Scottish Charity number SC045038
-
LRS Messages of the Day
Thu 29 Jan – LRS Committee Meeting – If you have any issues, please inform Hon Sec Colin GM4HWO by Monday 26th.
Wed 28 Jan – LRS – 8:00pm at BHH library – ALMA (Atacama Large mm Array) – A Radio Observatory in Chile – The Trials & Tribulations of working at greater than 100 GHz – Bill Dent GM8RBT (Retired System Astronomer at ALMA).
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
-
Wed 25 Feb 2026 – 8pm at BHH – Digital Voice Modes by Allister Watson GM7RYR.
-
Wed 11 Feb 8:00pm at BHH – LRS Quiz Evening. How much have you learned on your Amateur Radio journey and how much has been forgotten? (Teams of 4, so there is plenty of space to hide.) Brian Howie GM4DIJ @ James Gentles GM4WZP.
-
Wed 28 Jan – LRS 8:00pm in BHH library – ALMA (Atacama Large mm Array) – A Radio Observatory in Chile – Trials & Tribulations of working at greater than 100 GHz by Bill Dent GM8RBT.
Bill will talk about the ALMA radio observatory in Chile. This is an array of 66 dishes, the largest and most powerful in the world, operating together at frequencies of 30-1000GHz in the Atacama desert, one of the driest places on earth. He will describe the site, some of the technical challenges of observing at >100GHz, and show some of the astronomical results. Bill is retired from System Astronomer at ALMA.
RECENT MEETINGS
-
14 Jan 2026 – LRS Video Night 2026.
The Video Night 2026 was presented by Colin Murray GM4EAU in the… Read more
RALLIES AND OTHER EVENTS
-
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.
-
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
CONTEST CALENDAR
-
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.
-
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
-
20 Jan 2026 – Powerful X-Class Solar Flare causes Aurora in Scotland and Auroral Radio
Aurora from Dyke, Moray. Peter GM4DTH reports that an X1.9 flare and an associated CME were responsible for the events
-
8 Jan – Strange Data Transmission on Medium Wave Band.
Brian Howie GM4DIJ reports: “I’ve come across a high-speed RTTY-sounding signal on the Medium Wave Band on 570kHz . I can
-
Sept-Oct 2026 – DXpedition to Colombia by Norman MM0BMG
Following last year’s event. Norman is organizing another DXpedition to Colombia in the autumn of 2026. Norman can now confirm
2. SILENT KEYS
There are no current silent key notifications. Click on the heading to see the silent key archive.
3. ITEMS FOR SALE
-
17 Jan 2026 – Items for Sale by Norman GM1CNH / MM0BMG
Equipment for sale v2025-08-17 GM1CNH Equipment Sale Updated: 17 August 2025 Alinco HF Mobile Whip Antenna 2.7 m mobile whip;
-
17 Jan 2026 – Please note: all unsold items offered by Dave-6 GM6KGZ have now been removed from this website at his request. Look out for any new items that may appear!
-
22 Feb 2025 – Triangular Mast 15m FREE to Pick up
Sat 22 Feb 2025 – 15m Tower : dismantled 2 sections x 7m triangular 0.5m. FREE to pick-up from Tom
Lothians Radio Society activities – latest reports
-
4-6 Sept 2020 – LRS GM3HAM/P – RSGB 2m Trophy, Gatehouse of Fleet
The LRS GM3HAM/P contest group were active during the 2m Trophy Contest from our usual site near Gatehouse of Fleet
-
23 & 25 July 2020 – 122GHz – Two Firsts in 3 Days by Brian GM8BJF & Pete GM4BYF / G4BYF – Confirmed by UK Microwave Group
-
21st July 2020 – Website: https://WorldRadioHistory.com
WorldRadioHistory.com Many thanks to Brian GM8BJF who has just reported finding a potentially very useful website: https://WorldRadioHistory.com which provides detailed links
-
19th July 2020 – GM4DIJ/P in RSGB 70MHz Trophy Contest from nr Stranraer in Galloway.
Brian GM4DIJ returned to his favourite portable location at IO74mu about 8km south of Stranraer, to operate in the 70MHz
-
22 Sept 2021 – WWI Aircraft Electrical Systems including Radio – Bob Thomson, APSS
Bob Thomson of the Aviation Preservation Society Scotland described the work to reconstruct a Sopwith Strutter 1 1/2 aircraft, especially
-
5th April 2020 – Temporary Q-Codes
Brian GM4DIJ has just received this from his friends in the SOC – Second-Class Operators Club: From SOC mailing listTemporary
-
01 April 2020 – HAM COVID-19 Guidelines
EFFECTIVE APRIL 01, 2020. Amateur Radio operators are ordered to strictly observe the Coronavirus mitigation guidelines as they apply to amateur
-
8 March 2020 – GM4DIJ 23cm DXpedition to Stranraer
Brian Howie GM4DIJ took part in the UK Microwave 23cm contest on Sunday 8th March from a site near
-
17 March 2020 – LRS MEETINGS POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
In view of the current Coronavirus pandemic with the risk of infection being passed from one person to another when
-
11th March 2020 – How Not to Sail to the Faeroe Islands – Geoff Crowley MM5AHO
Geoff’s yacht Contender approaching Rockall during a charity sail there in 2018. At the meeting on March 11th our good
-
26 Feb 2020 – The Raspberry Pi Explained for Radio Amateurs – Video – Mike Richards G4WNC
Photo courtesy RadCom The RSGB Convention video “The Raspberry Pi Explained for Radio Amateurs” by Mike Richards G4WNC was shown
-
12th February 2020 – Robot Wars + Rampaging Chariots – Dr Roger Hill
At the LRS meeting on 12th February Dr Roger Hill talked about “Robot Wars + Rampaging Chariots and showed videos