Scottish Charity number SC045038
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LRS Messages of the Day
25 Feb 2026 – BHH 20:00h – Digital Voice Modes by Allister Watson GM7RYR
- See Upcoming Meetings 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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22 Apr 2026 – BHH 20:00h – Microwave energy generation advances which enabled the development of WW2 airborne radar by Dr Peter Grant, Emeritus Regius Professor of Engineering, University of Edinburgh.
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SESAME – March IET Talk: The Voyager Interstellar Mission – 4th March at 2.00pm Napier University Colinton Campus – Rivers Suite.Launched in 1977, the Voyager 1 & 2 spacecraft continue to send back scientific data despite now being almost 1 light-day from Earth.How has this been done and what of the future?The talk to be given by LRS members, James Gentles GM4WZP (engineer) and Dr John Cooke GM8OTI (scientist), will cover the achievements necessary to maintain this flow of scientific data back to Earth and the scientific discoveries made.You do not have to register but it does help us plan the event. The link to register is given below.
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Wed 25 Feb 2026 – 8pm at BHH – Digital Voice Modes by Allister Watson GM7RYR.
Title: The Digital Shift: How DMR is Changing the Face of Amateur Radio
While traditional FM remains a staple, lowest common denominator mode for radio amateurs, the digital voice modes offer crystal-clear audio, extended battery life, and the ability to talk across the globe using nothing more than the technology you already have in your pocket.
You can of course use a radio and a local repeater or hotspot !
This presentation introduces the various digital “flavours” available to amateur radio operators today, focusing on why DMR has emerged as the clear leader for digital voice.
See and hear how this professional-grade technology has been re-purposed by the amateur community to create a truly global, interconnected radio network.
RECENT MEETINGS
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Wed 11 Feb 2026 – LRS Quiz Night 2026
The LRS Quiz Night 2026 was prepared and organized by Brian Howie… Read more
RALLIES AND OTHER EVENTS
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Sun 12 April 2026 – Norbreck (Blackpool) Rally
Pete GM4BYF confirms that parking at the rear of the Norbreck Hotel will be free provided that car owners register on the tablet provided within the convention.
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Saturday 28th March 2026 – 27th ANNUAL GMDX CONVENTION & DINNER
The 27th Annual GMDX Convention & Dinner will be held on Saturday 28th March 2026 at the King Robert Hotel, Stirling, FK7 0LJ.
A link to the Convention Programme is below, along with the booking form. Please use the instructions on the booking form, or visit the GMDX website link below to secure your booking: https://gmdx.org.uk/27th-annual-gmdx-convention-dinner/ It would be very much appreciated if you could book as soon as possible. See you there! Thanks & 73. Gordon, MM0GOR GMDX SecretaryGMDX Convention Programme 27th March 2026 -
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.
Looking for a programme organizer for GMRT – contact Colin GM4HWO.
Details will be available nearer the date.
CONTEST CALENDAR
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2026 RSGB Contest Rules published 20 Dec 2025:
2m May contest back to old slot.
70cm and 23cm 24hours again for VHF NFD.
Bonuses rather than multipliers (Post code etc) retained.https://www.rsgbcc.org/vhf/rul
es/26rules/frameindex.html Tnx Brian GM4DIJ.
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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, 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
There are no RADIO NEWS ITEMS. Click on the heading to see the radio news archive.
2. SILENT KEYS
There are no current silent key notifications. Click on the heading to see the silent key archive.
3. ITEMS FOR SALE
There are no current items for sale. Click on the heading to see any archived items.
Lothians Radio Society activities – latest reports
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24 Apr 2022 – Norbreck (Blackpool) Rally
A number of LRS members attended the 2022 Norbreck Rally, as usual. LRS group in the bar, the night before.
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20 Apr 2022 – LRS Spring Surplus Equipment Sale
The LRS 2022 Spring Surplus Sale was held on Wed 20th April 2022 at St Fillans Church, Buckstone, organized by Colin GM4HWO.
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6 Apr 2022 – LRS Video Night – Peter Dick GM4DTH
Video Night 2022 by Peter GM4DTH at ECVS. ‘The Secret Wireless War – Black Propaganda’ (Grindlewald Productions) The RCA 600kW
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23 Mar 2022 – Bletchley Park, Section VIII – Malcolm Fergusson.
Malcolm Fergusson talked about the Ultra secret (the WWII German communications decoded at Bletchley Park) and the SCU-3 (Special Communications
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9 Mar 2022 Astrodynamics without the Mathematics – How to Fly Spacecraft – John Cooke GM8OTI
At the LRS meeting on 9 Mar 2022 at the Braid Hills Hotel, and on Zoom, John Cooke GM8OTI talked
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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