IARS

It’s International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend this weekend the 16th -17th August 2008.

As in past years, the Illawarra Amateur Radio Society and the Blue Mountains Amateur Radio Club, will again be manning the Point Perpendicular Lighthouse at Jervis Bay to celebrate this historic event.    The unmanned solar light will be switched off and the ‘old’ original light will again be lit by our friends from Lighthouses of Australia, 

From it’s 93 metre vantage point atop the cliff face at Jervis Bay, the 1,200,000 candle power beam of the Point Perpendicular light will again be seen for 42 kilometres.  This is only the third time the light has been lit since it’s decommissioning 1993 when the new smaller solar powered light was commissioned.  The volunteers from Lighthouses of Australia work tirelessly throughout the year in the preservation of the historic lights dotting the Australian coastline. 

The IARS will be manning all bands from 160 through to 23cm.  Listen for us around the call channels or use the Coast Link Repeater System for liaison, we’ll be using and listening out for the club callsign, VK2AMW on:-  146.650 MHz south to Bateman’s Bay, 146.975 MHz in the Nowra /Southern Highlands area, and 146.850 MHz in the Wollongong / Sydney area.   IRLP node 6018 and Echolink Node 325276 will also be in operation onsite.   The station will be manned around the clock for the event.

If you would like to visit the historic lighthouse and take up the very rare opportunity to actually see the light in operation, or visit the IARS station and see how radio communications are carried out around the world, follow these directions to the lighthouse .   Day trip visitors are very welcome, bring the family and have a good day out.   If you would like to register to stay overnight at the station you need to attend the IARS meeting on Tuesday evening at 7.30pm at Industry World Visitors Centre, Springhill Road, Coniston to register or contact the Secretary or Assistant Secretary.  There are strictly limited places overnight.  Remember this meeting is also our AGM, support your club attend the AGM.  

Further information:- secretary

To register your club or station for the ILLW event, or to see what other lighthouses are involved this year, follow this link to the Official International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend web site.

The Illawarra Amateur Radio Society sincerley thanks the Department of Defence for the use of the Point Perpendicular facilities for this important international event. The Royal Australian Navy are the custodians of the Point Perpendicular Light and do a sterling job in the preservation of this important historic building.