A bit of LRS history – Syd Rowden GM6SR.
Syd Rowden GM6SR “Six-Scottish Radio” was a prominent member of the LRS in the 1940 to 70s. By profession, he ran the Rosebank Cemetery in Pilrig St. He lived at Rosebank House – the “dead centre of Edinburgh”. He became a silent Key in 1977 at the age of 88.
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Vic GM3OWU recalls: I met Syd at the Hobbies Exhibition at the Waverley Market in 1956 and recall his big smile when he told me the power being used at the exhibition station on the LRS stand!
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Alan GM3PSP recalls: Syd was a great old guy when I joined the LRS about 1960. Attached is a nice shot of him with other well-known amateurs, taken at the Scottish VHF Convention (remember them?) in 1969.
L-R: Mike Dormer G3DAH, Jack Wilson GM6XI, Syd Rowden GM6SR, Tom Douglas G(M)3BA.
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This is Syd Rowden GM6SR’s Top Band crystal on 1850 kc/s which I got when his shack at Rosebank House was cleared. I used the crystal in the early LRS D/F hunt transmitter until an accidental leakage from a punctured can of beer (part of the prize) got into the works.
Brian GM4DIJ continues: Syd incidentally was a 5 metre pioneer back in 1948.
https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Short-Wave-UK/40s/SWM-1948-09.pdf See page 489.
I worked him on 2m back in the mid 70’s. He was also one of the few stations in Scotland active on 2m in 1949 .
The paragraph on beams is rather interesting.
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Brian GM8BJF adds: I see there is also a reference to old Jack GM6XI being heard via aurora on 2m in Woking, London – all pretty state of the art at the time. I see there are also details of an LRS meeting in the Clubs section.
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