South Plains Storm Spotting Team, WX5LBB
National Weather Service – Lubbock Weather Forecast Office

By
Brian LaMarre, Warning Coordination Meteorologist
NWS Lubbock, TX

On Saturday, June 24, 2006, the South Plains Storm Spotting Team and the Lubbock National Weather Service Forecast Office participated in the 2006 annual Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) Field Day. The team arrived at Wolfforth Park Saturday morning to setup amateur radio equipment and antenna’s including a Delta Loop for 40m operations; a VHF/UHF vertical for 2m/70cm operations; and a 6m Yagi.

The ARRL Field Day is open to all amateurs in the areas of the American continent, the Caribbean, and some islands in the Pacific. The goal of the ARRL Field Day is to make contact with as many stations as possible on any and all amateur bands (excluding the 60, 30, 17, and 12-meter bands) and in doing so to learn to operate in field conditions, thus simulating emergency operations. A premium is placed on developing skills to meet the challenges of emergency preparedness as well as to acquaint the general public with the capabilities of Amateur Radio.

Numerous stations were worked across the entire country, ranging from the West Coast with California and Oregon to the East Coast with Maine to Florida – and several in between!

Participating members of the 2006 Field Day from the South Plains Storm Spotting Team and the Lubbock National Weather Service Forecast Office consisted of the following amateur radio operators:

Kendall Stanalad, WX5EMT
Bruce Haynie, NW5S
Tim Wetzel, KA5FSJ
Toby Wetzel, KA5IIH
Jason Slay, K5FYI
Steve Slay, KC5MVY
Greg Varoff, KE5BZT
Colton Ancell, KE5DXX
Norman Burge, KE5DAK
David Naugher, KE5GEF
Brian LaMarre, KE5GEP

The following photographs were taken during the 2006 annual ARRL Field Day: