Scottish Charity number SC045038
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LRS Messages of the Day:
Sat 31 Oct 2026 – GMRT-2026 at MOC Burntisland & Dinner at Kingswood Hotel
Wed 11 Nov 2026 – 7:30PM – LRS Open Meeting – Need to book your place – The end of the 198kHz Radio 4 long wave service – Mark Hughes GM4ISM
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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Wed 11 Nov 2026 – 7:30pm – Open Meeting – The End of the 198kHz Radio-4 Long Wave Service by Mark Hughes GM4ISM.
There is an intention that every year we have an open evening with a keynote speaker, to which guests of the society are very welcome to attend. Because these are likely to be attended by more people than usual, they will be held in a larger room, and at an earlier time. Members and guests will need to register their interest in attending so that all attendees can be accommodated.
This year the event is: The story of the Radio 4 Long Wave service on 200 and 198kHz by Mark Hughes GM4ISM
Mark Hughes GM4ISM will tell the story of the last 35 years of evolution of the BBC Long Wave service and a glimpse at the engineering challenges that kept him (in the technical specialist team) busy as they pushed elderly transmitters way beyond their design life. The inevitable was warded off for a long time to a point that with changes in technology and the ‘political’ and contractual environment, we ended up with the services ceasing this year.
Mark Hughes GM4ISM was a keen young radio ham (licensed at 14), and a career in Electrical Engineering seemed to fit. After graduating in Electrical Engineering at Warwick University he was recruited by BBC transmission. He worked extensively with antennas and transmitters, ending as team manager of the Forfar and Shetland teams before moving to a technical specialist team which started with four members and ended up with over thirty by the time he retired.
11 November 2026 in the Gathering Bar at the Braid Hills Hotel.
Note that the open event starts 30 minutes earlier than our usual talks: 19:00 for 19:30 start.
Please reserve your place through this link:
https://www.lothiansradiosocie
ty.com/open-event-registration/ Please remember to add your email address on the form so that you receive an acknowledgment which is effectively your ticket for the event.
RALLIES AND OTHER EVENTS
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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. The panel of speakers is now complete. GMRT-2026 is now FULLY-BOOKED – all 50 places sold. WAITING LIST – Contact Colin GM4HWO. https://gmroundtable.org.uk/
CONTEST CALENDAR
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The LRS operates GM3HAM/P from a great site near Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway.
(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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25 Oct 2026 – Galashiels Rally
LRS members visited the Gala Rally, enjoying the Storm Boelo winds on the way down. LRS attendees included Jack GM1CQC, Iain GM1MSS, Pete GM4BYF, Colin GM4EAU, Colin GM4HWO and Brian GM8BJF. Among the people present was our good friend Chris Tran GM3WOJ from Tain. Photos by Colin GM4HWO: Entrance to the rally in the Volunteer Hall, Galashiels. The rally hall. The rally hall. Captain Birdseye. Bring & Buy Stall. Pete GM4BYF’s table. Chris GM3WOJ (all the way from Tain). Jack GM1CQC. LRS Secretary Iain GM1MSS & Colin GM4EAU. Brian…
2. RECENT MEETINGS
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28 Oct 2026 – Blood Bikes Scotland by Phil Dodsworth
Blood Bikes Scotland (BBS) is a fully volunteer-run and donation-funded charity that… Read more
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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13 June 2026 Dell Monitor for sale by Andy GM4LLD.
Dell U2412M hi-res 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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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)
Lothians Radio Society activities – latest reports
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27 March 2024 – “GB3EDN 1296MHz Beacon – History & Current Developments” by Brian Flynn GM8BJF
Dr Brian Flynn GM8BJF described the long history of the 1296MHz (23cm) beacon GB3EDN in Edinburgh and its various upgrades over the years, including its recent move from Kings Buildings to the QTH of Colin GM4HWO. Click for report. ====================================
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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). ========================================
