Scottish Charity number SC045038
-
LRS Messages of the Day:
Sun 25 Oct 2026 – Galashiels Rally – photos by Colin GM4HWO – see Radio News Items. Wed 28 Oct 2026 – LRS at BHH – Blood Bikes Scotland – Phil Dodsworth & John Taylor Wed 11 Nov 2026 – 7:30PM – Open Meeting – Need to book your place – The end of the 198kHz Radio 4 long wave service – Mark Hughes GM4ISM
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
-
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.
11 November 2026 in the Gathering Bar at 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.
-
28 Oct 2026 – Blood Bikes Scotland by Phil Dodsworth & John Taylor GM3JRT
Blood Bikes Scotland (BBS) is a fully volunteer-run and donation-funded charity that provides a completely no cost courier service to 5 NHS Scotland Health Boards in Lothians, Borders, Fife, Central, and Tayside. BBS use both motorcycles and cars to move a variety of essential items 7 days a week, including: medicines and controlled drugs, tissue and blood samples, prescriptions, clerical and medical documents, medical equipments, and, occasionally, blood.
The alternative courier services cost the NHS precious funds and BBS has saved NHS Scotland over £450,000 in courier costs in the last 12 months.
Phil Dodsworth, a Trustee with BBS, will be giving a presentation all about BBS and how it functions. Our own Treasurer John GM4JRT also volunteers with BBS and will be on hand to answer any specific questions LRS members might have.
More information can be found on the Blood Bikes Scotland website: <https://bloodbikesscotland.
org/>28 Oct 2026 –
RALLIES AND OTHER EVENTS
-
Sat 31 Oct 2026 – GMRT-2026 at MOC Burntisland & Dinner at Kingswood Hotel
The 2026 Scottish Microwave Round Table (GMRT-2026) will be held as usual at the Museum of Communication in Burntisland, followed by dinner at the nearby Kingswood Hotel. The panel of speakers is now complete. GMRT-2026 is now FULLY-BOOKED – all 50 places sold. WAITING LIST – Contact Colin GM4HWO. https://gmroundtable.org.uk/
CONTEST CALENDAR
-
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
-
25 Oct 2026 – Galashiels Rally
LRS members visited the Gala Rally, enjoying the Storm Boelo winds on the way down. LRS attendees included Jack GM1CQC, Iain GM1MSS, Pete GM4BYF, Colin GM4EAU, Colin GM4HWO and Brian GM8BJF. Among the people present was our good friend Chris Tran GM3WOJ from Tain. Photos by Colin GM4HWO: Entrance to the rally in the Volunteer Hall, Galashiels. The rally hall. The rally hall. Captain Birdseye. Bring & Buy Stall. Pete GM4BYF’s table. Chris GM3WOJ (all the way from Tain). Jack GM1CQC. LRS Secretary Iain GM1MSS & Colin GM4EAU. Brian…
2. RECENT MEETINGS
There are no posts in category “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
-
13 June 2026 Dell Monitor for sale by Andy GM4LLD.
Dell U2412M hi-res 1920 x 1200 LCD monitor Adjustable stand DisplayPort, DVI & VGA inputs 1920 x 1200 WUXGA resolution 4 port USB2 hub. Mains lead Very good condition, no screen blemishes. £35 Andy GM4LLD.
