Scottish Charity number SC045038
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LRS Messages of the Day
TONIGHT – Wed 21 Jan – 8:00pm – 144.350MHz SSB – LRS Net 194 – All welcome.
Wed 28 Jan – LRS – 8:00pm at BHH library – ALMA (Atacama Large mm Array) – A Radio Observatory in Chile – The Trials and 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
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Wed 25 Feb 2026 – 8pm at BHH – Digital Voice Modes by Allister Watson GM7RYR.
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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.
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Wed 21 Jan 2026 – 8:00pm – LRS Net 194 – 144.350MHz SSB.
Wed 28 Jan LRS 8:00pm in BHH library – ALMA (Atacama Large mm Array) – A Radio Observatory in Chile – Trials and 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 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
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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20 Jan 2026 – Powerful X-Class Solar Flare causes Aurora in Scotland
Aurora from Dyke, Moray. Peter GM4DTH reports that an X1.9 flare and an associated CME were responsible for the events
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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
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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
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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;
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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!
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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
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24 May 2017 – D/F Hunt – Peter Dick GM4DTH
L-R: Alasdair GM6ZQQ, Melvyn GM4HYR (winner), Mike Jr MM3MDB, Mike Sr GM8KCS The annual LRS Direction-Finding Contest (D/F Hunt) took
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7 May 2017 LRS Members at Ham Radio Convention 2017
L-R: Brian GM8BJF, Chris GM3WOJ, Briain GM8PKL, Robin GM4YPL A number of LRS members attended the ASRA Ham Radio Convention
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10 May 2017 – Radio in WW-I – Malcolm Fergusson
Malcolm Fergusson, formerly of Edinburgh University Physics Department, talked about Radio in WW-I at the meeting on 10th May 2017. His talk was about
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24 April 2017 – Malcolm GM3TAL – Our Man in Havana
L-R: Hector; Amed CO2AME; Malcolm GM3TAL; Moises CM2YV On the last day of his recent trip to Cuba, Malcolm was
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26 April 2017 – Enigma – the Unsung Heroes – Pete Bates GM4BYF
At the LRS meeting on 26th April 2017 Pete Bates GM4BYF gave a very well researched talk on ‘Enigma – the Unsung Heroes’. He outlined
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9 April 2017 – LRS Receives RSGB VHF-NFD Trophies at Norbreck Rally in Blackpool
Len Paget GM0ONX, RSGB Director; Colin GM4HWO, Andy MM0FMF, Mike GM4IGS, Pete GM4BYF, Danny GM6CMQ, Brian GM8BJF, Norrie GM1CNH, Peter
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5 April 2017 – Spring Surplus Equipment Sale at St Fillans
The LRS Spring Surplus Equipment Sale was held on Wednesday 5th April at St Fillan’s Church, Buckstone Drive. There was
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21 March 2017 – Aurora over Islay – Mike Senior GM3PAK
Many thanks to former LRS member Mike Senior GM3PAK, who lives with his XYL Marion GM1DCB on the isle of
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15 March 2017 – FUNcube Satellite Received using Raspberry-Pi – John Cooke GM8OTI
(Photo courtesy AMSAT-UK) Following John Cooke’s talk on amateur radio applications for the Raspberry Pi microcomputer at the March 8th
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8 March 2017 – Raspberry Pi – John Cooke GM8OTI
At the meeting of the LRS on 8th March 2017, John Cooke GM8OTI talked about the Raspberry Pi computer’s history and variants, and
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22 Feb 2017 – 20 Years with the PO Engineering Dept in the Highlands – John Macdonald GM4XZN
At the meeting on 22nd February 2017 John Macdonald GM4XZN described his career – “1948-1968, 20 Years with the Post Office Engineering Dept
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9 Feb 2017 – VHF/UHF DX Book 2017 Replica Free Online
A 2017 replica edition of the VHF/UHF DX Book is now available free online. (Info from GM4BYF). Click for