Former President of the Lothians Radio Society, Jack McVicar GM8GEC died on 12th May 2021.
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Tnx to Brian GM8BJF and Briain GM8PKL for the following:
Jack McVicar GM8GEC died on 12th May 2021 at the age of 83. He will be remembered well as he was a very active member of the Lothians Radio Society for many years. Jack was Secretary of the LRS in 1974/75 and President for three subsequent years in the late 1970s. He was also the RSGB Representative for the LRS throughout the 1980s and into the early 1990s.
He started his apprenticeship with Coastal Radio in 1952 and later attended Leith Nautical College.
His rather distinctive callsign was because he was the Senior Service Engineer in the south of Scotland for GEC Mobile Radio, which was part of Marconi Communications. He worked from a shop at 100 Blackford Avenue in Edinburgh from December 1969 to November 1979. A club member recalls “I fondly remember occasionally dropping by his GEC outlet in the Blackford area for a chat”.
Jack's former GEC shop at 100 Blackford Avenue (outlined in yellow). Photo tnx Brian GM8BJF.
Later when he went to run his own PMR business, Scotcomms Mobile Radio, he moved to 25 Morton Street in Portobello/Joppa where he started in one shop and then bought the one next door and operated both his PMR and amateur radio businesses, the latter as the agent for South Midland Communications in the south of Scotland. His wife Janette GM6MCV was also a director of the business. Many members spent happy hours in this shop, chatting with him and even making purchases on occasions!
Jack's former Scotcomms shop at 25 Morton Street (outlined in red). Photo tnx Brian GM8BJF.
He closed the shop some 10 years ago. Another member recalls “I remember going to collect some bits and pieces from him when he closed". The business closed when he retired.
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Jack's funeral was held on 2nd June 2021 at Seafield Crematorium.
The LRS was represented by Pete GM4BYF, Peter GM4DTH, Mike GM8KCS and Brian GM8BJF.
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