Scottish Charity number SC045038
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LRS Messages of the Day:
LRS Barbecue POSTPONED from Wed 24th June. New date TBA ~ Aug/Sept.
27 May 2026 – D/F Hunt report now complete – see Recent Meetings.
Wed 10th June – 19:30h – LRS Pub Night at Wee Bennet’s Bar, Morningside Stn.
Wed 17th June – 20:00h – LRS AGM at Braid Hills Hotel.
LRS MEETINGS
LRS meetings are normally held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month (except July and August) at 8:00pm at the Braid Hills Hotel, 134 Braid Road, EH10 6JD.
In July and August Pub Nights are held at 7:30pm at Wee Bennet’s Bar at Morningside Station, on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays. There are also occasional Wee Bennet’s evenings arranged during the main club season.
Most items are archived in Meeting Reports or Society Activities.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
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LRS Barbecue POSTPONED from Wed 24th June. New date TBA ~ Aug/Sept..
Wed 10 June – 19:30h – LRS Pub Night at Wee Bennet’s Bar, Morningside Stn.
Wed 17 June – 20:00h – LRS AGM, Braid Hills Hotel.
TUES 16 JUNE – 19:30h MOC Goudie Lecture – The Remarkable Mary Somerville – Queen of 19th Century Science – by Ian Archibald. See below – Rallies etc.
RALLIES AND OTHER EVENTS
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Sunday 25 Oct 2026 – Galashiels Rally
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Friday 14th August 2026 18:00 to 21:00 Cockenzie & Port Seton Junk Night, Port Seton Community Centre, South Seton Park Port Seton EH32 0BG
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Sat 31 Oct 2026 – GMRT-2026 at MOC Burntisland & Dinner at Kingswood Hotel
The 2026 Scottish Microwave Round Table (GMRT-2026) will be held as usual at the Museum of Communication in Burntisland, followed by dinner at the nearby Kingswood Hotel.
https://gmroundtable.org.uk/
Speakers to present microwave related talks are urgently needed – contact Colin gm4hwo@gmail.comDetails will be available nearer the date.
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9 May – 30 Sept – Weds & Sats – MOC Exhibition 2026
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Tuesday 16 June 2026 – MOC Goudie Lecture
MoC GOUDIE LECTURE – TUESDAY 16 JUNE 2026The next MOC Goudie Lecture will take place at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 16 June and is entitled The Remarkable Mary Somerville – Queen of 19th Century Science. It will be presented by local historian Ian Archibald and is timed to coincide with Burntisland Civic Week. Please see Events – Museum Of Communication for further information.To attend in person, please email enquiries@mocft.co.ukZoom access details will be sent to you about 10 days before the Lecture.Attendance in person costs £5. Those viewing the lectures online are encouraged to make a voluntary donation of £5 in support of MoC activities via our web page at Shop – Museum Of Communication. We are a charitable organisation that relies entirely on donations for financial survival.Please be aware that our lectures are not recorded. There is therefore no catch-up facility.
CONTEST CALENDAR
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Pete GM4BYF has confirmed that the Lothians Contest Group will participate in VHF NFD on 3 – 5 July 2026 and is looking for more members to come along for the weekend and help set up the station and operate. The group is also looking for help with transporting equipment to the site at Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway. Rough camping is available on site; public toilets, shops and an excellent pub / restaurant are nearby- There will be a team meal as usual on the Friday night in the Masonic Arms in Gatehouse.If you are interested, please contact Pete GM4BYF = gm4byf@blueyonder.co.uk
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The LRS operates GM3HAM/P from a great site near Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway.
5-6 July 2025 – VHF NFD – see report in About LRS – Contest / Portable.
(This photo by Andy MMØFMF / now GM4LLD, is in RSGB RadCom Sept 2025, p.80).
RSGB GB2RS NEWS
Every Sunday morning in the Edinburgh area at 09:30h from LRS member Peter Dick GM4DTH. 70.425MHz FM, 145.525MHz FM & 433.525MHz FM. Then call-in to Peter at 10:00h on 145.575MHz for local net. Several LRS members often there.
RADIO NEWS, RECENT MEETINGS, SILENT KEYS and FOR SALE / WANTED
Click on image or “read more” to open full article.
Send items to Alan GM3PSP:
webmaster@lothiansradiosociety.com
Items usually archived as News or Silent Keys in LRS Archive after 1 month.
1. RADIO NEWS ITEMS
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RadCom June 2026 – LRS NARSA Rally Photo in RSGB RadCom
The LRS group photo taken at Pete GM4BYF’s table at the NARSA (Blackpool) Rally has been published in RSGB RadCom magazine, June 2026 issue, p.80.
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Sat 27 June 2026 – BBC to close Radio-4 198kHz Long-Wave Service.
The BBC will close its Radio-4 198kHz Long-Wave service from Droitwich, Burghead and Westerglen on Saturday 27th June 2026. It had operated since Sept 1934. The RSGB and the BBC Amateur Radio Group are planning to mark this event on the air. Click for info.
2. RECENT MEETINGS
3. SILENT KEYS
There are no current silent key notifications. Click on the heading to see the silent key archive.
4. ITEMS FOR SALE
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26 Apr 2026 – Bencher BY-1 Dual Paddle for Sale by Andy GM4LLD.
