International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend - August 18, 2012
On Saturday, August 18th the Thousand Islands Repeater Club participated in the 15th annual International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend (ILLW) by setting up and broadcasting from several amateur radio stations at the Tibbetts Point Lighthouse in Cape Vincent NY.
The ILLW, held annually on the 3rd full weekend in August, was started in Scotland in 1993 as a biennial event to bring attention to Scottish lighthouses. This grew into the international event it is today in 1998. This year over 470 entrants from 47 countries participated.
The Thousand Islands Repeater Club (TIRC) made over 50 contacts with 7 different licensed ham radio operators over the course of 7 hours of operating time. Contacts were made with lighthouses located as far away as the Netherlands and Alberta, Canada (and those were made, one right after the other!). Other contacts included Fire Island Lighthouse, Lorain Harbor Light in Ohio, Cape May Lighthouse in New Jersey, Lightship Nantucket in Rhode Island, and Point Vicente, California.
In addition to the radio contacts made, the TIRC had several dozen curious individuals stop by to ask about the antennas that were set up and to talk about amateur radio in general. Overall, the day was a complete success and we are looking forward to participating in the 16th annual Lighthouse and Lightship weekend next year!
Many thanks to the Town of Cape Vincent, the Tibbetts Point Lighthouse Historical Society and Hostel International at Tibbetts Point for allowing us to set up our antennas and radios at the Tibbetts Point Lighthouse.
On Saturday, August 18th the Thousand Islands Repeater Club participated in the 15th annual International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend (ILLW) by setting up and broadcasting from several amateur radio stations at the Tibbetts Point Lighthouse in Cape Vincent NY.
The ILLW, held annually on the 3rd full weekend in August, was started in Scotland in 1993 as a biennial event to bring attention to Scottish lighthouses. This grew into the international event it is today in 1998. This year over 470 entrants from 47 countries participated.
The Thousand Islands Repeater Club (TIRC) made over 50 contacts with 7 different licensed ham radio operators over the course of 7 hours of operating time. Contacts were made with lighthouses located as far away as the Netherlands and Alberta, Canada (and those were made, one right after the other!). Other contacts included Fire Island Lighthouse, Lorain Harbor Light in Ohio, Cape May Lighthouse in New Jersey, Lightship Nantucket in Rhode Island, and Point Vicente, California.
In addition to the radio contacts made, the TIRC had several dozen curious individuals stop by to ask about the antennas that were set up and to talk about amateur radio in general. Overall, the day was a complete success and we are looking forward to participating in the 16th annual Lighthouse and Lightship weekend next year!
Many thanks to the Town of Cape Vincent, the Tibbetts Point Lighthouse Historical Society and Hostel International at Tibbetts Point for allowing us to set up our antennas and radios at the Tibbetts Point Lighthouse.
