Welcome to the Lothians Radio Society

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The next LRS Viral Net, #49, will be on Wed 10th March at 20:00h on 144.350MHz SSB.

All welcome to call in!

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Net #48 on 3rd March 2021: Controller Colin GM4HWO, Pete GM4BYF, Brian GM8BJF (Peebles), Peter GM4DTH, Mike GM8KCS, Briain GM8PKL, Norrie GM1CNH, Melvyn GM4HYR, John GM8OTI, Brian GM4DIJ, Alan GM3PSP, Bill GM8SQM.

Pete had worked 39 on the 2m contest in good condx but had killed his LED garage lights! Best DX was PA5Y. Keith GM4YXI in IO88 had worked over 100. Pete had completed testing all the valves and would now sell his valve tester. He later reported that Brian BJF (not audible at PSP) was working on Raspberry-Pi, Unix and 3cm beam projects. Peter had got a 4m / M rig which tested OK and would be used for GB2RS work, and also 2m. An ADS/EBU interface was available for future use. He took this nice shot of Briain's QTH on the side of the Braid Hills:

Briain GM8PKL QTH - photo by Peter GM4DTH

Mike reported the GB3NGI beacon was strong at S2-S7 on a tapped vertical whip. Mike hopes to rig has 2m antenna soon after getting more poles from Granton on Monday. Norrie had fired up his linear to full power to a 9-element yagi. He started his car on Saturday after keeping the battery on trickle-charge for months but this had confused the low-voltage alarm which wasn't smart enough! He had found good IARU software for EMC calculations for the new OfCom regulations and would send them to Alan for the website (tnx - posted - psp). Melvyn was still busy working on his daughter's new house. John had watched the latest SpaceX launch which was shut-down at the last minute. (It blew up several minutes later - psp)! Brian DIJ had 10 QSOs in the Sunday cumulative including Pete BYF, Terry GM3WUX, G4TLZ (aircraft scatter) & NIck G4KUX. Condx were strange on 2m last night and he only worked G8RVQ in Liverpool. He heard GDs OK and the GB3NGI beacon was loud. With a new VNA he had measured his on 70cm and 23cm. Colin was busy selling valves (tnx to Pete for testing).  He was buying mobile antennas for HF and 2m for his LandRrover and would soon have a discone installed on his chimney by Ian, the "Antenna-Medic". Alan reported that his daughter Sheila had just been in an Edinburgh Evening News article about a litter-gathering project in Leith. Bill called in to report hearing most stations well in Kirkliston. Several people commented on the new RSGB plan for a single exam for the Full Licence, rather than the current 3 stages. It was agreed this was a very good thing, long overdue!

E&OE. Audio file (net only) tnx Peter:

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Net #47 on 24 Feb: Apols: Colin GM4HWO & Alan GM3PSP. Controller Pete GM4BYF. Participants: Peter GM4DTH, Briain GM8PKL, Mike GM8KCS, Melvyn GM4HYR, John GM8OTI, Brian GM8BJF, Brian GM4DIJ. Visitor Mike GM0MMN Kirkcaldy.

Peter has taken delivery of a Key KM80 commercial mobile on 4m to be used for the GB2RS service. This should lead to an improvement in audio quality. Testing will take place over the next few days. Briain has had a new aerial bracket heavily chromated bringing the day it will be in the sky ever closer. Mike had been working in Glasgow and communicated /M with Peter on 2m AM at the junction for Airdrie. Melvyn was the first to report aerial damage after yesterday's gales. His 60m dipole had disintegrated and his large magnetic loop had broken free from its mountings. John hoped he had cured the problem with the relays 'chattering' in his amplifier. He suspected an EMC issue and improved the screening of the relay's circuitry. Still in construction mode he is developing a regulator to use with a four cell Lipo battery to power 12V equipment. Finally he was recommending watching NASA's video of the landing on the rover 'Perseverance'. Brian BJF, in Peebles, was audible to the majority on the net. He had been renovating his 2m aerial and the general feeling was an improvement of his signal. He reported that his noise level was lower than usual The final Brian of the evening (DIJ) said that his 23cm aerial needed attention after the gales. In the 4m contest he worked Terry GM3WUX, Malcolm GM4TAL and Mike GM4IGS. Pete reminded everyone how long his chromated Tonna 2m beam had lasted. His 23cms preamplifier was still unserviceable He pointed out in the past he has an EMC issue with intermittent self keying of a transmitter being trigged by spikes from his refrigerator. He warned the net not to buy furniture from direct from an Cornish online retailer which delivers direct from their warehouse. What they did not reveal is the warehouse's location which is in Vietnam. It seems that they have adopted some of their trading practices of the fictional character 'Arthur Daley’. Report - tnx Peter. Audio file tnx Peter.