Bencher BY-1 dual paddle key. Chrome mechanics on black base. Used and slightly worn but in very good condition otherwise. Pictures available on request. Price £125 or offer. Andy Sinclair GM4LLD (formerly MM0FMF
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10 Mar 2026 – For Sale: Sigma 2010 Skip Master 25-30MHz am/fm/ssb, fibreglass home base antenna
John GM4JRT has for sale this aerial a Sigma 2010 skip master 25-30MHz am/fm/ssb , fibreglass home base antenna , works well without an ATU on 10 m and 11m band I have the aerial at my QTH , photo attached – collection from QTH GM4HWO @ Liberton Sigma 2010 skip master 25-30MHhz am/fm/ssb , fibreglass home base antenna, power handling 1000 watts, length 5.48 m/ 18 feet, Gain 9.9 dB, impedance 50 ohms, frequency 25-30MHz (with tuning), construction fibreglass, swr 1:1.3, Mounting bracket pole, the sigma euro-comm ½ wave skip master 2010 is a high performance base station antenna.…
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29 Jan 2026 – Items for Sale by Norman MM0BMG (Reduced Prices).
Norman has reduced the prices of many of the items on his list: GM1CNH Equipment Sale Updated: 29 January 2026 Item Description Price Alinco HF Mobile Whip Antenna 2.7 m mobile whip; antenna mounting bracket and spring; adjustable vehicle mounting bracket; heavy duty; boxed. NEW – £150 Anritsu MT8820A Radio Communication Analyser 30 MHz to 2.7 GHz, spectrum analyser, 2G/3G mobile phone tester, output power, modulation, RF signal generation, £300 Badger Boards HF Antenna wideband folded dipole antenna with balun N(f) connector; heavy duty centre spacer; termination resistor; 1.5 MHz to 30 MHz; supplied with 2 x 50 ft antenna…
Lothians Radio Society activities – latest reports
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23 Feb 2022 – OpenEMS, a Free Electromagnetic Simulator – Brian Howie GM4DIJ
LRS member Brian Howie GM4DIJ talked about OpenEMS, a Free Electro-Magnetic Simulator at the LRS meeting on 22 Feb 22 at the Braid Hills Hotel. Brian writes: “OpenEMS is a free open electromagnetic field solver using the Finite Difference Time Domain method. It was created by Thortsten Liebig at the General & Theoretical Engineering University in Germany. FTDT…
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9 Feb 2022 – The History of the Pocket Calculator – 5000 years and counting – James Gentles GM4WZP
On Wed 9th Feb 2022 at the Braid Hills Hotel James Gentles GM4WZP (HP-retired) gave a great talk on the History of the Pocket Calculator – 5000 years and counting. It included his own collection of HP pocket calculators from his 30-year career at HP. James Gentles GM4WZP Click for full report and video…
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26 Jan 2022 – Using a VDA on a Scottish Beach Pt.2 – Malcolm Hamilton GM3TAL
Malcolm talked (on Zoom) about using vertical dipole arrays from the shores of Loch Fyne. He had operated in the CQWW CW contest in November 2014 (LRS talk 11 Feb 2015) and again in 2021 along with Nick Henwood G3RWF (former RSGB President), with a different set of antennas. He shared his 2021 conclusions on…
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12 Jan 2022 – Pirates – Offshore Radio 1974-1984 – James Gentles GM4WZP
James Gentles GM4WZP gave a repeat on Zoom of his talk from 8th Nov 2017 on the history of pirate radio in the UK in the 1960s and 70s. There was an excellent participation of 19 LRS members and visitors. Radio London Ship Click for report on 2017 presentation. This presentation was video-recorded – Click…
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20 Jan 2022 – New GM3VLB SOTA Islands Award – LRS
André GM3VLB/P on the Flannan Isles 1999. André Saunders GM3VLB (SK) was active in many countries as GM3VLB, G3VLB, 5Z4KL (5Z5KL) from the 1960s onwards. In later years he became very keen on IOTA (Islands On The Air), activating Scottish Islands. André passed away in 2019 just before his 81st birthday. He left a legacy…
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10 Nov 2021 – Getting Started with WSPR – Colin Murray GM4EAU
Wed 10th November 2021 : Near Real-Time Propagation Measurement : Getting Started with WSPR – Colin Murray GM4EAU. Precis: An explanation of WSPR, the Weak Signal Propagation Reporter protocol (pronounced Whisper) used to measure antenna performance and investigate radio propagation in near-real-time. The theory and practicalities were explained, followed by the steps required to observe WSPR traffic…
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20 Oct 2021 – LRS Autumn Surplus Equipment Sale
The LRS autumn Surplus Equipment Sale was held on 20th October 2021 at St Fillan’s Church, as usual. This year the participants were suitably masked and socially distanced. As this was the first sale in two years there was a lot of “stuff” including GM8GEC & GM3VLB SK items. Click. Pete GM4BYF sold many GM8GEC-SK items. …
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6 Oct 2021 – 122GHz – Pete Bates GM4BYF & Brian Flynn GM8BJF
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 122GHz GM-GM & G-GM QSOs in July 2020. VK3CV pcb. Crossing the border on 122GHz. Click for Full Report. ====================================
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12 Aug 2021 LRS Perseids BBQ
The LRS 2021 Summer “Perseids” barbecue was held at “Bates Motel”, QTH of Pete GM4BYF & Kay Bates GM6KAY, 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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28 July 2021 – LRS D/F Hunt
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…
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2-4 July 2021 – GM3HAM/P – VHF NFD – Gatehouse of Fleet
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…
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14 -16 May 2021 – GM3HAM/P – RSGB 2m Contest, Gatehouse of Fleet
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…