DNA contacts occur between helix-1 and the loop between helicees 3 and 4. Download the program, install it according to the instructions provided at the download site. Place a copy of the PDB file and the script file in the same directory as the Rasmol executable file on your system. While the script is running you can rotate the view. After it is finished, which you will know by the Rasmol prompt showing up, you can issue your own commands to change the view as you please.
Activators are sequence specific DNA binding proteins.
For example, consider the lambda regulatory protein Cro. DNA surfaces increases entropy to drive these binding reactions too. Check out the assignments linked via individual student pages. Much of the communication between activators and E. coli polymerase is mediated between the CTD of a and these factors. For CAP, region 258-265 is important, with 261 being most crucial.