GM3VLB Island Award 2025 results

[GM4LLD]

Andre Saunders GM3VLB was a keen island activator. On his death he left a legacy to my radio club (Lothians Radio Society) which was to be used to promote radio activity from Scottish Islands.

This is the fourth year the award has been running and the 2025 winners are now available.

First place goes to Tim Morgan G5OLD who activated 25 GM/SI summits in 2025
Second place goes to Ben Lloyd GW4BML who activated 24 GM/SI summits in 2024

A total of 32 different people were active from GM/SI in 2025 including 6 people from outside the UK.

Both Tim and Ben will receive receive a commemorative Quaich and engraved plinth to keep. More details to follow.

The award is running again in 2026 from January 1st to December 31st.

You can read about the rules here.

Andre Saunders GM3VLB SOTA Island Award

Andre Saunders GM3VLB was active in many countries as GM3VLB, G3VLB, 5Z4KL (5Z5KL) from the 60s onwards. In later years he became very keen on IOTA activating Scottish Islands and went on with the IOSA (Islands of Scotland Award) and finally The Scotia award scheme run from his final home in Kelso, Scotland. If you search the internet you will find plenty of material about island operation and his antenna designs produced for just such purposes. I first met Andre at one of the Scottish radio ra…

Please note that this is an award run by the Lothians Radio Society with the approval of the SOTA MT.

2025 GM3VLB Island Award Entrants

Callsign	Island Summit Activations
G5OLD	25
GW4BML	24
G4VFL	10
MM0YCJ	9
MM0VPM	7
GM7PKT	6
GM3GAV	5
G0PEB	4
HB9DDO	3
MM0EFI	3
M1HAX	2
MM7TKU	2
MM0DHY	2
G4HQB	2
G4TQE	2
MM1MGS	2
M0OVW	2
OM6AN	1
g0kpe	1
G4OOE	1
GM5ALX	1
DB4LL	1
G4OIG	1
GM0BKC	1
MW0PDV	1
DM5TM	1
OE8MPR	1
GM4KNU	1
MM0ZFG	1
G0MHF	1
KC7JNU	1
M7SHZ	1

[GM5ALX]

Well done everyone!

[G5OLD]

Thanks @GM4LLD.

In 2024 I visited Rum and Mull. While there weren’t enough summits to qualify for this award, it proved to be a great introduction to SOTA in the Hebrides.

This year I stepped things up a bit with visits to Arran, Lewis, Harris, Mull, and a final return to Arran, most of the time in hot pursuit of a rather uncertain target set by Ben @GW4BML

Congratulations and thanks to Ben for the companionship while on Lewis and Harris, and the competition that followed, @GW4BML you kept me guessing! I genuinely wasn’t planning to climb Beinn Bhreac (GM/SI-046) as my 25th summit until reports came you were being chased on a SI peak, at which point plans were, rather quickly, revised.

This year also brought a couple of wildlife firsts: a polecat on Mull and three golden eagles in a single day on Lewis. Oh and a near death experience with a once in a lifetime encounter with a Cumulonimbus.

I should also add a thank you to Shadow, my trusty cocker spaniel, who accompanied me on all the activations and never seemed to mind the early starts, the weather, the midges or becoming attached to course…

The Scottish islands are a special place and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting them this year. I’m already hoping to add Islay and Jura to the list in 2026.

Finally, I can only encourage everyone to have a go at the Scottish islands. They are special. Every island has its own character, and every summit I’ve been to makes for a decent activation, even if the weather can sometimes be shocking. Get out when you can, enjoy the journey, and everything else is just a bonus.

Some of the highlights from 2025:

The Majestic Cir Mhor on Arran

The day I almost died on Mull. Cumulonimbus on Ben Buie

Beach Approach with Shadow on Harris

What’s its really like… Extreme pole bend on Lewis…

Shadow and I on Goatfell

Final Summit - Beinn Bhreac (GM/SI-046)