During the Covid-19 virus shut-down when normal LRS meetings could not be held at the Braid Hills Hotel etc, it was decided to hold weekly nets on 2 metres at the normal club time of 20:00h on Wednesdays. These turned out to be a big success with good participation every week and even some non-members calling in.
Report by Peter GM4DTH on 1st LRS Viral Net on 8th April 2020:
There were 8 stations active with a 9th listening for us. The net opened at 20:00 on 144.350MHz SSB. The net coordinator was Colin GM4HWO (Liberton). Stations active were Pete GM4BYF (Fairmilehead), Robin GM4YPL (Linlithgow), Mike GM8KCS (Fairmilehead), Peter GM4DTH (Bruntsfield), Norman GM1CNH (Corstorphine), Brian GM4DIJ (Corstorphine) and Brian GM8BJF (Peebles). Mike GM4IGS (Troon) was listening but did not hear us. All stations with the exception of GM8BJF could hear each other at good strength and readability. Minor netting errors existed and RIT was used to tune out the errors. There was a mixture of vertical and horizontal polarisation used with power levels ranging from 20W to 400W. Pete at Fairmilehead was using the 400W and his beam to try and get a signal down to Brian GM8BJF in Peebles. Brian was using a low vertical dipole and could hear GM4BYF with difficulty. In Edinburgh GM4HWO, GM4BYF and GM4DTH could detect Brian but his readability was no better than R1. The net drew to a close at 20:50 with a decision to repeat it in a week’s time. Brian plans to try and improve his aerial for next week.
Photo – Kenwood TS-2000 used on the net by Alan GM3PSP with a vertical antenna at Fairmilehead.