Scottish Charity number SC045038
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LRS Messages of the Day:
TONIGHT – Wed 16 Sept 2026 – 20:00h LRS Net 208 -144.350MHz SSB – All welcome. Wed 23 Sept 2026 – LRS Visit to MOC Burntisland 2026 Exhibition – When Screens were Small, but the Magic seemed Huge – 100 Years of Television. There will also be a lecture by Prof. Tom Stevenson – 100 Years of Television – some Technical Milestones, including the early days of TV in Orkney. 5:00pm Pre-Dinner at Sands Hotel, Burntisland.
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 23 Sept 2026 – LRS Visit to MOC Burntisland 2026 Exhibition – When Screens were Small, but the Magic seemed Huge – 100 Years of Television. There will also be a lecture by Prof. Tom Stevenson – 100 Years of Television – some Technical Milestones, including the early days of TV in Orkney.
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. The registration system is open for booking. We have sold 47 Event tickets – 3 tickets left – max room capacity = 50. Suggest you book asap to avoid disappointment. https://gmroundtable.org.uk/
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9 May – 30 Sept – Weds & Sats – MOC Exhibition 2026
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27 Sept 2026 MOC Goudie Lecture – 100 Years of Television.
The next MOC Goudie Lecture will take place at 7.30 pm on WEDNESDAY 23 SEPTEMBER and is entitled 100 Years of Television. It will be presented by Museum Chair Prof. Tom Stevenson. Please see Events – Museum Of Communication for further information.
Sunday 25 Oct 2026 – Galashiels Rally
CONTEST CALENDAR
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The LRS operates GM3HAM/P from a great site near Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway.
5-6 Sept 2026 – Brian GM4DIJ operated GM3HAM/P in RSGB 2m Trophy from IO74MU near Stranraer. See report in Radio News Items.
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, 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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22-23 Aug 2026 – LRS Members at Montrose Air Station Open Weekend
Mike GM8KCS, Michael MM3MDB, Melvyn GM4HYR, Colin GM4HWO. WW2 Singer. Melvyn GM4HYR Sopwith Camel – WWI
2. RECENT MEETINGS
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9 Sept 2026 – Secondary Batteries for Hams – Presidential Address by Andy Sinclair GM4LLD.
Andy Sinclair GM4LLD got the new LRS year off to a good… 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
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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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 History of the Pocket Calculator – 5000 years and counting. It included his own collection of HP pocket calculators from his 30-year career at HP. James Gentles GM4WZP Click for full report and video…
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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 the CQWW CW contest in November 2014 (LRS talk 11 Feb 2015) and again in 2021 along with Nick Henwood G3RWF (former RSGB President), with a different set of antennas. He shared his 2021 conclusions on…
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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 radio in the UK in the 1960s and 70s. There was an excellent participation of 19 LRS members and visitors. Radio London Ship Click for report on 2017 presentation. This presentation was video-recorded – Click…
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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 (5Z5KL) from the 1960s onwards. In later years he became very keen on IOTA (Islands On The Air), activating Scottish Islands. André passed away in 2019 just before his 81st birthday. He left a legacy…
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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 explanation of WSPR, the Weak Signal Propagation Reporter protocol (pronounced Whisper) used to measure antenna performance and investigate radio propagation in near-real-time. The theory and practicalities were explained, followed by the steps required to observe WSPR traffic…
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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 the participants were suitably masked and socially distanced. As this was the first sale in two years there was a lot of “stuff” including GM8GEC & GM3VLB SK items. Click. Pete GM4BYF sold many GM8GEC-SK items. …
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6 Oct 2021 – 122GHz – Pete Bates GM4BYF & Brian Flynn GM8BJF
Brian GM8BJF & Pete GM4BYF Pete, assisted by Brian, described the building and operation of their VK3CV TRA-120 122GHz transverters and their achievement of the first 122GHz GM-GM & G-GM QSOs in July 2020. VK3CV pcb. Crossing the border on 122GHz. Click for Full Report. ====================================
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12 Aug 2021 LRS Perseids BBQ
The LRS 2021 Summer “Perseids” barbecue was held at “Bates Motel”, QTH of Pete GM4BYF & Kay Bates GM6KAY, and was a great success. Pete and guests at the grill. Enjoying the excellent BBQ grub outside. We moved into the sunroom as it got cooler. Click for full report. =====================================
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28 July 2021 – LRS D/F Hunt
The 2021 LRS DF Hunt on Top Band was held on 28th July, starting from the “Tardis” on Braid Hills Road. Three teams attempted to find the Fox station GM3HAM/P operated by Peter GM4DTH. Brian GM4DIJ, Briain GM8PKL (cheers!), Melvyn GM4HYR, Mike GM8KCS. (Photos: Alan GM3PSP). Peter GM4DTH operating Fox GM3HAM/P in woods beside White…
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2-4 July 2021 – GM3HAM/P – VHF NFD – Gatehouse of Fleet
The LRS GM3HAM Contest Group again took part in RSGB VHF NFD from Gatehouse of Fleet on 6m/4m, 2m & 70cm. Photos Colin GM4HWO, Peter GM4DTH. 2021-08-18: Result: LRS was again Runner-up in Restricted Section with 2944 normalised points, and earning the Cockenzie Quaich as Leading GM. Brian GM4DIJ & Andy MM0FMF 6m (Sat) / 4m (Sun). Also…
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14 -16 May 2021 – GM3HAM/P – RSGB 2m Contest, Gatehouse of Fleet
Peter GM4DTH and Brian GM4DIJ Back to our favourite site, on a hill-top near Gatehouse of Fleet. Peter GM4DTH described the wx conditions as “grey and unsettled”. Radio conditions were below average with low signal strengths being the norm for the entire operating period. Unusually, we could not hear GB3VHF (144.430MHz). The antennas were an…
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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 in Dumfries & Galloway. Participants were: Colin GM4HWO, Brian GM8BJF, Mike GM4IGS, Norrie GM1CNH, Bob MM0XRI (guest), Rob MM0RHU (guest) and Peter GM4DTH, with apologies (H&S) from Alan GM3PSP & Pete GM4BYF. The station made…