Welcome to the Lothians Radio Society

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HOT NEWS: the 2021 LRS D/F Hunt will take place on Wed 28th July 2021 starting at 7:30pm at the "Tardis" on Braid Hills Road. Fox station will be Peter GM4DTH as usual. Meet-up afterwards at pub to be announced by the Fox. Bring your masks! Please note there will be no LRS Viral Net on this date. Click for DF Hunt Instructions.

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Viral Net #67 report may be delayed a few days.

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As mentioned above, there will be no net on Wednesday 28th July due to the LRS DF Hunt.

The next LRS Viral Net, #69, will be on Wed 4th August at 20:00a on 144.350MHz SSB.

All welcome to call in!

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LRS Viral Net 68 on Wed 21st July was the smallest-ever with 4 participants: Alan GM3PSP (controller), Mike GM8KCS/M with passenger Peter GM4DTH, and Briain GM8PKL 

Mike and Peter called in from near Bathgate after spending an enjoyable day on the west coast with Melvyn GM4HYR on his boat. They had sailed "doon the watter" to Inverkip. Unfortunately Ailsa Craig was not visible. Olherwise, Mike had been busy with aerial maintenance. Briain had received the "exciting new RF gear" that he mentioned two weeks previously; a new spectrum analyser with a 10.1 inch colour (and touch-screen) display. Alan had uploaded to the website a Silent Key for Syd Rowden GM6SR (d.1977)! including photos of his Top-Band 1850kHz crystal which belongs to Brian GM4DIJ. Someone suggested that Syd in his early days before WWII might have operated on a 100MHz (3m) amateur band but there was some doubt about this (never heard of it)! Also 50MHz and 56MHz. E&OE. Audio recording unlikely this week as Peter was in Mike's car!

Reminder: no LRS Viral Net next week (July 28th) due to the D/F Hunt.

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A small but interesting post-VHF-NFD Net 66 on 7th July with participants Colin GM4HWO (controller), Peter GM4DTH, Alan GM3PSP, Briain GM8PKL and Mike GM8KCS.

Colin said that VHF-NFD at Gatehouse had been enjoyable in spite of the mixed Wx. The Friday evening meal at the Masonic Arms had been rather regimented but pleasant. On Saturday people had bought carry-outs or cooked their own dinners on-site. He had produced special pancakes. He had operated the 2m station which was well-engineered. Peter's net signal was rather weak and he was unable to find the problem during the net. He was rebuilding his station after the contest! He had enjoyed a phone call from Tommy GM4DCL who had mostly been doing Short Wave Listening recently. Alan regretted not being at NFD but thanked Colin and Peter for their photos and Pete and Mike GM4IGS for their input for the report which was now up on the website. On Briain's suggestion, he would consider using B&B to attend next year's event. Briain was expecting delivery of some "exciting new RF gear" tomorrow! Mike had had an interesting QSO with Graham MM0GHM, a Conductor on the Royal Scotsman train (see below). There was discussion of a possible D/F Hunt but no conclusion. LATER: DF Hunt will be on Wed 28th July. E&OE. Audio rec. tnx Peter:

MM0GHM photo courtesy QRZ.com

 

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   Reports & recordings of previous nets:

Meeting Reports. 

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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.

 

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

Also ops: Mike GM4IGS & Danny GM6CMQ.

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

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.

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Click for full report (now almost complete).

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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).

2021-10-24 Galashiels Rally Cancelled.

2021-09-11 MOC Goudie Zoom Lecture - Quintinshill 1915 - by David W Brown.

2021-07-28 LRS D/F Hunt 7:30pm start at "Tardis" on Braid Hills Road.

2021-07-22 GM8PKL Braids View

Briain GM8PKL shares this relaxing view to the Braids from his deck while having a nice beer!

2021-07-14 Noctilucent Clouds by Peter GM4DTH.

2021-07-01 GM6SR's Top-Band Crystal (click for full SK article.

 

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.

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 usually on 145.575MHz. with several LRS members often there.

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

2021-03-25 - Tom W Dickson GM3DIE / ex-XZ2DE.

3. ITEMS FOR SALE  (Click item for details)

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 

2021-07-12 - 150 MHz VHF 2m folded dipole with 1.2 metre boom, fully tested & fitted with coaxial tail & N type socket ready to use  - £15 - Colin GM4HWO.

2021-07-10: 2.25 T SWL, heavy duty, hydraulic trolley jack. To be collected - Norrie GM1CNH.

2021-06-20 - Items for Sale by Norrie GM1CNH

2021-06-09 - For sale by Bob GM4CMI: 4m 4-element  70 MHz Beam, commercial spec, made by Pye Telecom Dublin, belonged to a Radio Ham from Cheshire and has not been used outside – loft use  only. VGC. £25 or £30 delivered. 

- Also I have a 12 volt, 110 AH. lead acid sealed-for-life leisure battery, £20.. Contact Robert 0131-654-1926 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Mobile: 07597-109429. 

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 4. ITEMS WANTED 

5. NEW ON LRS WEBSITE 

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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).

 

Better operation was achieved with a station consisting of a separate main rig and a 2m transverter: Elecraft K3 transceiver + Kuhne 2m transverter+ solid-state linear LDMOS amp at 400W. 

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

Brian GM8BJF / SN0OZE

 Click for Full Report.

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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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                                         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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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

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. 5th April 2020 - Temporary Q-Codes
  2. 21st July 2020 - Website: https://WorldRadioHistory.com
  3. 17 March 2020 - LRS MEETINGS POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
  4. 8 March 2020 - GM4DIJ 23cm DXpedition to Stranraer