Scottish Charity number SC045038
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LRS Messages of the Day:
Sun 25 Oct 2026 – Galashiels Rally – 11:15am – Volunteer Hall, Galashiels. LRS table. Wed 28 Oct 2026 – LRS at BHH – Blood Bikes Scotland – Phil Dodsworth & John Taylor Wed 11 Nov 2026 – 7:30PM – 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.
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28 Oct 2026 – Blood Bikes Scotland by Phil Dodsworth & John Taylor GM3JRT
Blood Bikes Scotland (BBS) is a fully volunteer-run and donation-funded charity that provides a completely no cost courier service to 5 NHS Scotland Health Boards in Lothians, Borders, Fife, Central, and Tayside. BBS use both motorcycles and cars to move a variety of essential items 7 days a week, including: medicines and controlled drugs, tissue and blood samples, prescriptions, clerical and medical documents, medical equipments, and, occasionally, blood.
The alternative courier services cost the NHS precious funds and BBS has saved NHS Scotland over £450,000 in courier costs in the last 12 months.
Phil Dodsworth, a Trustee with BBS, will be giving a presentation all about BBS and how it functions. Our own Treasurer John GM4JRT also volunteers with BBS and will be on hand to answer any specific questions LRS members might have.
More information can be found on the Blood Bikes Scotland website: <https://bloodbikesscotland.
org/>28 Oct 2026 –
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/
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Sun 25 Oct 2026 – Galashiels Rally
11:15 am – Volunteer Hall, Galashiels.
See: Galashiels and District Amateur Radio Society (GDARS) GM4YEQ
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
There are no RADIO NEWS ITEMS. Click on the heading to see the radio news archive.
2. RECENT MEETINGS
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Sat 24 Oct 2026 – MOC Goudie Lecture: Vision 1926: Baird, Early Television and Museum Legacy, presented by Iain Logie Baird, grandson of John Logie Baird.
Sat 24 Oct 2026 -MoC Goudie Lecture – Vision 1926: Baird, Early… 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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HP 27″ Computer Monitor For Sale by Colin GM4HWO.
HP 27″ Full HD Computer Monitor – Model HSTND-9711-A (27fw Series) Size is 610 mm wide x 360mm high – 27 inch diagonal Condition: VGC, Tested & fully working. Screen is clean with no dead pixels. Includes mains power cable and HDMI lead . Key Features from the internet • 27-inch Full HD IPS Display – Crisp 1920×1080 resolution with wide viewing angles • Ultra-Slim Design – • Connectivity Options – HDMI & VGA • Energy Efficient – Low power consumption with LED backlighting • User-Friendly Controls – Rear-mounted buttons for easy menu navigation Price £35. COLLECTION FROM gm4hwo…
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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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11th December 2019 – LRS Christmas Curry at the Gurkha
We returned to the Gurkha Cafe in Cockburn Street for our 2019 Christmas Curry on 11th December. There was a turn-out of 11 for the distinctive Nepalese menu. We were particularly happy to have Veronica Saunders join us from Kelso. Click for more photos. View from other end of table. GM3PSP, GM4HWO, GM4WZP, GM4EAU…
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13th Nov 2019 – SOTA & 13cm Escapades, Jack Hood GM4COX
Jack Hood GM4COX. Photo courtesy QRZ.com At the meeting of the LRS on 13 Nov 2019 Jack Hood GM4COX, who has been a leading light of the West of Scotland Amateur Radio Society since its inception in 1970, talked about “SOTA & 13cm Escapades”. Following the successful launch in the summer of 2017 of the introduction…
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30th Oct 2019 – Rehabilitating Telecomms in Afghanistan – Nick Peckett G4KUX / YA4F
At the meeting of the LRS on 30th Oct 2019. Nick Peckett G4KUX/YA4F talked about Rehabilitating Telecommunications in Afghanistan. Nick lived and worked in Afghanistan from 1998 for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban Government) and later governments, until retirement in 2008 but continued as a consultant until 2017. He described his major involvement in the…
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17th October 2019 – FREE 20ft Aluminium Lattice Tower with Hinged Base
FREE to collect from Kelso: 20ft aluminium lattice tower in 2 x 10ft sections, plus hinged wall-mount base. In use, it supported an HF cubical quad (not available). An LRS member is willing to transport the tower and base to Edinburgh for a fee of £20. CLOSING DATE (HARD): Friday 25th October 2019. Contact webmaster…
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16 October 2019 – LRS Autumn Surplus Equipment Sale
The LRS Autumn Surplus Equipment Sale was held on 16th October 2019 at St Fillans Church, Buckstone, with welcome visitors from Cockenzie, Glasgow and Selkirk. There was lots for sale, perhaps too much! Also a raffle, with interesting “bottles” for prizes. Andy MM0FMF (Hon Sec) & Alan GM3PSP (President). Full report with more photos.
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2 Nov 2019 – GMRT-19 Scottish Microwave Round Table at the Museum of Communication
GMRT-19, the Scottish Microwave Round Table, was held on Sat 2nd November 2019 at the Museum of Communication in Burntisland with 57 registrations. Mark Hughes GM4ISM: “Microwave EME”. Sam Jewell G4DDK: “Icom IC9700: How does it measure up as a VHF DX transceiver?” Heather Lomond M0HMO …
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25 September 2019 – RADAR Technology in Historic Bridge Conservation – meeting at MoC
The annual joint meeting of the LRS and the Museum of Communication at the museum in Burntisland was held on 25th September 2019. The use of RADAR technology in the conservation of the historic Union Chain Bridge, built in 1820 near Berwick on Tweed, was described by Prof. Emeritus Roland Paxton MBE of the Heriot-Watt…
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8 Sept 2019 – GM3HAM/P in RSGB 2m Trophy Contest
A small group of LRS members operated GM3HAM/P in the RSGB 2m Trophy contest from Lauder Common on Sunday 8th September 2019. About 40 QSOs were made in this recreational entry in which new equipment possibilities were evaluated for future events. Click for Full Report.
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11 July – 28 Aug 2019 – LRS Pub Nights at Wee Bennet’s Bar
Rather than letting the summer evenings go to waste before the start of the new LRS club year in September, members again enjoyed four Pub Nights at “Wee Bennet’s” Bar in Maxwell St at Morningside Station. Click for full report with photos of all four nights. ==========================================
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11 Sept 2019 – LRS Presidential Address – 60 Years of Amateur Radio – Alan Masson GM3PSP
Alan proudly shows his Rochester DX Association shirt! Alan Masson GM3PSP gave his Presidential Address “60 Years of Amateur Radio”at the first meeting of the new club year on 11th September 2019. Starting as an SWL at school in the late-1950s and building a crystal set, he became licensed in 1962 as GM3PSP, building most…
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GM3HAM/P wins Cockenzie Quaich again in VHF NFD 2019
Congratulations to the LRS GM3HAM/P Contest Group for again winning the Cockenzie Quaich as the leading GM station in the Restricted Section of VHF NFD 2019 with a total of 2998 normalised points.. Also 2nd place overall in the Restricted Section. Band Results: 50MHz – Band Leader 70MHz – Band Leader (with perfect log!) 144MHz…
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5-7 July 2019 – RSGB VHF NFD at Gatehouse of Fleet
All the GM3HAM/P participants in RSGB VHF NFD 2019 at our usual site near Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway. The wx was great most of the time and everything worked. New block & tackle helped a lot raising 6m & 4m beams. We achieved good provisional scores on 6m, 4m, 2m & 23cm although…