Scottish Charity number SC045038
-
LRS Messages of the Day:
Wed 11 Nov 2026 – 7:30PM – LRS Open Meeting – Need to book your place – The end of the BBC 198kHz Radio 4 long wave service – Mark Hughes GM4ISM. Note that this meeting will be held in the Buckstone Bar, next to the Braid Hills Hotel, if the current maintenance work on the Gathering Bar is not completed.
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 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.
LOCATION: if the current maintenance work in the Gathering Bar at the rear of the Braid Hills Hotel is not complete, this meeting will be held in the Buckstone Bar next to 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
-
31 Oct 2026 – Scottish Microwave Round Table GMRT 2026
The 2026 Scottish Microwave Round Table was held, appropriately, on Halloween this year. The event was sold out and the lecture room at the MOC/Burntisland was full. There were interesting talks – several from LRS members, including Andy (GM4LLD) on portable microwave operating (lugging dishes up some cold Scottish mountains), Peter (GM4BYF) and Brian (GM8BJF) on tricks and techniques on SM component soldering (with lively participation and experiences from the audience). Also Martin (GM8IEM) talked about his sequencer design for the IC9700, and Mark (GM4ISM) gave some ideas about modding commercial microwave gear for amateurs (aka ‘bodging’). There were some cool bits of identifiable (and unidentifiable) microwave goodies for sale, some fancy test gear for GHz visitors, and tasty food for lunch. A good day out and meet up with other microwavers from Scotland and south of the border.
The room was full! 
Andy introduced Brian GM8BJF talking about SM soldering tricks 
Mark/GM4ISM talked about bodging commercial microwave equipment for amateur use. 
Some interesting microwave bits for sale 
Fancy testgear available (not for sale) 
Speakers: Mark/GM8IEM, Peter/GM4BYF, Brian/GM8BJF, Martin/GM8IEM, and Andy/GM4LLD 
More pictures at https://gmroundtable.org.uk/gmrt-2026-photos/
CONTEST CALENDAR
-
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
There are no RADIO NEWS ITEMS. Click on the heading to see the radio news archive.
2. RECENT MEETINGS
3. SILENT KEYS
There are no current silent key notifications. Click on the heading to see the silent key archive.
4. 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
-
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…
-
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…
-
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 ===========================================
-
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. ============================================
-
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. ============================================
-
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. ============================================
-
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. ============================================
-
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. =============================================
-
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…
-
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. ============================================
-
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. ============================================
-
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…