 

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For reports and recordings of previous nets, see Meeting Reports.

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Details

Click on item to open. Send items to GM3PSP.
Archived as News or Silent Keys in LRS Archive

1. RADIO NEWS ITEMS (Click on for full info).

2021-03-13 MOC ZOOM Goudie Lecture by Mike Bullock, CEO of Northern Lighthouse Board - The Northern Lighthouse Board - More than Lighthouses. Click for info poster. It will start at 11 am on Sat 13 March and will be on ZOOM. Pre-booking: Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. It will not be recorded, so no 'catch-up' facility.

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2021-03-05 Sinclair ZX81 made in Dundee turns 40. 

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2021-03-03 IARU EMC Software: recommended by Norrie GM1CNH re new Ofcom regulations.

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2021-02-17 Ham Radio signal from Chinese Mars spacecraft recorded by Scott Tilley VA7TIL.

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2021-02-06 New Short RSGB Video: Did You Know? 

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 2021-02-01 Titanic Radio Room Retrieval scrapped.

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LRS MEETINGS ARE POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE BUT WE DO HAVE OUR "LRS VIRAL NET" EACH WEDNESDAY AT 8-9pm ON 144.350MHz SSB. (Reports on this page).    ALL WELCOME.

And if you miss it, each net is recorded by Peter GM4DTH. Click on link at the bottom of each report.

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Don't forget the RSGB GB2RS NEWS BROADCAST is available every Sunday morning in the Edinburgh area at 09:30h from LRS member Peter GM4DTH on 70.425MHz FM, 145.525MHz FM, 433.525MHz FM, followed by call-in to Peter at 10:00h on 145.575MHz. Usually several LRS members there.

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2. SILENT KEYS (Click item for full SK). 

3. ITEMS FOR SALE  (Click item for details)

2021-01-30 January List. incl. FT-1000MPV & PSU - Norrie GM1CNH.

2021-01-09 Free to a good home but must be collected from (EH12) QTH of Norrie GM1CNH: IC-7000 user manual ; AT-150 user manual. 

2020-12-11  Maplin N27GG Lab PSU - £45 & Lucas LSL C22 Sealed 12V Battery - £45 - Dave GM6KGZ

2020-12-04 Tecsun  PL-680  Multi-Band Portable Radio - £75 - Dave GM6KGZ. 

4. ITEMS WANTED 

5. NEW ON LRS WEBSITE 

2021-02-11 RF Line-of-Sight Tool (SCADACore)       (Tnx GM4DIJ)

6. COVID-19: Click for Special Instructions.

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Details

The LRS GM3HAM/P contest group were active during the 2m Trophy Contest from our usual site near Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway.

Participants were: Colin GM4HWO, Brian GM8BJF, Mike GM4IGS, Norrie GM1CNH, Bob MM0XRI (guest), Rob MM0RHU (guest) and Peter GM4DTH, with apologies (H&S) from Alan GM3PSP & Pete GM4BYF.

The station made 196 QSOs plus a few dupes.

Best DX: F6DKW 57097 JN18cs in Paris at 808.4km

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Photos - by Colin GM4HWO & Andy MM0FMF. 

L-R: Andy MM0FMF, Brian GM8BJF, Mike GM4IGS, Norrie GM1CNH, Colin GM4HWO, Bob MM0XRI, Rob MM0RHU & Peter GM4DTH - suitably masked!

 Andy MM0FMF  

Peter GM4DTH 

Recording of GM3HAM/P QSO with G4AQB.

(Full report in Society Activities) Click.

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Details



 

                                         GM8BJF/P                                  GM4BYF/P 

Brian GM8BJF reports: Pete GM4BYF and myself have recently built up VK3CV 122GHz (2.4cm wavelength)  transceiver boards into portable systems and have been doing some tests with them. On Thursday 23rd July we had what we believe wss the first GM to GM contact across a distance of 0.69 km between two hills in Edinburgh and on Saturday 25th July we went down to the English border and had what we believe to be the first GM to G contact on the band. 

Interestingly, Doppler effects were observed even at walking speed on this band (no fire-engine required)!             
We were using the system in its most basic form with 25 mm circular horns. Plans are now afoot to add refinements such as GPS locking and improved antennas and try for longer paths having established the basic functionality of our setups.

John G3XDY of the UK Microwave Group has confirmed that these are "Firsts" for GM/GM & GM/G on 122GHz. Certificates will be awarded. Congratulations to Brian and Pete. 

John G4BAO has credited Brian and Pete with the GM-G "First" in his GHz Bands page (64) in the November 2020 RadCom & link to Brian's webpage.

