Lighthouse Christmas Lights QSO Party (LCL 2009) - KA4UDX works KA1IOR at East Chop Lighthouse Marthas Vineyard - Oak Bluffs, Mass. 14.252 Mhz USB

3. January 2010 by admin.

Well I wasn’t *there* but it was a thrill nonetheless…

I happened to be tuning around 20 meters on the ham (amateur radio) bands and happened across KA1IOR saying something about “activating” or “lighting up” a lighthouse in Cape Cod. So I stayed tuned … I didn’t touch that dial. Well I might have touched a few dials But I kept on monitoring … KA1IOR, you see, was a Special Event Station - and those are nice ones to get in the log. Because maybe, just maybe, you can get a QSL Card. That’s wall paper, like post cards, that amateur radio operators use to confirm a contact. And they are often quite unique (say just for such an event as this) and as often quite beautiful keepsakes. That and I’m in a marine business so it’s even more interesting. The occassion was:

http://arlhs.com/LCL-2009-guidelines.html

Lighthouse Christmas Lights QSO Party (LCL - 2009)

Which brings to “light” (pun intended) the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society on http://www.arlhs.com

I didn’t even know this existed. But it is rather interesting.

Where in the heck is this lighthouse? Where in the heck is East Chop anyway? You can bet my web browser went into overdrive trying to find the answers to those questions. I came across this:

http://www.nps.gov/history/maritime/Light/EastChop.htm

which says:

National Park Service
 
Inventory of Historic Light Stations
Massachusetts Lighthouses 
Back to Inventory - Home Page
Back to Inventory - List of Massachusetts Lighthouses
EAST CHOP (TELEGRAPH HILL) LIGHT

State: MASSACHUSETTS
Location: MARTHAS VINEYARD / VINEYARD HAVEN ENTRANCE
Nearest City: OAK BLUFFS
County: DUKES
U.S.C.G. District: 1
Year Station Established: 1869
U.S. Coast Guard photo
Existing Historic Tower:
Year Light First Lit: 1877

Is the Light Operational? YES

Date Deactivated: N/A

Automated: 1933

Foundation Materials: CONCRETE

Construction Materials: CAST IRON

Markings/Patterns: WHITE W/BLACK LANTERN

Shape: CONICAL

Relationship to Other Structures: SEPARATE

Tower Height: 40

Original Optic:

Year Original Lens Installed:

Present Optic: 300 MM

Year Present Lens Installed:

Height of Focal Plane: 79

Fresnel Lens Disposition:

Has tower been moved? NO
Previous Tower(s):
1. Construction Date: 1869

Description: PRIVATELY BUILT LIGHTHOUSE

Fate/Disposition:
Modern Tower? NO

Existing Sound Signal Building? NO

Existing Keepers Quarters? NO (DEMOLISHED)
Year Constructed: 1877

Number of Stories:

Architectural Style: GOTHIC REVIVAL

Construction Materials:
Other Structures: NONE

Current Use: ACTIVE AID TO NAVIGATION IN TOWN PARK

Owner/Manager: U.S. COAST GUARD LEASE TO MARTHA’S VINEYARD HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Open to the Public? YES (Go to Lighthouses to Visit for access information)

Web Site: LINK

National Register Status: LISTED Reference #87001480
Name of Listing: EAST CHOP LIGHT (LIGHTHOUSES OF MASSACHUSETTS TR)
On State List/Inventory? YES; Year Listed:

Miscellaneous:
 
* Anyway Radio Amateur Operator Geoffrey Way replied to my QSL request and actually emailed me a QSL Card Image:

I also happened to be recording audio and video of my radio / station during the contact and have uploaded that video to YouTube:





—

73 de KA4UDX

Alan Spicer Marine Telecom

http://www.marinetelecom.net and http://www.wifiyacht.net

+1 954-683-3426

communications (at) marinetelecom.net

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