06/28/2006 | W5FYV A historic Field Day for northwest Arkansas as the Washington County EOC came on-line with amateur radio equipment for the first time, and hosted both the state section manager, Dave Norris, K5UZ, and the state emergency coordinator, JM Rowe, N5XFW. The catalyst for the 1F station was the county's director of emergency services, John Luther, who also was one of the "newest" hams taking part in the exercise -- KE5IGG received his license about a month earlier. Open to all hams in the county, the EOC stayed on-line for the whole 24 hour period and picked up considerable public relations exposure for Field Day. Three amateurs served as shift leaders and control operators for the event -- Arkansas District L DEC Bill Smith, K1ARK; Washington County EC Larry Rankin, KI5OY; and Washington County Assistant EC Bill Sergeant, KA5MTC. The callsign used for the event was the Arkansas Air Museum club, W5FYV, which is carries the Fayetteville, Ark., airport code -- FYV -- in the call. By this fall, the EOC will be active in the SET under its own club call of WC5AR -- Washington County 5 Arkansas. -- K1ARK