The International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend (ILLW) has been held on the third full weekend each August since 1998. This year the event will be held this coming weekend on August 17-18.
The ILLW website (https://illw.net/) describes the event as follows:
“The ILLW attracts over 500 lighthouse entries located in over 40 countries. It is one of the most popular international Amateur Radio events in existence probably because there are very few rules and it is not the usual contest type event. It is also free and there are no prizes for contacting large numbers of other stations. There is little doubt that the month of August has become Lighthouse Month due largely to the popularity and growth of the ILLW.”
Plans are underway for a number of lighthouse activations on Prince Edward Island by the Maritime Lighthouse Amateur Radio Group (MLARG) using the call sign VY2PLH.
One planned activation by Bernie Cormier, VE9BGC and George Dewar, VY2GF, will be at Point Prim (CAN 809) and there is also the possibility of an activation at Cape Bear (CAN 092).
MLARG activities can be followed on https://www.facebook.com/groups/MLARG/.
On their Facebook page Bernie,VE9BGC, has posted the following update:
“Hi All, Well the countdown is on. George and I will be activating the Point Prim lighthouse in PEI this weekend for ILLW. I should be there around 11 pm. As usual we will have the 20m/15m vertical with the Rocket as a reflector aiming to Europe.
We will also have the 40m vertical and a 2m 7 element yagi. We will have another group of hams activating Cape Bear lighthouse. Alan Beck, Darrell MacArthur and Doug Silliker will do the honours. It will be a fun weekend for sure. If anybody wants to visit or help let me know.”
If you would like more information please contact George Dewar at or .
For more information on the ILLW event visit: https://illw.net/
The PEI Lighthouse Society (http://www.peilighthousesociety.ca/) lists in excess of 50 sites. For more information please visit: http://www.peilighthousesociety.ca/
Note: Several lighthouses in Canada are considered to be Historic Sites and qualify for the Canadian National Parks On The Air event. Please visit their website for more information: https://cnpota.ca