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<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Alice Springs lighthouse popular<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Each year, amateur radio operators activate lighthouses all over the world - including a temporary structure in
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">the centre of Australia at Alice Springs that contacted at least 70 other marine navigation beacons.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">When the date of the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend happened to coincide with the famous dry river boat race, the Henley-on-Todd Regatta, the Alice Springs Amateur Radio Club came up with an idea.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">They built their own lighthouse and set up an amateur radio station to talk to the others from the banks of the Todd River.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The International Lighthouse Lightship weekend aims to promote the need for preserving the world's lighthouses and has been running for 16 years.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Organiser Greg Mair VK8GM told the ABC that his group had contacted other lighthouses in the Canary Islands, Spain, Portugal, Europe, the Pacific and right around Australia.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Considering that Alice Springs is thousands of kilometres from the coast, some interesting responses were received from across the world.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Like the similar promotion given to visitors, Greg VK8GM talked very positively about amateur radio as a recreational pursuit enjoyed by people from all walks of life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jim Linton VK3PC<o:p></o:p></p>
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