L.P.W.S. FAQ

What is the LPWS?

The LAUGHING POLICEMAN WIRELESS SOCIETY is a non-profit, democratic organisation for the furtherance of amateur radio. We are funded by donations and do not seek subscriptions from members and associates. Our largest expense is the upkeep of our web server, but compared with the previous costs of magazine production and postage, it is a bargain!

A benefactor pays for the web server in blocks of 5 years and has said he has made provision in his will for the web site to continue.

To qualify for U.K. charitable status, our turnover has to be less than £1000.00 GB Pounds per year.

Who are the LPWS Members?

The Laughing Policeman Wireless Society has many members, both in the UK and now world wide, with latest membership in 2002 from The Philippines, 2009 New Zealand, and 2011 Australia, and 2013 USA.
Started as an informal group in the Birmingham and Kidderminster area of central England in the late 1970s, The Laughing Policeman Club quickly became the more familiar Laughing Policeman Wireless Society, and was firmly established in the 1980s as a force to be reckoned with, on repeaters all over the country.

Our membership was once more formal, with subscriptions and support for the famous equipment fund. At LPWS headquarters in Kidderminster, an emergency supply of radio equipment was held, so anyone being raided by the RIS (Radio Investigation Service), and suffering seizure of equipment, could quickly be put back on the air, much to everyone's annoyance! This equipment has long since been distributed amongst the founder members, and to former friend Mr Paul Dowie (G8PZT), the fund no longer exists. This is no great loss however, as the cost of replacement equipment a fraction of what it was in the 1980s.

In 1991, several break-away groups were formed after an internal policy dispute, most notably C.U.N.T.S. The Club for Unlicenced Naughty Telephony Stations, shortly afterwards they changed the name to The Club for Unlicenced Naughty TRANSMITTING Stations in 1992.

1992 also saw the parallel group NOT! The Laughing Policeman Wireless Society, who were mainly concerned with magazine production. We are pleased to say that almost all former disagreements have been resolved, and we have been able to welcome all former members and break away groups "back to the fold".

Honourary Life President.

Founder member Nigel Hopkins (G1XYU) was voted president for life in the AGM held at Trotter Hall, Droitwich, Worcestershire, Central England in June 1994, and is still proud to hold this enduring honourary position.

Nigel has suffered very poor health of late and is now disabled and completely blind, the radio being his main source of contact with the world.

Other key administrative positions are held by members who are democratically voted in at the yearly AGMs. Future AGMs will be held at various new venues, following the sale of our usual pub, Trotter Hall, which had the wonderful sign on the wall at the front "EGON RONAY - BUGGER OFF!" Actually, the food was quite good!

Sadly, the new management are not a patch on the former team so it has been decided to go elsewhere in future, we now change areas each year so that members from different districts have a chance to  meet.

What Are We Up To?

The society has changed direction many times in recent years, we are now more committed to providing an exchange of information and advice for like minded people throughout the world, but especially in the UK. Although we will never turn our backs on our core activities as long as there are repeaters out there to abuse! A new direction has been the provision of CTCSS tones on older radios for members and anyone who supports us. The resurrection of some old radios has begun - thanks to our technical department.

This web site has useful links to equipment suppliers, manufacturers, and other hard to find radio related sites as well as links to the sites of organisations with similar aims and interests. We are committed to providing support and an exchange of information.

What Have We Done For The Hobby?

The LPWS have had more of an impact on amateur radio in the United Kingdom than you may realise, here are just a few examples:-

• At least 2 re-writes of the BR68 as a direct response to actions undertaken by several LPWS members. (Possibly as many as 5 re-writes!)
• Change in the rules on the use of reciprocal licences in the UK.
• The time between licence revocation and reinstatement changed from One Year to Five Years.
• Password access to Packet Radio bulletin boards.
• Change in the law regarding repeater keeper's responsibility for the content of re-transmitted messages.
• Provision for remote repeater closedowns within a specified time period.
• Notification required for unattended operation.
• Possible pending alteration of Amateur Radio - Internet linking legislation.
• The complete re-writing of the BR68 has occurred, an undesignated document now comes with the license. We are confident that we can claim responsibility for the removal of the main use of the hobby as printed in the former BR68 - "Making Remarks Of A Personal Character". G7GDR used this as defence in Dudley Magistrates Court in 1993, where his solicitor suggested that calling another radio amateur a CUNT was, in fact, a remark of a personal character and as such specifically allowed under the terms of his license.

All in all, the LPWS have been responsible for more fundamental changes in UK Amateur Radio legislation than any other radio society, organisation, or club in the United Kingdom.

With the complete re-writing of the rules and the abandonment of the BR68, we now are able to operate quite within the law, but appear not to, as the average radio amateur never read the original rules and legislation and certainly hasn't kept up with all the recent relaxation of the rules.

What Do We Stand For?

We certainly do not encourage or condone any contravention of laws applicable in whatever country you are from, any action you take is matter for your own conscience, we are not in a position to condone or condemn.

What you do with the information we provide is entirely your business.

Contact Us   

Contact us from the link below or click on the envelope above, and our publicity officer and Internet spokesmen, either G8ASO or Rodger "Diddley" Dipole, will reply personally within a few days. No auto responders, real personal service as it should be from the largest independent, alternative, radio amateur club!

We are constantly altering our web site to provide a compromise between design and fast loading pages. Please report any page that does not appear to be displayed correctly on your computer, spelling errors, and non-functioning links, and please forward any audio clips repeater incidents etc.
Thanks.