NWS and Amateur Radio Operators Simulate
Emergency Operations in West Texas

Amateur radio operators Colton Christopher (KE5DXX) and David Naugher (KE5GEB), Thomas Naugher, WFO Lubbock WCM Brian LaMarre (KE5GEP) and Greg Varoff (KE5BZT) (Photos: WFO Lubbock)

(June 24, 2006) -- The South Plains Storm Spotting Team and the National Weather Service Forecast office in Lubbock, Texas participated in the 2006 annual Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) Field Day. The team set up amateur radio equipment and antennas in Lubbock's Wolfforth Park.

The ARRL Field Day is open to all amateurs throughout the continental Unites States, 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) to learn to operate under field conditions designed to simulate 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!