07/30/2008 | W2SEX Another "Successful" Field Day for the ARA Tonawands. This year, with the removal of the 'Demonstration' modes, saw our group with a 4F setup, and a dedicated "Digital Mode Station", as well as an "Traditional Field Day" 2nd Phone Station.

As with every event, snags arose quickly; some that were solved, and others that were created due to technical limitations; such as our efforts to wirelessing the stations together for logging. The key problem in this regard was linking the stations inside the North Tonawanda Fire Headquarters / Emergency Management Office - EOC with the lovingly titled "Jim N2UHJ Outdoor Experience" 2nd Phone Station. Being housed in a concrete and steel reinforced building with on-site backup power is nice for operating an EOC, but horrible for getting a wireless signal outside. Despite this set-back, all the stations were able to successfully get on the air and operate.

The Digital Station failed to meet expectations as it seemed initially interference from the two phone stations and CW station were overly problematic. It would turn out later when Tom KB2URI and Bill N2WUT were restoring the EOC Station to its regular configuration, and doing some antenna work, that the problem was actually a broken connector outside on the Delta Loop Antenna that caused the issue with the Digital Station. Hopefully the Wireless and Digital Station issues will not pose a problem for us next year.

On the Incredibly Positive front, thanks to the PR efforts of our Field Day Chairperson Jim N2UHJ, we once again secured 'Amateur Radio Week' proclamations from the serviced communities of the Cities of North Tonawanda, Tonawanda and the Town of Tonawanda, as well as a full front page article from our friends at the Tonawanda News, and a Brief Segment on local CBS Affiliate WIVB-TV Channel 4 in Buffalo during the 6pm Saturday News.

Several members of 'serviced agencies' stopped by as well, as Assistant Director of North Tonawanda Emergency Management Gerald Doucette helped to kick-off our 2008 Field Day, and was our traditional "first sign-in" for Field Day 2008. Also several members of the recently formed North Tonawanda CERT team stopped by for a visit and even sat down to operate, generating some additional and welcomed interest in Amateur Radio. Even our own Section Manager Scott Bauer, W2LC managed to pay us a visit.

All told, it was a great and fun Field Day for ARATS, and we'd like to thank all of our members and visitors who stopped by and took part in this year's event. -- KB2URI ARATS Preside