A GROUP of ham radio operators from across the Mid West will come together this weekend to celebrate the 170th anniversary of Loop Head Lighthouse.
The Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club will tune in to communicate to radio clubs and operators all over the world, from their base in the West Clare lighthouse, using voice, morse code, and data systems.
Last year, the radio club successfully contacted lighthouses and lightships as far away as Brazil, Australia, Asiatic Russia, the US Virgin Islands, and Japan.
From midnight this Friday (August 16) to Sunday, the local radio operators will be aiming to make contact with other ham hopefuls all over the world, with visitors to the lighthouse able to listen in to their communications with international radio operators from 500 other lighthouses and lightships in 65 countries.
Clare County Council, along with the Commissioners of Irish Lights (CIL), are facilitating the broadcast operation, with the Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club also getting approval from Ireland’s communications regulator, ComReg.
Dermot Gleeson, chairman of the Limerick Clare Amateur Radio Club said that any contacts the club make will be informed about Loop Head Lighthouse.
“We are delighted to have the opportunity once again to establish an amateur radio station at the lighthouse on the edge of the Loop Head Peninsula in an effort to achieve long distance communications with regions in Asia, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, and throughout Europe,” Mr Gleeson said.
“We will be informing anyone whom we establish radio contact with that we are operating from a signature discovery point on the Wild Atlantic Way and one of the Great Lighthouses of Ireland.
“Our club members, who come from Clare, Kerry, Limerick, and Tipperary, are happy to play their part in promoting these wonderful tourism initiatives,” he said.
Loop Head Lighthouse is particularly suitable for long-distance communication, Mr Gleeson said, owing to its isolated location on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and, critically, the lack of radio interference in the general area.
Meanwhile, Loop Head will celebrate its 170th anniversary on August 25 with a special day of events. More information available on the schedule of events from loopheadlighthouse.ie.