     GM8BJF/P seen across the border from G4BYF/P.                                 (International DX !)

Full details with more photos and 3 short videos are on Brian's website at: 
https://gm8bjf.joomla.com/2-uncategorised/23-122-ghz-activities 

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Details

Brian GM4DIJ returned to his favourite portable location at IO74mu about 8km south of Stranraer, to operate in the 70MHz Trophy contest on 19th July. 

Brian's station was an FT847 into a TE Systems linear amp with 100W output. The antenna was the 11-element VHF NFD yagi re-spaced as a 6 element, which was a struggle to erect to 5m in the wind, but at least the wx was sunny.

Valid QSOs: 30

Claimed QSO points: 9224

Claimed # of exchanges: 23

Claimed # of DXCCs: 4

Claimed total score: 249,048

Best DX: G3XDY; JO02ob; 513km.

Mni tnx to Brian for providing this report.

See also Brian's 23cm entry in March 2020

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Details

 WorldRadioHistory.com

Many thanks to Brian GM8BJF who has just reported finding a potentially very useful website: https://WorldRadioHistory.com which provides detailed links to a very large number of publications serving the Amateur, Broadcasting and Music interests. You can search for specific pages in the publications, from the first edition onwards.  

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Details

Brian GM4DIJ has just received this from his friends in the SOC - Second-Class Operators Club:

From SOC mailing list
Temporary Ham Radio Q-Codes for our times:
QLD: I am locked down.
QUA: I am quarantined.
QPD: I am in the middle of a pandemic.
QTP: I have toilet paper. Want to trade for a new car?
QFC: I am flattening the curve.
QHG: I need a hug.
QSH: I am sheltering in place.
QHS: I have hand sanitizer. Want to trade for two new              cars?
QSD: I am observing social distancing.
QCV: I hate Coronavirus

Click for Special Instructions.

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MESSAGE FROM RSGB TO ALL RADIO AMATEURS

Dave Wilson, M0OBW, RSGB President, and Ian Shepherd, G4EVK, RSGB Board Chair have a message to radio amateurs.

“We hope that you all understand the very serious nature of the current health crisis. As you are now aware, the situation has dramatically worsened and we have all been ordered to stay at home unless travelling for a specific and unavoidable reason. As radio amateurs we are in the fortunate position of being able to talk to other amateurs and chat to those who are finding it tough going. Ian and I are asking you, as radio amateurs, to please do one thing for us: search out local amateurs and arrange a sked, not necessarily on air: there are many alternatives we can all use such as video calls, or even a simple phone call. Pay particular attention to those who you know or learn to be alone or who are vulnerable for whatever reason. We are all in this together! Keep safe.”

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Details

EFFECTIVE APRIL 01, 2020.

Amateur Radio operators are ordered to strictly observe the Coronavirus mitigation guidelines as they apply to amateur radio operating.

All ham radio operators are encouraged to stay at least 6 feet from the microphone in order to maintain proper separation from others.  The distance may be reduced if a mask is put on the microphone.

CW operators should wear appropriate gloves when handling keys.  Speakers should be securely covered with .01 micron particulate HEPA filters. 

There should be no more than 10 stations on the same frequency at the same time.

Disinfect your knobs, switches, etc before operating ... especially touch screens and PTT.  Shoe covers should be worn when using foot switches.  Use of hands-free VOX is strongly encouraged although from 6 feet away, it may be necessary to shout.

Disinfect all antenna cables coming into the station.

Only mobile stations and walkie-talkie contacts are permitted where sit-down service has been banned.   The 6 ft microphone separation guideline is suspended for these types of operation, but a mask on the microphone is strongly recommended.

Mobile operators are encouraged to remain in their vehicles except to get necessities.

Operators should leave their operating positions only for necessities.

Outdoor antenna work is allowed as long as there is social distancing among all who are present.

Hoarding of batteries, spare tubes, coax, etc. is discouraged and is unfair to others.  We are in this together.

New equipment and parts should be ordered online for front porch delivery.

Do not test (tune) your equipment unnecessarily. That is wasteful and inconsiderate. Testing should be reserved for those who actually need it.

Your understanding and cooperation in this matter is mandatory while particularly observing the Effective Date. 

(By NL7XM, received via N2BEG, Rochester NY).

Click for Special Instructions.

 
  1. 17 March 2020 - LRS MEETINGS POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
  2. 8 March 2020 - GM4DIJ 23cm DXpedition to Stranraer
  3. 11th March 2020 - How Not to Sail to the Faeroe Islands - Geoff Crowley MM5AHO
  4. 26 Feb 2020 - The Raspberry Pi Explained for Radio Amateurs - Video - Mike Richards G4WNC