"The XV edition of the “AMERICAN LIGHTHOUSES WEEKEND” Double activation of the Amateur Radio Alliance from Puerto Rico. The Borinquen lighthouses new and old. There are already more than 81 lighthouses and beacons from 15 countries. Look for us in the different bands and in the DX clusters. . The number of activations continues to increase for the XV edition of the "American Lighthouses Weekend", organized by the Radio Club Grupo DX Bahía Blanca of Argentina and sponsored by the ARLHS. Two lighthouses in Puerto Rico registered their participation, one of them historic. The event will take place between Friday 17 and Sunday 19 February and those interested in making activations must complete the online form located on the official page http://www.grupodxbb.com.ar which is mandatory for registration. Emilio Ortiz Jr. WP4KEY will be the leader of a double activation of the Amateur Radio Alliance of Puerto Rico callsign KP4ARA will activate Punta Borinquen Lighthouse on the air (18°29.0' N - 067°8.9' W) , PUR-013, and the historic Punta Borinquen Lighthouse (18°30.0' N - 067°9.0' W), PUR-022. The Punta Borinquen Lighthouse is adjacent to a popular golf course built on the former Ramey Air Force Base, now the Rafael Hernández Airport. Borinquen is the original Indian name for Puerto Rico. It was installed north of Aguadilla near the most northwestern point of the island in 1920 and is active, with the focal plane at 89 with two white flashes, separated by 4", every 15". The round cylindrical stone tower is 18 meters with a gallery. The one-story caretaker's house is currently used for social activities. For its part, the historic Punta Borinquen Lighthouse was located on the beach in Aguadilla, about 2 km from the current lighthouse that replaced it. It was established in 1889 by the Spanish government. With the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914, this lighthouse became the most important aid to navigation on the route between Europe and Panama. It became inactive in 1918, when it was nearly destroyed by a tsunami. It was an octagonal cylindrical stone tower with a lantern and gallery, rising from a one-story stone house, similar to the Cabo San Juan lighthouse. The foundations and parts of the walls are standing as the gradual collapse of what remains of the historic building continues. The updated official list of participating lighthouses and beacons of the XVth edition can be followed on the GDXBB website http://www.grupodxbb.com.ar Please watch our promo at And visit our page at https://kp4ara.org/
As part of the first Amateur Radio activation of Thomas Point Lighthouse, offshore in the Chesapeake Bay, I am pleased to see your operating event continues the theme. Our "AM Expedition" took place twice under the call sign K3L. Each time, the challenges of portable operation on board a lighthouse two miles off the coast was an exhilirating experience. https://amfone.net/index.php?pid=3
AMERICAN LIGHTHOUSE FESTIVAL 2023 UPDATE Great participation on all the ham radio bands on another American Lighthouses weekend to remember with PUERTO RICO Amateur Radio Alliance - KP4ARA historic Double activation for the first time from two lighthouses in Punta Borinquen historic PUR 022 and Punta Borinquen PUR 013, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Our appreciation and thanks to all the participants who made our success possible. Edition XV of the "American Lighthouses Weekend" has ended and it has been a complete success. With 82 expeditions from 18 nations and countries such as El Salvador and Honduras participating for the first time, it has been quite an event for the history pages of ham radio. For the first time, the Esperanza Base in Antarctica also joined, establishing a new record for the number of countries and DXCC entities present at the event, where each one gave their best, giving total liberty to curiosity, passion and ingenious that generates the ham radio operators in order to obtain the goal of communicating around the world.That's what true radio is about. Amateurs setting up and testing field stations and antennas, new ideas and old tricks to do radio. After all, when everything else fails there is always radio! It was undoubtedly an event that required a lot of effort, but in which each radio amateur and radio club gave their best because they love the hobby and the lighthouse hunters enjoyed every second of this great event that unites those who activate with those who hunt and radio amateurs from all over the planet. Puerto Rico had for the first time the historic activation of two important lighthouses PUR 013 and PUR 022, the lighthouses of Punta Borinquen in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. With two operators Emilio - WP4KEY and Wanda - KP4NYC working several bands and digital modes they achieved QSO's with 42 DXCC entities: England, Guatemala, Netherlands, Slovak Republic, Martinique, Philippines, Ecuador, Asiatic Russia, Croatia, Cuba, Balearic Islands, Montserrat , Russian, Grenada, Venezuela, Argentina, USA, Puerto Rico, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Brazil, Uruguay, Suriname, France, Italy, Belgium, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Canary Islands, Wales , Panama, St. Maarten, Dominican Republic, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Japan. The Organizing Committee of Argentina: Radio Club Grupo DX Bahía Blanca thanked each and every one of those who gave life to this American Lighthouse Festival: radio clubs, groups, radio amateurs, naval and port authorities, those responsible for the lighthouses in Argentina, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela, for their invaluable collaboration and participation in this recurring event the third weekend of February each year. The official message was sent by Carlos A. Almirón LU7DSY, General Coordinator of the event. KP4ARA - Puerto Rico Amateur Radio Alliance Inc. thanks you and invites you to follow us in future activations of Faros en el Aire, POTA, BOTA, SOTA, IOTA and much more that we all like to do in our great hobby. 73's
UPDATE: HAMS SHINE DURING AMERICAN LIGHTHOUSE WEEKEND JIM/ANCHOR: If the lights were shining a little brighter over lighthouses in Latin America and elsewhere in the Southern Hemisphere, it was likely because of the American Lighthouses weekend on the air from February 17th through to the 19th. Graham Kemp VK4BB brings the illuminating details. GRAHAM: Perhaps no one will remember this year's American Lighthouses weekend better than hams with the Amateur Radio Alliance of Puerto Rico, KP4ARA. Operators accomplished a first-time double activation from two lighthouses on the island - the Punta Borinquen lighthouses, one historic and one relatively new. Working several bands and using digital modes, the lighthouse hams Emilio, WP4KEY, and Wanda, KP4NYC, logged QSOs with a total of 42 DXCC entities, including Asiatic Russia, Venezuela, the Philippines, England, Switzerland and Japan. The weekend was marked by another dramatic first: participation by radio operators at the Esperanza Base in Antarctica. According to the organizing committee of Argentina, the Radio Club Grupo DX Bahia Blanca of Argentina, this established a new record for the total number of DXCC entities and countries involved in the event. The general coordinator of the event was Carlos Almirón, LU7DSY, who said in a public statement how pleased he was with the enthusiasm and collaboration that helped create pride and new accomplishments during this 15th year of the February lighthouse festival. This is Graham Kemp VK4BB. SOURCE: https://www.arnewsline.org/news/202...ine-report-2365-for-friday-february-24th-2023
