International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend, Aug. 17

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners are excited to announce that the Umpqua River Lighthouse and Museum will participate in the International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend (ILLW).  Since 1998, the International Amateur Radio group has hosted their annual ILLW on the third full weekend in August.  The event features over 500 lighthouse entries, representing over 40 countries from around the world.  This year the Commissioners have granted amateur radio operator, Olin L. Beall II, the approval to go ‘on the air’ from the Umpqua River Lighthouse and Museum with a portable station on Saturday, August 18, 2018.  He will attempt to make contact with other lighthouses, as a part of the international event.   His Amateur Radio Call Sign is WA7YXY.  ILLW, began in 1998 as the Scottish Northern Lights Award run by the Ayr Amateur Radio Group. It is one of the most popular international amateur radio events in existence.  Their objective is to encourage Lighthouse managers, keepers and owners to open their lighthouses and related visitors centers to the public with a view to raising the profile of lighthouses, light vessels and other navigational aids, and preserving our maritime heritage. For more information about the International event, log onto: http://illw.net/  Mr. Beall plans to set up his portable station early Saturday morning from inside the Lighthouse Museum and operate most of the day.  He will be available to talk to the public about the event and amateur radio operators.  Mr. Beall is a retired U.S. Government employee with 12 years on active duty in the U.S. Army, and 28 years with the U.S. Forest Service as a civil engineer.  He retired in 2014 with 40 years of service. He worked for the Siuslaw National Forest for a number of years and did a variety of projects for the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.   But, his real hobby is Amateur Radio.  He is a member of several amateur radio clubs and organizations including the Benton County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (BCARES).  Mr. Beall can be reached for further information at highsierra47@yahoo.com.