-
28 June 2026 – Corsair CV450 modern PC PSU – for sale by Andy GM4LLD
Corsair CV450 modern PC PSU. Comes from my son’s PC as he has just updated with some new GPU that needs a bigger PSU. No box but clean and working. £20 Andy GM4LLD (ex-MM0FMF)
Lothians Radio Society activities – latest reports
-
1-2 Sept 2018 – 2m Trophy at Gatehouse of Fleet
Peter GM4DTH, Danny GM6CMQ, Mike GM4IGS, Norrie GM1CNH, Brian GM4DIJ, Andy MM0FMF The GM3HAM contest group of the Lothians Radio Society operated GM3HAM/P in the Open section of the 2m Trophy contest on 1-2 Sept 2018 from our usual site near Gatehouse of Fleet in Dumfries & Galloway. Wx was ‘damp & claggy’ with…
-
12th Sept 2018 – Presidential Address – Personal Beacons – Brian Flynn GM8BJF
Dr. Brian Flynn GM8BJF, re-elected as President of the Lothians Radio Society at the AGM on 13th June, gave his Presidential Address at the first meeting of the new club year on 12th Sept 2018 at the Braid Hills Hotel. Brian’s title was: “Personal Beacons – Arduinos & Others”. Hardware of 10GHz beacon built…
-
6-8th July 2018 RSGB VHF NFD at Gatehouse of Fleet
The LRS GM3HAM Contest Group operated RSGB VHF-NFD from our usual contest site near Gatehouse of Fleet on the weekend of 6-8 July. The Wx was outstanding and excellent scores were achieved. The results were announced on 16th August, with GM3HAM/P winning the Restricted Section (Martlesham Trophy) and Leading GM (Cockenzie Quaich). We also…
-
July – August 2018 – LRS Pub Nights at “Wee” Bennets Bar
The fourth and last LRS Pub Night for summer 2018 was held on 22nd August at ‘Wee’ Bennet’s Bar. We had an enjoyable evening, shared with a large number of members of a local running group “fresh” from a run, who were also rather thirsty! PN4: Alan GM3PSP, Brian GM8BJF, special guest Colin ex-GM7GIB, Briain…
-
Wed 4th July 2018 – LRS Summer Barbecue
Host Pete GM4BYF at the BBQ grill. The LRS 2018 Summer Barbecue took place on Wednesday 4th July at the QTH of Pete Bates GM4BYF and XYL Kay GM6KAY at Fairmilehead with about 20. As usual a magnificent spread was wolfed up and washed down by ample BYOB! The Wx was fine, as it had…
-
Wed 13th June 2018 Annual General Meeting
The AGM of the Lothians Radio Society was held in the Braid Hills Hotel on Wednesday 13 June 2018. Brian Flynn GM8BJF elected President, Mike Burgess MM0MLB Hon Sec, Peter Dick GM4DTH Treasurer. Elected committee members: Pete Bates GM4BYF, Andy Sinclair MM0FMF and James Gentles GM4WZP. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Treasurer Peter Dick GM4DTH reported that the club’s…
-
Wed 23rd May 2018 – Direction Finding Contest – GM3HAM/P
Competitors at the start of the 2018 D/F Hunt The LRS Direction Finding Contest (D/F Hunt) was held 23rd May. Fox station GM3HAM/P on 1.875MHz AM was operated by Peter Dick GM4DTH. A new competitor was James Gentles GM4WZP. The fox station was located in woods near Cramond and was found first by Melvyn Bond…
-
Wed 23rd May 2018 – Direction Finding Contest
Melvyn Bond GM4HYR was the winner of the 2017 D/F Hunt The annual LRS Direction Finding Contest (D/F Hunt) will take place on Wednesday 23rd May starting at 7:30pm. The starting location will be at the”Tardis” at the junction of Braid Hills Road and Braid Hills Approach. …more -psp
-
Wed 9th May 2018 – Amateur Deep Space Reception – RSGB 2017 Convention Lecture by Paul Marsh M0EYT (Video)
LRS President Brian Flynn GM8BJF presented the video of the RSGB 2017 Convention lecture “Amateur Deep Space Reception” by Paul Marsh M0EYT at the meeting on 9th May 2018. Summary: When in January Scott Tilley VE7TIL/VA7LF discovered a signal coming from the “dead” IMAGE satellite, Paul Marsh M0EYT gave the first independent confirmation. In this video Paul Marsh, M0EYT…
-
Wed 25th April 2018 – Using Chinese ADF4351 & ADF5355 PLL Boards as Microwave Signal Sources – Brian Flynn GM8BJF
Brian Flynn GM8BJF talked about Using Chinese ADF4351 and ADF5355 PLL Boards as Microwave Signal Sources at the meeting on 25th April. He writes: “Recently PCBs have become available from different Chinese internet outlets which have Analog Devices ADF4350/1 ADF5355 PLL ICs on them. The ADF4351 boards are available for prices starting at about £30 and the…
-
Wed 11th April 2018 – “Spring” Surplus Equipment Sale
The LRS “Spring” Surplus Equipment Sale on 11th April at St Fillan’s Church was well attended. Most of the items were sold, with 10% donation to club funds. A moment of merriment in an otherwise serious evening! Full photo report.
-
Wed 28 Mar 2018 – Wilderness Radio – Paul Gacek W6PNG
Paul at Dante’s View, Black Mountains, CA. We were delighted to welcome Paul Gacek W6PNG and his XYL from Laguna Beach, CA as the speaker at our meeting on 28th March 2018. Paul is a SOTA friend of Andy MM0FMF to whom our thanks for arranging this talk. Originally from London, and now splitting his time…