▁to ▁carry ▁the ▁para de ▁b ann ers ▁down ▁the ▁route . ▁Each ▁year , ▁for ▁the ▁last ▁ 3 5 ▁years , ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 ▁sc outs ▁have ▁participated . ▁ ▁The ▁Tournament ▁of ▁Ros es ▁Radio ▁Am ateurs ▁( T OR RA ) ▁provided ▁audio ▁communic ations ▁and ▁video ▁co - ord ination ▁for ▁the ▁para de ▁officials ▁through ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁Am ateur ▁radio ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁With ▁over ▁ 3 0 0 ▁ham ▁radio ▁operators ▁in ▁T OR RA ▁there ▁were ▁several ▁ham ▁radio ▁sites ▁along ▁the ▁para de ▁route ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁amateur ▁television ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁ 2 - way ▁ham ▁rad ios . ▁Several ▁mobile ▁units ▁– ▁including ▁motor cy cles ▁and ▁ped est rian ▁units ▁( c ree pie - pe ep ies ) ▁provided ▁the ▁video ▁coverage . ▁With ▁modern ▁technology ▁and ▁cell ▁phone ▁service , ▁T OR RA ▁was ▁no ▁longer ▁needed . ▁ ▁Th ous ands ▁more ▁volunte ers ▁help ▁cover ▁the ▁flo ats ▁in ▁those ▁beautiful ▁flower ▁and ▁seed ▁mix es ▁during ▁" Dec o ▁week ," ▁Dec ▁ 2 6 - ▁para de ▁day . ▁Many ▁of ▁these ▁come ▁back ▁year ▁after ▁year , ▁some ▁even ▁camp ▁nearby ▁to ▁help ▁all ▁week ▁long . ▁ ▁We ather ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁Tournament ▁of ▁Ros es ▁Par ade ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 ▁( it ▁is ▁always ▁held ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 ▁when ▁January ▁