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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23 Nov 2022 – Ed Bain GM4AIS – AI in Diagnostics
Artificial intelligence has been around for over 60 years. In reality it covers various techniques. One of them, Expert Systems (or Knowledge-based Systems) was introduced in the 1980s, and by the start of the next decade was in significant use in many domains. We look at some practical engineering applications, mainly in diagnosing faults. Click…
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9 Nov 2022: David Stockton GM4ZNX – Limiting Factors in Receiver Design over the Decades
David writes: It’s quite simple if unusual. All the marketing departments of all the component, system etc manufacturers trumpet what their products CAN do. So let’s turn that on its head and talk about what things CANNOT do. The limitations of available technologies and parts act to steer progress in ways that can make clearer than the…
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30 Oct 2022 – LRS Members at Galashiels Rally
Mike MM0MLB, Brian GM4DIJ, Colin GM4HWO / Brian GM8BJF, Norrie GM1CNH. The Canny Man. (Gateshead). Click for more photos taken by Colin GM4HWO ===========================================
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22 Oct 2022 – GMRT-2022 – Scottish Microwave Round Table
GMRT-2022 was held on 22nd October at the Museum of Communication in Burntisland. A preliminary report with photos by John GM8OTI, is now up on the LRS site (click). Also click for GMRT website official report. Mark GM4ISM won the Constructors Trophy. ============================================
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19 Oct 2022 – LRS Autumn Surplus Equipment Sale
Colin GM4HWO opened the sale. Lots of goodies – and cheap! Click for full report with many photos. ============================================
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12 Oct 2022 – Brian Flynn GM8BJF – “Remote Radio”
Brian described the equipment he designed and built to provide remote operation on 2m (and HF) from a poor location (Peebles!), with demo QSOs with GM8PKL & GM4COK/DU1. Hardware in rack case. Click for full report with slides. ============================================
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28 Sept 2022 – LRS Visit to MoC for 2022 Exhibition
LRS members enjoyed the MoC exhibition “100 Years of Broadcasting in the UK”. Early Baird mechanical TV receiver. Click for Full Report with photos. ============================================
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14 Sept 2022: Pres Address – Colin Wright GM4HWO – “Sparks at Sea”
Colin’s talk was about his journey into Amateur Radio, his time at Leith Nautical College, his time at sea, including the two trips that he made in the role of the traditional radio officer, and the move to Electro Technical Officer (ETO) / Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (GMDSS) ~1995. Click report with slides. =============================================
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4 Sept 2022 – Brian GM4DIJ in RSGB 2m Trophy from Sandhead, D&G.
In the absence of an LRS GM3HAM/P entry in the 2m Trophy due to very adverse Wx forecasts, Brian GM4DIJ braved the weather with thunder & lightning and put in a single-op entry with 93 QSOs in the 6-hour Open Section on the Sunday from Sandhead. Click full report. Result: Brian came 3rd out of…
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12 Aug 2022 – Cockenzie & Port Seton Mini-Rally
Good turnout of LRS members & friends. Also: Colin GM4HWO & Alan GM3PSP. Pete GM4BYF’s table. Colin GM4HWO won the raffle! Click for full report with many photos. ============================================
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16 July 2022 – Brian GM4DIJ in RSGB 4m Trophy from Ardwell, D&G.
Brian operated GM4DIJ/P from Ardwell near Stranraer. 34 QSOs, best DX G0VHF/P at 527km. Click for full report. ============================================
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1-3 July 2022 GM3HAM/P – RSGB VHF-NFD – Gatehouse
Ian GM3SEK & John 2M0JTU operating 2m. GM3HAM/P was operated in RSGB VHF NFD from our usual site in the hills behind Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway. Operators included Pete GM4BYF, Brian GM4DIJ, Peter GM4DTH, Mike GM4IGS, Norrie GM1CNH (& son Andrew), Danny GM6CMQ & John 2M0JTU. We were joined by several welcome…