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 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
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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.
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
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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
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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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Nov 2026 – Ian Lindsay GM8LYQ – 50 Years in RSGB
Congratulations to Ian Lindsay GM8LYQ who is celebrating his 50 years continuous membership of the RSGB – RadCom Nov 2026, p.10.
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4 Nov 2026 – GB3EDN spotted on 1296MHz – Beaconspot.uk (DXC spot
GB3EDN in Edinburgh on 1296MHz has been spotted on 2026-11-04. It was spotted on 1296.99MHz at 23:28 UTC by SM6EAN locator JO58SA distance 923km. Comment:- io85 <tr> jo58 519.
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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
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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GM3HAM/P in 2m Trophy Contest 1-2 Sept 2012
L-R:Brian GM4DIJ, Brian GM8BJF, Norrie GM1CNH, Mike GM4IGS, Peter GM4DTH, Pete GM4BYF & Alan GM3PSP The GM3HAM Contest Group of the Lothians Radio Society took part in the RSGB 2m Trophy Contest on 1-2 September 2012 from our usual location in the hills above Gatehouse of Fleet. Conditions were nothing special but we made over…
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18 – 19 Aug 2012 International Lighthouses / Lightships Weekend
Photo courtesy Geoff MM5AHO The International Lighthouses & Lightships Weekend 2012 will be held this weekend on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th August. LRS members will recall presentations by Geoff Crowley MM5AHO about his participation in previous events. Click for 2010 report Click for 2011 report Bob Glasgow reports that the Cockenzie & Port Seton…
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10th Aug 2012 – LRS Table at Cockenzie Mini-Rally
L-R: Andy MM0FMF, Brian GM8BJF, Jack GM1CQC & Paul GM4UPN The Lothians Radio Society had a table at the annual Cockenzie & Port Seton ARC Mini Rally & Junk Sale, on Friday 10th August 2012. In addition to the PowerPoint show of LRS activities and display of leaflets, we also had members’ items for sale on the…
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Wed 12th Sept – Amateur Radio in Japan – Vic JA5VQ / MM0JVQ
LRS member Vic Imamura JA5VQ / MM0JVQ (above) was the speaker at the first meeting of the new club year on 12th September 2012 at the Braid Hills Hotel. Vic gave a most interesting Powerpoint presentation on Amateur Radio in Japan. including the response of Japanese amateurs to the catastrophic earthquake & tsunami in March 2011. Click for Full Report.
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7-8 July 2012 VHF National Field Day
GM3HAM/P VHF NFD 2012 L-R: Mike GM4IGS, Pete GM4BYF, Terry GM3WUX, Colin GM4HWO, Brian GM8BJF, Brian GM4DIJ, & Alan GM3PSP The GM3HAM Contest Group of the Lothians Radio Society operated in RSGB VHF NFD on 7th-8th July 2012 from our excellent site in the hills above Gatehouse of Fleet, looking out over the Solway Firth towards…
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It’s Summer Break, but we have been enjoying our Summer Pub Nights!
Vic & Alan didn’t have exotic headgear like that worn by Peter & Melvyn at the last Pub Night on 22 Aug! Formal meetings of the Lothians Radio Society will resume after the summer break on Wednesday 12th September 2012. In the meantime, we have been having our regular Summer Pub Nights on the normal club meeting…
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Tues 19th June 2012 – MOC Lecture – Antarctic Communications” by Mike Gloistein, GM0HCQ
Mike Gloistein GM0HCQ. Photo GM0HCQ website. The official vote of thanks & gift presentation were made by MOC & LRS member Colin GM4HWO (L). Mike Gloistein GM0HCQ traced the development of Antarctic communications from Morse Code to the World Wide Web in his talk on 19th June 2012 at the Museum of Communication in Burntisland. Mike joined…
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Wed 20th June 2012 – LRS Summer Barbecue
BBQ host Pete GM4BYF (in natty apron & hat) with some of the guests at the 2012 barbecue. The annual Lothians Radio Society Summer Barbecue was held on Wednesday 20th June 2012, once again graciously hosted by retiring LRS President Pete Bates GM4BYF and his XYL Kay GM6KAY at their home at Fairmilehead. Report with 16 photographs.
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14th June 2012 – LRS Operating GS4WAB in Olympic Torch Event
Peter GM4DTH operating GS4WAB on 40m. The Lothians Radio Society operated Special Event Station GS4WAB for the WAB Olympic Torch Event on Thursday 14th June 2012 from the QTH of Pete GM4BYF at Fairmilehead. Over 400 QSOs were made, principally on 40m. The Olympic Torch then continued its journey towards London for the opening of the Olympic Games…
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AGM – Wed 13th June 2012
The Annual General Meeting of the Lothians Radio Society was held on Wednesday 13th June 2012 at the Braid Hills Hotel. The newly-elected committee for 2012-13 is: President: Andy Sinclair MM0FMF Secretary: Alan Masson GM3PSP Treasurer: Peter Dick GM4DTH Committee: John Cooke GM8OTI Brian Flynn GM8BJF Paul Ingram GM4UPN Jack Smith GM1CQH Colin…
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Wed 23 May 2012 – D/F Hunt
The cunningly-hidden den of Fox GM4BYF. The Lothians Radio Society held its annual Direction-Finding Competition (D/F Hunt) on Wednesday 23rd May 2012. Click for Full report.
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UHF-Microwave Contest – 5th-6th May 2012
The GM3HAM/P UHF-Microwave Contesters 2012 planning strategy in the Gatehouse Conference Centre (aka the Masonic Arms) Last weekend, 5th – 6th May 2012, members of the GM3HAM/P Contest Group of the Lothians Radio Society again took part in the RSGB UHF-Microwave Contest. Our location was on a hilltop above Gatehouse of Fleet in Kirkcudbrightshire where we have operated…