International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend

International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend

AN ANNUAL AMATEUR RADIO WEEKEND EVENT.
CONDUCTED UNDER THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE AYR AMATEUR RADIO GROUP, (AARG), SCOTLAND.

HELD ON THE THIRD FULL WEEKEND IN AUGUST.

WEBSITE MAINTAINED BY EVENT ORGANIZER KEVIN, VK2CE.
This year: 20-21 August 2011 - Duration 48 hours
Next Year: 18-19 August 2012 - Duration 48 hours

Welcome to the web site for the ILLW. This annual amateur radio event was started in Scotland in 1995 by the late Mike Dalrymple (GM4SUC) and other members of Ayr Amateur Radio Group (AARG). Today the group is committed to the longterm ownership, development, administration and non-commercial operation of the event on behalf of the world-wide radio amateur community. Through its efforts in these areas AARG hopes to ensure that the ILLW and Mike's dream (of a premier international goodwill event) shall continue for many years in a truly amateur environment. The fact that some 85 countries have been represented in this event since inception clearly shows that this goal has been well and truly achieved.

The event came into being from the Scottish Northern Lighthouses Award Weekend first held in 1994. See also the AARG web site for further history and here for the original ILLW web site and 1998 list by Bob Dixon, GM3ZDH. Over the past 15 years it has continued to grow. To date more than 450 lighthouses and Lightships in some 50 countries around the world have participated in the event.

The event is always held on the 3rd full weekend in August starting at 0001 UTC on Saturday and finishing at 2359 UTC on Sunday. It also coincides on the Sunday with International Lighthouse Day an event organised by the International Association of Lighthouse Keepers whereby many world lighthouses are open to the public for the day.

PURPOSE

The basic objective of the event is to promote public awareness of lighthouses and lightships and their need for preservation and restoration, and at the same time to promote amateur radio and to foster International goodwill. Lighthouses are fast becoming an endagered species with the introduction of Glocal Positioning Systems and Satellite Navigation. It is hoped that this event will highlight this situation and help prevent further desecration of these magnificent structures all around the world.

So come and join us in the fun of the weekend, establish a station at a lighthouse, lightship or maritime beacon. The more the merrier. If you decide to join us in the fun just fill in the official online entry form with your details. This will enable other stations to be aware of who is participating in the event. You may also send you entry, or any questions regarding the rules, via the "Contact Us" link in the main menu.

ILLW LOGO

The logo appearing at the top of the ILLW.net web pages is a registered Trade Mark. It may only be used with the approval of the owners of the Trade Mark. Generally speaking, the ILLW.net entrants may use the logo without express written permission on their web sites, QSL cards or certificates as this usage is within the spirit of the event and to its benefit. For other uses, contact the Trade Mark owner through the "Contact Us" link.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

The organisers of the ILLW, the AARG Scotland, would like to thank all entrants for their loyalty and support of this web site and the fact that they have lodged entries via the official online entry form. We hope you have a very enjoyable weekend and we look forward to your participation next year.

It has come to our notice that there is confusing information on certain other web sites relating to the timing and duration of a similarly titled event. The ILLW is and always has been held on the third full weekend in August since inception in 1995. It is NOT a contest nor does it run for a week. If you have received email soliciting your participation in an event/contest purporting to be the ILLW, please be advised that it did not originate from the Ayr Group or anyone associated with the ILLW.

See where the lighthouses are located with Google Earth. Click on the download button for the file.
You will need Google Earth (free) to view the file.download here.