Lighthouses connect across the world

Amateur radio enthusiasts around the world took part in International Lighthouse Lightship (ILLW) last weekend. A medical emergency meant the Fish River lighthouse missed out on the occasion, however.

During August countries all over the world become involved in one or another of lighthouse activity. Some years ago the United States Congress declared August 7 as their National Lighthouse Day and during August amateur radio operators set up portable stations at lighthouses and endeavour to make contact with each other. This event is known as the US National Lighthouse Week. Bloemfontein amateur radio enthusiast Dennis Green said “The radio amateurs set-up a portable amateur radio station at the lighthouse and then proceed to make contact with other amateur radio operators including radio amateurs at the other registered lighthouses. Not only here in South Africa, but also across the world. The radio amateur puts up a mast and antenna, connects up his radio to a battery or 220V and then gets on the air.”

The Bloemfontein resident said he had planned to come down to Port Alfred and then activate the Great Fish Lighthouse but a family member had to undergo surgery.

Green said the International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend usually takes place on the third full weekend in August each year and attracts over 500 lighthouse entries located in more than 40 countries. It is one of the most popular international amateur radio events. It is also free and there are no prizes for contacting large numbers of other stations.

Three hundred and forty-eight (348) lighthouses in 45 countries were set to participate in the event: Germany leads with 70 lighthouses, followed by the USA with 41, Australia with 38, England with 19 and South Africa with 17 lighthouses. Austria with 1 and Switzerland with 2 lighthouses also appear in the list.

Radio amateurs were active from the following lighthouses in South Africa: Hondeklip Bay; Doringbaai; Cape Columbine; North Head and South Head at Saldanha Bay; Green Point Lighthouse in Cape Town (the 24th year it is activated); Slangkop; Roman Rock; Cape Hangklip; Danger Point; Cape Agulhas; Cape St Blaize; Cape St Francis; Cape Recife; Cooper Light; Umhlanga Rocks and Tugela Lighthouse.