HAMs Broadcast Worldwide from Lighthouse

A special feature of the hugely successful Oyster Festival on St. George Island over Columbus Day weekend was the participation of amateur radio operators from Georgia who transmitted worldwide from the Cape St. George Light.

Control center in the Keeper's House.

An 11-member team from the Kennehoochee Amateur Radio Club near Atlanta held their second Lighthouse Expedition at the historic Cape St. George Lighthouse and made contact with over 2,000 HAM radio stations from all over the world.

The team tied a five-foot line to the lantern room railing, and attached a wire antenna connecting to a nearby high point.  The primary antenna supported multiple lines that accommodated additional antennas for round-the-clock radio operations.

An operations tent was set up on the lawn next to the lighthouse and visitors were able to view the activities, listen in on the broadcasts, and learn about HAM radio communications.  A 24-hour communications center was set up in the conference room of the Keeper’s House.

Kennehoochee team leader Ricky DeLuco said, “The purpose of this event was to promote public awareness of lighthouses and lightships, to publicize the contribution they and their keepers have made to maritime safety, to emphasize the need to preserve and restore light beacons as a historical necessity, to promote amateur radio, and to foster international goodwill.”

He said that thousands of HAM operators make a special hobby of “chasing lighthouses and islands.”  A website accessible to HAM operators included extensive historical information
on the Cape St. George Light, accessible under the event call sign of K4L.

Posted by Kemp Terry - Saturday, 10/08/11, 12:45 PM - Comments - Category: News

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