reports 2002

From Mike Dalrymple GM4SUC

Now my weekend was spent at GB2LT. Aerials went up on the Friday and the
majority of us went home to our bed on the Friday night but a couple of the
lads stayed in a caravan and started playing radio at 01.00 local. One
point I am going to check on, one of the lads that stayed the night had the
GB2LT licence and it said valid 17 and 18 August 2002. When does that mean
it starts. 0001 Local or 0001 GMT That question greeted me when I
arrived on the Saturday morning and I said Don't know !!!
Anyway we had one main station QRV on 20m SSB and it had 718 contacts and
29 lighthouses. A couple of Old Timers disappeared into another shack and
played 40m CW. Do not know the numbers because they were computer logging
and as yet I don't have their log. Some activity on 40m SSB 11 contacts /
4 lighthouses. 17m CW had 15 contacts and 15M CW/SSB had 22 contacts with
3 lighthouses.
Weather was reasonable Saturday but on the Sunday we had rain. It was that
type of rain that got everywhere and by 1500 Local every was starting to
think of home. We started taking down the aerials leaving 20 m till last
and at 1600 local we lowered the ground plane for 20m. Everything packed
away then the 'bloody' sun came out and we had a superb evening. That was
GB2LT for the year 2002. We will naturally be there again in 2003.

73 Mike GM4SUC

Last weekend we, PA6VLD, had a lovely ILLW. For the second time the weekend was a great succes. The HF and 6 m bands were not what we wished, we had much QRN. The 2 m and 70 cm were great.

We have the intention that the ILLW will be a regular part of our activities. Therefor we want to know what are the dates for next years. ( Meanwhile I've seen for 2003 it will be 16 and 17 august ). Is the weekend always the 3 weekend of august or does it differ with other radio-activities. If you know something about that we appreciat to know that, for making agreements and planning our holidays.

We just closed the station and returned home as we
are all at work on Monday again. We worked around
900 QSO's and had many pile-ups to JA and South
America overnight. We also as a couple of VK's around
2pm your time that were 59+++. Excellent fun was had by
all involved. Check the web site, or my own (www.mm0ant.co.uk)
for updates and photo's maybe Monday evening.

Robert
GB2LN

Hi Kevin
We had a great time @ AUS-098/099 heaps of pile ups and over 300++ in the log.
I shall send you a CD with T32ir & 098/099

THANK YOU for your help once again mate

:-) Paul VK3DK

* * ILLW International Lighthouse / Lightship Weekend.
An excellent weekend was enjoyed by all participants at lights we worked.
About 16 operators assisted at five lighthouses.
These were Point Danger, Cape Byron, Ballina, Evans Head and Yamba.
Fingal Head was not worked, we could not get operators near here.
Better luck next year. Thanks to all who could help.

Evans Head topped the score with 32 lights, Cape Byron got 15.
About 30 lights operated around VK, over 320 worldwide.
Unfortunately once the RD Contest started, the more powerful fixed stations
tramped all over the portable LH stations making contacts very difficult.
The first rain we have had for over two months came this weekend.
Cleared now (Sunday night), seems normal. Hihi.
Made working uncomfortable, Ballina got very wetted.

Thanks to all who asisted, especially for the authorities controlling the
lighthouses.
They cooperated fully assisting however they could.
National Parks at Cape Byron are looking to next year and have invited us
back.
Especially after we take over their area and drape them with aerials etc.
They made Sunday a special day with Lighthouse tours and opened the Museum.
We were visited by a JA and a GB ham and many others saw us.
NBN TV included us in the Lighthouse spot on Ch 9 News Sunday.
Time now to plan for next year.
Pic attached, others on the web during the week.
SARCFEST pics now on the web as 'Sarcfest 2002'
http://au.photos.yahoo.com/sarc_arc

thanks very much for this information and hope that you enjoyed International Lighthouse Day. I am receiving reports from all over the place and it appears to have gone very well indeed - and we will be doing it all again next year too!

I managed to get down to East Anglia to visit Cromer and Happisburgh on the day and also managed to fit in some quality birdwatching while I was at it (sorry, yes, sad individual that I am)

Kevin, this was the best yet ! We had an excellent weekend ! But what a
pity we couldn't make it. We have not had a VK lighthouse yet !!! We
called you on Saturday but no go. I must confess, I was so tired I
missed the first Sunday skeds. I got to bed at 0300 local and up again
at 0730 and looked for you. The band was beginning to close to VK by the
time I got myself out of first gear. Maybe we can do it from the home
QTH and also try again next year. I also had a sked with a WA8 station
but didn't hear him anywhere. He was backpacking and working with
batteries carried to the location and living in a tent !!!
USA was very weak from here except for the first two hours on Saturday.
The rest of the time there were one or two getting through. Europe was
the problem as far as DX goes - a continuous pile-up wanting the
lighthouse and EU012.
I didn't know about the first International lighthouse Day on Sunday. I
must have a look at web page.
Sharma put some pictures of the weekend on the Internet at
http://www.eshanesslighthouse.co.uk/radio02.htm
I'll speak to Sharma about next year a bit later in the year. We are all
still reeling and recovering from this year, Hi !

Catch you later Kevin. We'll do it yet !

Peter
MM5PSL

A big "thank you" for organising ILLW 2002 - I had a grand time
operating from Dassen Island Lighthouse and I'm sure the weekend was
likewise enjoyed by thousands of amateurs.

Thanks and vy 73
Andrew ZS1AN