Scottish Charity number SC045038
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LRS Messages of the Day:
TODAY – Thurs 23 July 2026 – Funeral of Liz Brunsdon, XYL of Mike GM8KCS – see Silent Keys, below.
Wed 22 July 2026 – Summer Pub Night 2 photos – see below.
LRS July Nets: Wed 29 July – 20:00h – 144.350MHz SSB.
MOC Goudie Lecture (and LRS visit) – Wed 23 Sept – 100 Years of Television by Prof. Tom Stevenson. See Rallies etc below.
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.
Wed 9 Sept 2026 – Presidential Address – Andy Sinclair GM4LLD.
Wed 23rd Sept 2026 – LRS Visit to MOC Burntisland 2026 Exhibition – When Screens were Small, but the Magic seemed Huge – 100 Years of Television. There will also be a lecture by Prof. Tom Stevenson – 100 Years of Television – some Technical Milestones, including the early days of TV in Orkney.
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/
One more speaker to present a microwave-related talk is still needed – contact Colin gm4hwo@gmail.com.Details will be available nearer the date.
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9 May – 30 Sept – Weds & Sats – MOC Exhibition 2026
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27 Sept 2026 MOC Goudie Lecture – 100 Years of Television.
The next MOC Goudie Lecture will take place at 7.30 pm on WEDNESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER and is entitled 100 Years of Television. It will be presented by Museum Chair Prof. Tom Stevenson. Please see Events – Museum Of Communication for further information.
CONTEST CALENDAR
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20-21 June 2026 – GM3HAM/P operated by Brian GM4DIJ in 50MHz Contest.
I’m out /P from IO74MU for the 50MHz Trophy. Today and tomorrow. 3pm till I get hungry, and 9am to 3pm tomorrow.
Fairly minimalist effort 300W to a 5 ele
Listen for GM3HAM/P . No postcode bonuses, only countries and squares -
3-5 July 2026 – VHF NFD 2026 participation by LRS is CANCELLED. Sadly, the key players in the LRS contest group have decided this event will need to be cancelled. The main reasons are lack of resources and transport at this time. Participation in the Sept 2026 VHF event is being discussed.
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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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17 July 2026 – Brian GM4DIJ at school ~1965
Photo of Brian Howie (now GM4DIJ) with a B-29 receiver, taken by one of his friends in the Radio Club at Marr College, Troon about 1965. He passed the RAE in 1966, getting his first licence GM8DIJ in 1970. After learning the Morse code he later upgraded to GM4DIJ.
2. RECENT MEETINGS
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22 July 2026 – Summer Pub Night 2
Photos by John GM8OTI taken at Wee Bennet’s Bar, Morningside Station. Also… Read more
3. SILENT KEYS
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28 June 2026 – Obituary – Liz Brunsdon, XYL of Mike GM8KCS and mother of Michael MM3MDB.
Funeral on Thursday 23 July at 11:000am at St Columba’s Catholic Church, Edinburgh, then at Mortonhall Crematorium, Pentland Chapel at 12:30pm.
4. ITEMS FOR SALE
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28 June 2026 – Corsair CV450 modern PC PSU – for sale by Andy GM4LLD
Corsair CV450 modern PC PSU. Comes from my son’s PC as he has just updated with some new GPU that needs a bigger PSU. No box but clean and working. £20 Andy GM4LLD (ex-MM0FMF)
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13 June 2026 – Dell Monitor for Sale by Andy GM4LLD
Dell U2412M hires 1920 x 1200 LCD monitor Adjustable stand DisplayPort, DVI & VGA inputs 1920 x 1200 WUXGA resolution 4 port USB2 hub. Mains lead Very good condition, no screen blemishes. £35 Andy GM4LLD.
