Scottish Charity number SC045038
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LRS Messages of the Day:
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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20 September 2017 – Silent Key – George Burt GM3OXX
George GM3OXX in his shack near Turriff in 2010. Photo by Alan GM3PSP. We have heard with great sadness of the Silent Key at the age of 81 on 20th September of George Burt GM3OXX, formerly of Edinburgh, after a long illness. An outstanding constructor and QRP operator, he held the world 3cm record…
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13 Sept 2017 – LRS Presidential Address ‘Frequency Standards’ by Brian Flynn GM8BJF
Brian Flynn GM8BJF gave his Presidential Address on the subject of ‘Frequency (and Time) Standards’ at the first meeting of the new club year on Wednesday 13th September 2017 at the Braid Hills Hotel. Click for Full Report.
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2-3 Sept 2017 – RSGB 2m Trophy Contest at Gatehouse of Fleet
The GM3HAM/P contest group of the LRS took part in the RSGB 2m Trophy Contest from our usual site in the hills near Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway. The main innovation was the use of a 2 x 17-element M2 beam providing high gain with good beamwidth. Rig: FT-736R + valve linear 400W.…
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11 Aug 2017 – Pete GM4BYF at Cockenzie Mini Rally
LRS Member Pete GM4BYF had a well-stocked table of ju.. surplus equipment for sale. (Hold the front page)! General view of the Mini-Rally
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4 Aug 2017 – RSGB VHF NFD – GM3HAM/P Wins 6m & 4m – Leading GM Restricted Section
The GM3HAM/P Contest Group of the Lothians Radio Society had another excellent result in RSGB VHF NFD in 2017. Operating in the Restricted Section we were: Leading Scottish station (Cockenzie Quaich) 1st Place on 50MHz (Certificate) 1st Place on 70MHz (Certificate) 4th Place on 144MHz 3rd Place on 1.2GHz Congratulations to all the operators. Click…
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GM3WUX 4 metre Quad Demo
We have just learned of two YouTube videos of our good friend Terry GM3WUX demonstrating his 6-element 4 metre quad antenna at a meeting of the West of Scotland Amateur Radio Society. Click for: Video 1 Video 2
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Wed 23 Aug – LRS Pub Night 4
There were nine LRS members at PN4 on 23rd August including Alan GM3PSP who took this photo. During the summer break in July and August we held our Summer Pub Nights at ‘Wee’ Bennet’s Bar on the corner of Maxwell St at Morningside Station at 8:00pm on normal club nights – Wednesdays 12th & 26th…
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1-2 July 2017 – GM3HAM/P – VHF NFD – Gatehouse of Fleet
VHF NFD 2017 at Gatehouse of Fleet was another success for the LRS with good wx most of the time and good scores on 50MHz, 70MHz, 144MHz and 1296MHz in the Restricted section. We were joined by Mike GM4IGS from Troon and Terry GM3WUX from Glasgow as operators on 6m & 4m. On the Friday…
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28 June 2017 – LRS Summer Barbecue at QTH-GM4BYF
The annual LRS Summer barbecue was held on Wednesday 28th June 2017 at the QTH of Pete GM4BYF and Kay Bates GM6KAY at Fairmilehead. Wonderful food was provided (as always) and participants brought their own liquid refreshments. In view of the rather cold wx outside, the BBQ was held in the sunroom and kitchen. …
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14 June 2017 – LRS Annual General Meeting
Congratulations to Dr Brian Flynn GM8BJF who was elected President of the Lothians Radio Society for 2017-18 at the Annual General Meeting on 14th June. President: Brian Flynn GM8BJFTreasurer: Peter Dick GM4DTHSecretary: Mike Burgess MM0MLBCommittee: Andy Sinclair MM0FMF Malcolm…
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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 place on Wednesday 24th May 2017 with Peter Dick GM4DTH operating the Fox station GM3HAM/P.. The results were: Melvyn Bond GM4HYR / Alasdair GM6ZQQ: 1h 19mMike Brunsden GM8KCS / Mike Jr MM3MDB: 1h 51mPete Bates…
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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 2017 at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow on Sunday 7th May 2017. As well as buying ‘stuff’, it was an opportunity to meet up with old friends. Brian GM8BJF catches a quick QSO on 10GHz…