Although I’ve been a member of the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society for nearly a year now, this weekend, I finally got around to activating my first lighthouse: the Pointe Aux Barques Lighthouse. All I can say is that it was a blast.
Pointe aux Barques is at the tip of Michigan’s “Thumb.” The lighthouse was built in 1848 and is still an active aid to navigation, making Pointe aux Barques one olast year.f the oldest continuously operating Lights on the Great Lakes. While the lighthouse is automatically operated these days, the keeper’s house, which is now a museum, and the associated buildings are maintained by the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse Society. I joined the Society last summer after visiting the lighthouse and becoming enthused by it.my
Here’s the view from my operating position:
My operations this weekend almost got off to a bad start. After I’d hung my doublet up in the tree, I found that I was missing the BNC-binding post adapter that I use to connect the twisted-pair feedline to the Kx3. After searching everywhere for it—and doing a little cursing—I came up with what I thought was a pretty creative solution.
What I did was to stick one the conductors into the center contact of the BNC connector and screwed the other conductor under one of the screws holding down the case. See the photo below.
The amazing thing that it actually worked! When I hit the ATU button, the wonderful antenna tuner in the KX3 tuned it right up.
To make a long story short, I made 25 contacts over the weekend, signing W8L, a special-event callsign. Perhaps the most memorable contact I made was one with WW0SS, who was operating near Grand Marais, MN. He was also operating QRP from a spot overlooking the lake. In his case, that lake was Lake Superior. I joked with him that we must have been taking advantage of lake propagation.
It really was a great weekend. The weather was perfect, and aside from not having the right adapter, my equipment worked perfectly. It was great fun.
Dan, you could have just run down to the nearest Radio Shack and picked up your…no…wait…maybe not. Sounds like a lot of fun. Congrats on the nice portable op.
73,
Don N4KC
Congratulations on the lighthouse activation, and on adapting, improvising and overcoming the challenge of the missing BNC connector! The USMC isn’t the only group of people that do their job with what they have on hand. Hams also have a reputation for overcoming challenges in the field, and have been working improvised solutions with what they’ve got to work with since amateur radio began.
Your report of success with 25 contacts using what amounts to a rigged antenna shows just how a resourceful ham can beat the difficulties presented when a key piece of gear goes missing.
Your perseverance in the face of adversity is commendable.
73!
Congratulations Dan, I echo fully what Steve W8SFC wrote above. If you’re feeling really enthusiastic, you could take part in the International version of the event. It’s coming up the weekend after next and full details appear at http://www.illw.net.
Once again many congratulations on your success!
Ed M0MNG.
I have actually participated in the ILLW the past couple of years with a Canadian club at the Point Clark Lighthouse. I don’t think I’ll be going back there again next year, but I may activate the Belle Isle Lighthouse for the ILLW.
Felicitaciones
HC4Z
Milton
73
Hi Dan,
It was great to work you as W8L at the Point aux Barques Light ARLHS USA-615 at 1552Z on 4 Aug on 7.030 MHz CW.
I was operating QRP 5 Watts from a Yaesu FT-817 into an 80/40M trap dipole at 20 feet at my home QTH in Kanata, Ontario.
I am a very active member of the ARLHS as both an activator and chaser.
Congrats on your first activation of a lighthouse!
My QLS card is on its way.
73
Chris VE3CBK/QRP
ARLHS #1938