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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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13 Mar 2024 – Running HF Stns Off-Grid – Malcolm Hamilton GM3TAL
Malcolm GM3TAL talked about running HF stations when grid / mains electricity is not available. He has been taking part in contests from locations around Scotland and the UK for many years now and this talk described how he has operated using batteries, generators and solar panels. Click for Full Report. =======================================
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4 March 2024 – LRS in RSGB Tonight@8
VHF NFD Challenges & Fun Seen Through the Eyes of the Lothians Radio Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLKVGWU3-r4 Andy Sinclair MM0FMF (LRS host) =====================================
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28 Feb 2024 – “47 Years and Counting – Story of Voyagers 1 & 2” – John Cooke GM8OTI & James Gentles GM4WZP
John Cooke GM8OTI & James Gentles GM4WZP talked about the two NASA deep space probes, Voyagers 1 & 2, which are still operating and communicating with Earth 47 years after launches in Sep- & Aug 1977. Click for FULL REPORT It has just been reported (8 March 2024) that Voyager I has just started sending back “incoherent” messages from…
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14 Feb 2024 – “Understanding Baluns” – Brian Flynn GM8BJF
Dr. Brian Flynn GM8BJF Brian described the concept of balanced-to-unbalanced transformers (“baluns”) and showed a number of examples. Click for full report. ====================================
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24 Jan 2024 – “SOTA & QRP Labs QCX Mini HF Tcvr” – Andy Sinclair MM0FMF
Andy talked about the QCX Mini tcvr from QRP Labs, its design & construction & use for SOTA operation (Summits On The Air). Click for Report. ==========================================
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10 Jan 2024 – LRS Video Night -“The Boat that Rocked”.
Wed 10 Jan 2024 – LRS Video Night ‘The Boat That Rocked’ was set in the 1960s offshore broadcasting era. There was a turnout of 13 at the Edinburgh Cine & Video Society for this enjoyable video, presented by Peter Dick GM4DTH. Click for report. ====================================
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13 Dec 2023 – Xmas Curry
Good turnout of 15 for the 2023 LRS Xmas Curry at the Gurkha Cafe in Cockburn St. Photos taken by the waiter! Click for all the photos. ======================================
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6 Dec 2023 LRS Members at IET Lecture
Thanks to Colin Murray’s inspiration, several members of the LRS enjoyed attending an Institution of Engineering & Technology event at Napier University. The lecture given by Dr Carol Marsh OBE provided an interesting insight into the current status of the Scottish Space Programme and was focused on satellite communication & phased antenna arrays. Lots of…
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22 Nov 2023 – Borders Amateurs & Bletchley Park Bruce McCartney GM4BDJ & John Struthers GM8CVN
There was an excellent turnout of 21 for this very interesting talk by Bruce McCartney GM4BDJ via Zoom from Langholm, with John Struthers GM8CVN present at the LRS meeting at the BHH. Click for report. =======================================
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11 Nov 2023 – GMRT-2023 Scottish Microwave Round Table
A very successful GMRT was held at the Museum of Communication in Burntisland with an attendance of 46, followed by dinner & surplus auction at the Kingswood Hotel. Full report by Martin Hall GM8IEM & photos by Tom Stevenson & Colin Wright GM4HWO on the GMRT website (click). ========================================
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8 Nov 2023 – Sophie the Strutter – Gerard Lohan
Gerard Lohan Following an LRS talk 2 years ago (click) by Bob Thompson of the APSS (Aircraft Preservation Society Scotland), Gerard Lohan gave us an update on their “late production” Sopwith 1½ Strutter, named “Sophie”. Over the last 20 years they have built to the original drawings an (almost) exact replica of Sopwith’s WW1 bi-plane, The…
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Winter / Spring LRS Pub Nights
The committee has decided that, in addition to the Summer Pub-Nights, we shall also hold them during the winter and spring, on non-meeting Wednesdays in months with Five Wednesdays (believe it or not)! Wed 29 Nov 2023, Wed 31 Jan 2024, Wed 3 April 2024, Wed 29 May 2024. Meet as usual at 8:00pm…