The Lothians Radio Society operated in RSGB National Field Day (NFD) for many years from a farm site at Loanhead, Midlothian, arranged by local amateur Hugh Lawson GM5HL. In later years other sites were used at school playing fields in Edinburgh and on one occasion beside Falside Castle on the hill above Tranent in East Lothian.
National Field Day ~1955 at Loanhead
National Field Day in the mid-1950s, probably at Loanhead, where the LRS operated NFD for a number of years through the good offices of local amateur Hugh Lawson GM5HL who sweetened the farmer’s wife with a large box of chocolates each year! The equipment was a home-brew 10W CW transmitter running on dry HT batteries, and a National HRO receiver.
Standing L-R: Iain Maconochie GM3GIG “Gin is Good”; unidentified; Arthur Grainger GM3BQO “Britain’s Queerest Object” (behind bottle); Ken Senior GM3AEI; unidentified; G. “Fryer” Tuck GM3BBW “Big Bad Wolf”; David Stobie GM3HOQ; Arthur Dewar SWL; Sitting: Hugh Lawson GM5HL “5-Harry Lauder”.
You may have seen this one already in the GM3BQO section. 2nd from right: Dick Richardson GM3AKM.
We shall never know what Arthur had just done to generate such amusement by the others
but from the look on his face it was something naughty!
There are several shots of this group which differ slightly in the people present.
In this one George Millar GM3UM has joined the group (top right)
Arthur Grainger GM3BQO (L) operating.
Arthur Grainger GM3BQO in centre.
George Millar GM3UM (L) operating. Check-logger not yet identified.
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National Field Day ~1960 at Loanhead
George Millar GM3UM & Dr Colin Davidson GM3LAV at NFD in Loanhead about 1960.
Photo courtesy GM3LAV.
National Field Day 1961 at George Watson’s College
NFD 1961 was operated from the playing fields of George Watson’s College. Teachers John Hughes GM3LCP and Tom Simpson GM3BCD operated using the callsign GM3BCD/P. The station was a 10W CW transmitter using a Geloso VFO, and an Eddystone 750 receiver, normally part of the school radio club station.
NFD 1961 – John Hughes GM3LCP and J. Fraser Shepherd GM3EGW from Dunfermline operating.
NFD 1961 – site layout at George Watson’s College.
Sign for NFD 1961 prepared by an art master at George Watson’s College. It was signed by all participants:
G.J. Crawford; D. Cunningham; W.J.H. Eaton GM3KIG; A.C. Grainger GM3BQO; D.H. Guest ; J.A.R. Hughes GM3LCP; O.McCusker GM2CFU; Willie McFlannel GM3DOP; A.D. Marwick; Alan J. Masson A2255; G.P. Millar 3UM; J.S. Nicholson 3FJP; R.Ian Pryde ‘3LGU; M.G. Senior A1887; J.F. Shepard 3EGW; V.W. Stewart ‘3OWU; W.P. White “Not Born”.
This sign was kindly donated to the LRS in 2010 by Tom Simpson GM3BCD and is preserved in the club archives.
Mid- 1960s
NFD mid-1960s: Ian Pryde GM3LGU and Bill Eaton GM3KIG operating. Location not yet identified.
The station included a National HRO receiver. The transmitter ran 10W CW, the maximum for NFD at that time.
NFD mid-1960s, as above. L-R: Ian Sheffield GM3VEI; (unidentified); Bill Eaton GM3KIG.
L-R: Vic GM3OWU, Nick GM3FJP & Jim GM3PFY at NFD at Inverleith