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
There are no RADIO NEWS ITEMS. Click on the heading to see the radio news archive.
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
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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11 Nov 2025 – Aurora over Edinburgh
Brian GM8BJF has provided this shot of the Aurora over Edinburgh taken on Tuesday 11th November from Riselaw Crescent by his daughter Wendy’s partner Nick.
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12 April 2026 – Norbreck (Blackpool) Rally
Curry in the Sunam restaurant on Saturday night. Colin GM4HWO showing off his big naans as usual. The Sunam curry-house. All the LRS visitors at Pete GM4BYF’s table at the rally. Pete GM4BYF & Kay GM6KAY were visited at their table by RSGB President Bob Beebe GU4YOX (not to mention Colin GM4HWO). Bob spent almost…
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1 Nov 2025 – Scottish Microwave Round Table GMRT-2025 at Museum of Communication
There was an excellent turnout for GMRT-2025 with all 50 places sold out. Click for GMRT Program. Photos by Tom Stevenson (MoC) and John GM8OTI. NOTE: This is a summary for LRS members. For Full Report, see the GMRT website in due course. Martin Hall GM8IEM (UK Microwave Group Scottish…
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29 Oct 2025 – LRS Autumn Pub Night at Wee Bennet’s Bar
John GM4JRT, Peter GMØPXV & Peter GM4DTH. (Photos- John GM8OTI). Mike GM8KCS & John GM8OTI.
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26 Oct 2025 – LRS at Galashiels Rally
Several LRS members attended the Gala Rally. L-R: Kay GM6KAY, Pete GM4BYF, Danny GM6CMQ & Brian GM8BJF. (Photo Andy GM4LLD (formerly MM0FMF)..
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15 Oct 2025 – Autumn Surplus Sale
The Autumn Surplus Sale was held as usual at St Fillan’s Church in Buckstone with a good turnout of LRS members and guests. Plenty of interesting items to bid for. … and plenty of junk too (even if we don’t call it a Junk Sale any more)! A lot of items were brought…
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28 Oct 2025 – Bletchley Park by Derek Douglas at Newington Library
This was a well-illustrated basic talk about Bletchley Park and the notable people who worked there during WW2. Derek Douglas is a member of the Colinton Local History Society. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bletchley-park-an-illustrated-talk-with-derek-douglas-tickets-1785984741439
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3 Oct 2025 – 75th Anniversary of the Transistor
The 3rd of October 2025 was the 75th anniversary of the patenting of the invention of the transistor by three scientists at Bell Labs in New Jersey. Click for article.
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2 Oct 2025 – GM1CNH Norman’s HK Colombia DXpedition
Some photos from Norman’s DXpedition to Colombia. (Norman GM1CNH & Peter GM4DTH). HK3LRB club setting up in park for portable operating. 10m band operating. A junk sale was included. It is a hard life doing Dxpeditions! “The BBC” Well looked-after at the HK3LRB club. View from terrace. …
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1st Oct 2025 – Using Ansys HFSS Software for Amateur Radio Projects by Brian Howie GM4DIJ.
Brian discussed the workings of Ansys HFSS = High Frequency RF Simulation Software. Brian described a number of application of this software, using the Student version, which is free. GB3EDN is the 1296MHz beacon in Edinburgh, built and maintained by LRS member…
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Peter Brown G(M)3YOK Visit to Edinburgh
Former LRS member Peter Brown G(M)3YOK, now living in Cheshire, recently visited Edinburgh and met up with Brian Flynn GM8BJF.
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20 Sept 2025 – Colin GM4EAU & Iain GM8LYQ of LRS in RSGB LoRa Balloon Challenge
The LoRa Balloon. Colin GM4EAU & Iain GM8LYQ on East Lomond in Fife. Local (Fife) amateur Dougie MMØISH was also there. (See also his interesting page on www.QRZ.com) GB1HAB-LoRa-Balloon-track 20 Sept 2025 – RSGB LoRa Balloon Challenge – entered by LRS members Colin GM4EAU, Iain GM8LYQ from East Lomond car…