our stations to minimize interference. Antenna systems were planned out and erected on site utilizing KC5SMCs antenna trailer, N1EWs generator/tower trailer and N9JNs bucket truck. Since we had set up at the Park in previous years, it seemed to all that set up was easier this year. As usual, food and fellowship played an important role in the total FD experience. This year the decision was made to furnish all meals to anyone participating. Friday night supper was a Fish Fry. Don, WD5JLE and Bob, KC5SMC provided the fish and other Hams furnished the fixins. Mark, W5MCT and Ann, KD5VHO, were the chefs and kept the fish, fries and hushpuppies coming as everyone munched down. Saturday and Sunday mornings breakfasts were eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes and coffee, juice and milk. Nothing is better to start a morning than the smell of frying bacon in the open air. Saturday lunch was hotdogs and sausage links provided by and cooked by Vince, KE5CZM. It looked like a hotdog eating contest for a while. Saturday supper was our usual Potluck meal. One new push for Field Day this year was media coverage. Rusty, KD5YWD, was charged with getting substantial media coverage of the activities. Two weeks prior to FD, press releases and background information was faxed to the three local network TV affiliates. Follow-up calls were made to friends inside each of the TV stations to ask for assistance in obtaining coverage of the event. It worked as all three stations sent news crews to our site at Tyler State Park. Channel 19, the CBS affiliate, also conducted a live on-air interview with KC5SMC on The 10:00 oclock news on Saturday. All three stations carried stories twice on Saturday news programs. The Tyler Morning Telegraph had an article also. As a result of the media coverage, we had several guests show up on Sunday. We were very pleased with the accuracy and content of the broadcasts. They presented Amateur Radio in a very positive light. Our scores improved again this year, thanks in part to the GOTA station and support from the Boy Scouts. As the photos show, we did have some inclement weather, but overall the weekend was beautiful. We had 65 operators making contacts and many more visitors. All in all, the fellowship proved to be the best of Field Day for the K5TYR/W5ETX group. More info is available at www.tylerarc.com. More Pictures to follow. -- KD5YWD