Welcome to the Lothians Radio Society

Details

The next LRS meeting on Wed 20th October 2021 (Note - 3rd Wed) will be the autumn Surplus Equipment Sale, held at 7:15 for 8:00pm at St Fillan's Church, 8 Buckstone Drive, EH10 6PD. This is the first sale in two years and so promises to be a bumper one!

The church requires that we follow a number of Covid safety procedures. Please CLICK for details.  

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Viral Net #76 on 29 Sept 2021.

Colin GM4HWO (controller), Peter GM4DTH, Mike GM8KCS, Pete GM4BYF, Briain GM8PK, Melvyn GM4HYR.

Report & audio recording tnx Peter GM4DTH:

Peter reported that he had acquired a new television camera to replace his tape based camera. Its main advantage was that it could use the same lenses as his SLR camera. To complete it he had just received a microphone bought on ebay and attached to the camera. On the radio front he, along with others, have been receiving aeronautical beacons above 300kHz. He reported that Toby managed to receive some dx beacons during a dip in QRM at his QTH in the west.

Mike has been helping his son move back to Edinburgh from Durham. This has involved a number of trips when he operated mobile on HF. On a recent trip he worked a special event station in Gleneagles which had a high quality signal. This demonstrated how well HF mobile could be. To complement the Lothians last talk which was about building a replica Sopwith aircraft. He recalled how his father was an RAF airframe mechanic who had chatted with another group working on old bi-plane aircraft. He has also an interest in the beacons and has been using his 'Nova Pal' df receiver. On the subject of receiving he has also been following a net that specialises in military equipment.

Pete commented that his reception of the Zoom stream of the last talk about replica aircraft was rather flakily. He made a few constructive suggestions on how to improve the zoom delivery for future talks. He then remembered that he will be presenting the next talk! He had been away from home in Greece. When he got home he meet with his family. They had gone hill walking and coastal walking. Whilst being in the area he met Chris GM3WOJ. Back home his choir has resumed in a wide spaced format. He noted that the junk sale will need to comply with the same health restrictions as the church it is held in.

Briain has been working on his radio transmit audio. He has a new Lewitt microphone connected to a DBX286S with which he can tailor the audio for best quality. This combination was in service for this net and it does sound good.

Melvyn has been away from home and had missed our meeting. He commented how he found Zoom presentations tend to be easily corrupted. He had been spending time repairing his car replacing the alternator. On the subject of e-mails he said that he does not receive any Lothians e-mails and hopes that the problem can be resolved.

Colin commented about the Lothians last talk which was about building a replica Sopwith aircraft. He had taken a break from work and spent a few days in the Peebles area where he met up with Brian GM8BJF. He is now counting down he days until he retires.

And finally after the net closed a number of stations said hello to George DU1GM / GM4COK who listens to the net recordings in the Philippines.

   

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Viral Net #77 on 13th Oct - Report & Audio Recording soon.

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Next Viral Net #78 on Wednesday 27th October, 8pm on 144.350MHz SSB.

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    Reports & recordings of LRS Viral Nets:

Meeting Reports. 

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Details

Click on item to open. Send items to GM3PSP.
Usually archived as News or Silent Keys in LRS Archive after 1 month.

Click for General Meeting Info during Pandemic

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

2021-10-13  Plans to open Barnton Secret Nuclear Bunker to the public.

Photo courtesy Edinburgh Evening News

2021-10-08 LRS 10GHz Activity (tnx John GM8OTI):

Five club members, Tom Melvin GM8MJV, Pete Bates GM4BYF, Brian Howie GM4DIJ, Brian Flynn GM8BJF and John Cooke GM8OTI had a lot of fun on 10GHz on Friday 8th Oct - such a number of 10GHz QSOs probably not seen in GM for a while. 

Tom went to Pete's to check his new 10GHz gear, then we managed various QSOs: DIJ and BYF at home, MJV on the garage roof at BYF's QTH, BJF on the B7007 south of Middleton, and OTI at the car park up at Swanston on the Pentlands. 

2021-11  L(A)RS 75th Anniversary - founded in November 1946 (exact date not known) at a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce, 25 Charlotte Square. President: T. H. Nisbet; Secretary: George Millar GM3UM. RSGB A.R.: Jack Wilson GM6XI.  (Click)

2021-10-24 SAQ Grimeton UN-Day tx on 17.2kHz:

2021-10-02 - WSPR may aid search for missing MH370 airliner. Will be included in GM4EAU talk on 10th Nov. Click for article scan. 

2021-09-01 - LRS SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW DUE! Adults: £20; Scholars: £10. Just come to a meeting and pay Treasurer Peter Dick GM4DTH (QTHR).

2021-09-21 - Congratulations to Pete GM4BYF and Brian GM4DIJ - celebrating 50 years continuous RSGB membership - RadCom Oct 2021.

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Don't forget RSGB GB2RS NEWS BROADCAST 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 usually on 145.575MHz. with several LRS members often there.

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

3. ITEMS FOR SALE  (Click item for details)

2021-10-08 Maplin N27GG Lab PSU & Lucas LSL C22 12V Emergency Battery - Dave GM6KGZ.

2021-09-26 - Hantek DSO-1060 Oscilloscope / Multimeter - £125 - for sale by Dave GM6KGZ.

2021-09-10 - Items for Sale by Norrie GM1CNH - click for September list.

2021-09-08 - Clearance Sale - Dave GM6KGZ.                     Many items - click for list.

