If you’ve got your Foundation licence and you’re looking for a fun, low-pressure way to get on the air this August, I’ve got just the thing for you. The International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend (ILLW) is coming up on 15 and 16 August, and it’s one of my favourite events on the amateur radio calendar. More than 500 lighthouse entries from over 40 countries get activated every year, which means there’s plenty to listen for, plenty to work, and a ready-made reason to get the radio out on what’s hopefully still a sunny weekend.

What Is the ILLW?

The ILLW has been running since 1998, which makes it one of the longest-established special event contests in the hobby. The idea is simple: operators set up amateur radio stations at or near lighthouses and lightships around the world, and the rest of us try to make contact with as many of them as possible over the 48-hour window. It runs from 0001 UTC on Saturday 15 August through to 2400 UTC on Sunday 16 August, so you’ve got plenty of time to dip in and out.

The event is completely free to enter and there’s no membership requirement. If you want to check who’s operating from where, the official website at illw.net lists all the registered activations ahead of time. You can spend a few minutes before the weekend checking which UK lighthouses are going to be on the air, and maybe even plan a day out if any of them are nearby.

What’s It Like to Chase Lighthouses?

For most Foundation licence holders, the easiest way to enjoy the ILLW is as a chaser. That means you’re at home (or portable, if you like) trying to work as many lighthouse stations as you can. The stations can be on HF, VHF, or UHF, so whatever kit you’ve got, there’s likely something to hear. If you’ve got an HF radio, 40 metres and 20 metres are usually the busiest bands during the event. If you’re VHF-only, keep an ear on the 2 metre calling frequency (144.300 MHz SSB) and you may well catch a portable lighthouse station fairly close to home.

There’s no complex exchange to learn. A typical ILLW contact is short and sweet: you give your callsign, signal report, and that’s more or less it. Perfect for anyone who’s still building their confidence on air.

Could You Actually Activate a Lighthouse?

This is the part that makes the ILLW genuinely exciting. Unlike some events where you need a lot of kit, activating a lighthouse for the ILLW is very much within reach of Foundation licence holders. You just need to operate from a location at or near a lighthouse or lightship, so even operating from the car park of a coastal lighthouse with a handheld or a simple portable HF rig counts.

If you fancy having a go, the process is straightforward: register your activation on illw.net, pick your lighthouse, and head out with your radio. Many UK lighthouse activations are done by small groups, so if your local club is involved, this could be a brilliant first portable operating experience. There’s something genuinely special about running a station from a historic lighthouse with the sea in the background.

Worth noting: the Association of Lighthouse Keepers runs their own International Lighthouse Heritage Weekend at the same time, so you might find some lighthouses hosting open days. That can make for a lovely combined trip with the family, even if you’re just listening rather than transmitting.

And Later in August: British Inland Waterways on the Air

If you get a taste for special event operating from the ILLW, there’s another event to look forward to right at the end of the month. British Inland Waterways on the Air runs from 29 to 31 August and encourages amateurs to get out of the shack and operate from the UK’s canals and rivers. Again, it’s a great excuse for a portable outing, and you don’t need any special equipment beyond your normal licence and a radio.

August is shaping up to be a cracking month for getting on the air. Between the ILLW and Inland Waterways, there are two very different reasons to try portable operating, explore a new band, or simply fire up the radio and see who’s about.

Getting Ready for 15 August

If you want to make the most of the ILLW this year, here’s what I’d suggest doing now:

• Head to illw.net and browse the list of registered activations, especially any UK ones
• Check your radio is working and you know how to operate on the bands you’re planning to use
• If you’re chasing on HF, have a look at which bands tend to be open at the times you plan to operate
• If you fancy activating, contact your local club to see if anyone is organising a group activation

The ILLW is one of those events that reminds you just how much fun amateur radio can be. Hundreds of stations on the air from historic locations around the world, all of it completely free to take part in, and no prior experience needed beyond a valid licence. I’ll be listening out, and I’d love to hear how you get on.

73 de M0LGI