CTARC International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend - 22 Aug '20

The Cape Town Amateur Radio Centre will once again take part in the International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend, on the weekend of Saturday/Sunday 22/23 August  at Green Point Lighthouse in Mouille Point, Cape Town - but with a difference. Owing to the Coronavirus lockdown requirements, the Lighthouse's premises are unavailable this year. However, we may nevertheless do the following...

Going Ahead With Social Distancing...

Members are welcome to set up their own stations and operate parked from their cars near the Green Point Lighthouse and are free to use the ZS1CT/L call sign provided they fill out a Google form and ask Rob ZS1SA our chairman for formal permission.

What is the ILLW? Is it a Contest?

The event is NOT a contest. There are no prizes, certificates or other enticements to participate and therefore, participation is free. Each station's operators decide how they will operate their station regards modes and bands. Participants are not committed to being on the air during the entire period - only as much as they can. There are no restrictions on aerials or power. We wish operators to enjoy themselves and have fun whilst making contact with as many amateur radio stations as possible. We request that stations take time to work other lighthouses or lightships as well as the slow operator, or the newly-licensed or QRP stations.

How close to the Lighthouse do I have to be?

As most available space in many lighthouses is usually filled to capacity, our activity does not have to take place inside the tower itself. Field day type set-up at the light or other building next to the light is OK. Our guidelines require that the station must be AT or ADJACENT TO the lighthouse. Adjacent means next to or as close as possible. The intention behind this requirement is that the station should have a visible presence to the passing public who may be visiting the lighthouse over the weekend.

Please note that the exchange is CALLSIGN (ZS1CT/L), Report, and lighthouse reference ZA0006. Kindly send your call logs to Chris ZS1CDG.

To register your intention to setup a station kindly fill in the Google logging form here: shorturl.at/fhkmo

Note: There is no access to mains electrical power at the lighthouse this year, so operators must provide their own power sources / batteries.

Chris ZS1CDG

CTARC International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend - 19/20 Aug '17

 

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It’s that time of year again when CTARC prepares for the International Lightship and Lighthouse weekend. This year it seems a bit later in the month but actually it’s not. It is always the third FULL weekend in August. For us down in the Southern Hemisphere it’s a time of cold weather and storms which makes it even more challenging.

​Once again we have arranged to man the Green Point lighthouse from the Saturday morning of 19 August until mid-day Sunday of 20 August. We have repeated this so often now that our Lighthouse team manages to do the set-up and take-down with military precision but we still need manpower from our members, especially around 10:00 on Saturday morning in order to get our beam antenna raised.

Even if you are not taking part in the Lighthouse weekend, it would be appreciated if club members could come and assist with the set up at Green Point on Saturday morning 19 August 10h00 and for take down on Sunday, 20th August at 11h00. (Committee members will meet at the clubhouse at 08h30 on Saturday morning to load antennas and equipment).

We will be having our very popular and always well attended Sunset Bring n Braai on the Saturday evening so even if you are not planning to operate, please join us and bring the XYL along for this social event. Bring your meat, rolls and salads etc; along.

We need operators for the event so please pop in and grab a mike or key and make a few contacts with us, it’s always great fun.

If you are planning on staying over (the more the merrier,) then please do let me know soonest and I can arrange enough room for us all. We already have 5 staying over this year, which is great news.

See you there.

Rob, ZS1SA

CTARC Lighthouse Weekend Video - 20 Aug '16

Matt / ZS1MTF shot a time-lapse video of the CTARC members assembling their rotatable beam antenna at the International Lighthouse / Lightship Weekend on 20 / 21 August 2016.

Watch the video on YouTube [here].

CTARC Lighthouse Weekend - 20/21 Aug '16

It’s that time of year again when CTARC prepares for the International Lightship and Lighthouse weekend. This year it seem a bit later in the month but actually it’s not. It is always the third FULL weekend in August. For us down in the Southern Hemisphere it’s a time of cold weather and storms which makes it even more challenging.

Once again we have arranged to man the Green Point lighthouse from the Saturday morning of 20 August until mid-day Sunday of 21 August. We have repeated this so often now that our Lighthouse team manages to do the set-up and take-down with military precision but we still need manpower from our members, especially around 10:00 on Saturday morning in order to get our beam antenna raised.

Even if you are not taking part in the Lighthouse weekend, it would be appreciated if club members could come and assist with the set up at Green Point on Saturday morning 20 August 10h00 and for take down on Sunday at 11h00. (Committee members will meet at the clubhouse at 08h30 on Saturday morning to load antennas and equipment).

We will be having our very popular and always well attended Sunset Bring n Braai on the Saturday evening so even if you are not planning to operate, please join us and bring the XYL along for this social event.

We need operators for the event so please pop in and grab a mike or key and make a few contacts with us, it’s always great fun.

See you there.

Rob ZS1SA

(CTARC Chairman)

CTARC Green Point Lighthouse 1925 - Sep '15

This photo of the (unadorned) Green Point Lighthouse (where the CTARC participates in the annual International Lighthouse / Lightship weekend), was taken some time in 1925, and supplied by John / ZS1AGH. Grateful thanks for same!

You may note there have been several structural changes in the building since then...

CTARC Lighthouse Weekend - 15 / 16 Aug '15

At the recent CTARC Committee Meeting held on Monday 20 July 2015, we learned that the Mouille Point Lighthouse is now confirmed as being reserved for CTARC use on the International Lighthouse / Lightship Weekend of 15 / 16 August 2015.

The official website for this event is http://illw.net/

This event takes place after our main AGM on 25 July. We will need the assistance of our members to transport the antennas and equipment from the clubhouse in Rondebosch on the morning of Saturday 15 August, to erect the antennas at the Mouille Point lighthouse in time to start operating at midday, to man the field station throughout the operating period up to midday of Sunday 16 August. And to help disassemble the antennas and transport them back the CTARC clubhouse that afternoon.

The lighthouse weekend is always a good occasion. We look forward to seeing you there!