2021-09-02 - Times VHF/UHF Vector Impedance Antenna Analyzer T-101 for sale by Dave GM6KGZ.

2021-08-21 - Test Equipment for sale by Dave GM6KGZ: handheld Spectrum Analyzer £80, handheld Signal Generator £80, Vector Network Analyzer £50. Dave 6: Tel:  0131 539 2858

2021-07-21 - Tecsun  Multiband Radio S8800 GM Version (Gun Metal knobs!) plus 2 spare 18650 Lithium Batteries and fast charger. Boxed, mint condition. Value £300. Final reduction to only £100. Tel:  0131 539 2858  Dave 6 

2021-07-14  - Maplin N27GG Lab PSU only £45

 - Lucas LSL C22 Sealed12V Battery -only £45

   For sale by  Dave GM6KGZ Tel:  0131 539 2858 

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4. ITEMS WANTED 

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5. NEW ON LRS WEBSITE 

2021-09-27 - Tom Douglas G3BA (born in Edinburgh) - responsible for design and building of clandestine "Dicky Bird" radio receivers in Japanese PoW camps in Siam (Thailand) including Bridge over the River Kwai camp.

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Details

Brian GM8BJF & Pete GM4BYF

Pete, assisted by Brian, described the building and operation of their VK3CV TRA-120 122GHz transverters and their achievement of the first GM-GM and G-GM QSOs on this band in July 2020. 

 

VK3CV pcb.

 

Crossing the border on 122GHz.

 

Click for Full Report.

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Details

 

Bob Thomson of the Aviation Preservation Society Scotland described the work to reconstruct a Sopwith Strutter 1 1/2 aircraft, especially its electrical systems, at a base in East Lothian..

 

The Sopwith Strutter 1 1/2.

 

Annual service of remembrance in 2019 for APSS members and Scouts from North Berwick.

Click for Full Report.

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Details

The LRS 2021 Summer "Perseids" barbecue was held at "Bates Motel", Pete GM4BYF & Kay GM6KAY QTH   and was a great success. 

 Pete and guests at the grill.

 

 Enjoying the excellent BBQ grub outside. 

 

 

We moved into the sunroom as it got cooler.

Click for full report.

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Details

The 2021 LRS DF Hunt on Top Band was held on 28th July, starting from the "Tardis" on Braid Hills Road. Three teams attempted to find the Fox station GM3HAM/P operated by Peter GM4DTH.

Brian GM4DIJ, Briain GM8PKL (cheers!), Melvyn GM4HYR, Mike GM8KCS. (Photos: Alan GM3PSP).

Peter GM4DTH operating Fox GM3HAM/P in woods beside White Lady Walk at Fairmilehead.

He was also able to call in to the LRS Net on 2m using a separate IC-705 rig.

First to find the Fox was Melvyn GM4HYR at 20:17,

. See presentation of DF trophy at AGM in article at left.

He was followed by Mike GM8KCS at 21:14. 

Brian GM4DIJ was never heard of again.

Diet lemonades afterwards at nearby Hunter's Tryst.

Melvyn GM4HYR, Peter GM4DTH, Mike GM8KCS, Alan GM3PSP (passenger with Mike).

Click for Full Report with more photos.

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Details

The LRS GM3HAM Contest Group again took part in RSGB VHF NFD from Gatehouse of Fleet on 6m/4m, 2m & 70cm. Photos Colin GM4HWO, Peter GM4DTH.

2021-08-18: Result:  LRS was again Runner-up in Restricted Section with 2944 normalised points, and earning the Cockenzie Quaich as Leading GM.

Brian GM4DIJ & Andy MM0FMF 6m (Sat) / 4m (Sun).

Also ops: Mike GM4IGS & Danny GM6CMQ.

6m: 72 QSOs, 96772 pts, best Dx: 5B4AAB 3573km

50MHz winner in Restricted Section

4m: 25 QSOs, 10199 pts, best Dx: EC7AKV 1951km

Norrie GM1CNH & Peter GM4DTH on 2m.

Also op Colin GM4HWO; Danny GM6CMQ (Sat. eve).

129 QSOs, 36035 pts, best Dx: GU0UVH 590km

Elecraft K3 + 100W transverter to 18-ele yagi at 33ft.

 

Pete GM4BYF & Brian GM8BJF on 70cm.

41 QSOs, 13017 pts, best Dx F6KRK 802km (nr Paris).

IC-9700 + 100W amp to M2 38-element yagi at 30ft.

Click for full report.

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Details

Peter GM4DTH and Brian GM4DIJ

Back to our favourite site, on a hill-top near Gatehouse of Fleet.

Peter GM4DTH described the wx conditions as "grey and unsettled".

Radio conditions were below average with low signal strengths being the norm for the entire operating period.

Unusually, we could not hear GB3VHF (144.430MHz). 

The antennas were an M2 17-element yagi plus a secondary circularly-polarized antenna to help to work stations with non-horizontally-polarized antennas.

 Click for Full Report.

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  1. 4-6 Sept 2020 - LRS GM3HAM/P - RSGB 2m Trophy, Gatehouse of Fleet
  2. 23 & 25 July 2020 - 122GHz - Two Firsts in 3 Days by Brian GM8BJF & Pete GM4BYF / G4BYF - Confirmed by UK Microwave Group
  3. 19th July 2020 - GM4DIJ/P in RSGB 70MHz Trophy Contest from nr Stranraer in Galloway.
  4. 01 April 2020 - HAM COVID-19 Guidelines