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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26 Feb 2025 – Frequency Standards for General Use – What do we really need? – Brian Flynn GM8BJF
26 Feb 2025 – Frequency Standards for General Use – What do we really need? – Dr Brian Flynn GM8BJF Dr Brian Flynn GM8BJF is a former lecturer in Electrical Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. In this talk I consider what is realistic and feasible for good oscillator- and frequency control and accuracy in…
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22 Jan 2025 – The Moxon Beam – Theory & Demo – Malcolm Hamilton GM3TAL.
Malcolm described the theory and practice of the Moxon beam for 4m, 6m and 10m and attempted a demo with Briain GM8PK in the lecture room! Report with slides soon: …
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8 Jan 2025 – LRS Video Night at Edinburgh Cine & Video Society
LRS Video Night at Edinburgh Cine & Video Society, 23A Fettes Row, Edinburgh – Peter Dick GM4DTH. The first meeting of the year for the Lothians Radio Society was held on a cold and frosty evening. It was at the Edinburgh Cine And Video Society which has facilities for screening material on a large…
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11 Dec 2024 – LRS Xmas Curry
The LRS 2024 Xmas Curry was held as usual at the Gurkha Restaurant in Cockburn Street with a great turnout of 17. Photos – tnx Colin GM4HWO & John GM8OTI: Mike GM8KCS, David GM3YMX, John GM4JRT, Alan GM3PSP, Malcolm GM3TAL Mike GM8KCS, David GM3YMX, Colin GM4HWO, Peter GM4DTH. Andy MM0FMF, Peter…
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27 Nov 2024- “Tracking the Future – Satellites & Celestia-UK” – Dr Carol Marsh
Report on this very interesting talk. …
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21 Nov 2024 – Getting Started on 23cm – GM3TAL-GM8BJF-GM8OTI Sked Report by John Cooke GM8OTI
Three LRS members were on the air on 23cm (1296MHz) this evening, 21st November. Malcolm GM3TAL had given a talk on “Getting started on 23cm” at the GMRT and was keen to make a few more contacts. A sked was arranged via the LRS “groups.io” chat, and Brian GM8BJF (operating remotely) with John GM8OTI (in…
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13 Nov 2024 – “WSPR – A Tool to Study Propagation and Aerial Development” – Peter Dick GM4DTH
“WSPR was created as a propagation studies tool by the use of multiple beacons in conjunction with globally-located receivers. It can also be used to compare and develop aerial systems. I will be exploring its use from evaluating HF paths/circuits to South America through to testing the Top Band DF fox aerial. With a little…
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Sat 9th Nov 2024 – GMRT-2024 – Scottish Microwave Round Table
GMRT-2024, an event of the UK Microwave Group, was largely organised by LRS members, especially the lecture program (Pete Bates GM4BYF) and was held as usual at the Museum of Communication in Burntisland and the evening dinner at the nearby Kingswood Hotel. This is a short photo report for the LRS website. The full written…
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30 Oct 2024 – Autumn Pub Night at Wee Bennet’s Bar
Good turnout at Wee Bennet’s for one of James’s famous “5th Wednesday of the Month” pub nights. John GM8OTI, John GM4JRT, Peter GM0PXV (hidden), Mike GM8KCS, Peter GM4DTH, James GM4WZP, Colin GM4HWO, Pete GM4BYF. Peter GM0PXV, Peter GM4DTH, James GM4WZP. John GM4JRT, Colin GM4HWO.
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Sun 27 Oct 2024 – Good LRS attendance at busy Gala Rally
The Volunteer Hall, Galashiels. Colin GM4HWO reports a very good turnout of LRS members at the 2024 Galashiels Rally: Colin GM4HWO, Pete GM4BYF, Bob GM4CMI, John GM4JRT, Jack GM1CQC, Andy MM7MDX, Ian GM1MSS, Norrie GM1CNH, Melvyn GM4HYR , Stewart GM4ZOA. The rally was very busy, with lots of gear being sold. Pete GM4BYF and Bob…
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19 Oct 2024 – SOLAR MAX HAS ARRIVED
19 Oct 2024 – SOLAR MAX HAS ARRIVED: It’s official. NASA and NOAA announced this week that Solar Maximum has arrived. This kicks off a period of high solar activity which could persist for another 1 to 2 years. (Tnx Spaceweather.com).
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17 Oct 24 – GM4DTH Peter’s Second 70th Birthday Bash!
For those unable to attend GM4DTH Peter’s 70th birthday bash on 10th September, a second event was held on 17th October, again at Jeremiah’s Bar and the Kahani Indian Restaurant on Leith Walk. Angus GM8GSV/GM0EAX, Jim Kydd GM0JPK, Peter GM4DTH, Veronica Saunders, Pete GM4BYF, Colin GM4HWO, Brian GM4DIJ. We were particularly pleased to…