QSO Today Podcast - QSO TODAY AMATEUR RADIO PODCAST

W1WEF

8/29/2025

Episode 530 - Jack Schuster - W1WEF

In this episode of QSO Today, we sit down with Jack Schuster, W1WEF, whose amateur radio journey spans more than 73 years. From building his first crystal set at age 10 to contesting at the highest levels around the world, Jack shares stories of innovation, DX adventures, CW mastery, and a lifetime of dedication to the hobby. His perspective offers both history and inspiration, making this conversation a must-listen for hams of every generation.

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K6VHF

8/3/2025

Episode 528 - Alex Nersesian - K6VHF

Alex Nersesian K6VHF is a US immigration success story. Hailing from the Republic of Georgia after the fall of the former Soviet Union, Alex credits amateur radio with finding work, career,family, and community in his new country. Now successfully living the American dream, K6VHF loves to chase DX on HF, VHF, and Microwave using FT-8, SSB, and CW and is an avid DXpeditioner. In addition, Alex makes EME, microwave, and rover contacts all of the way up to 122 GHz. K6VHF is my QSO Today.

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M0OXO

3/30/2024

Episode 495 - Charles Wilmott - M0OXO

Charles Wilmott, M0OXO, operates a private, self-funded, QSL management bureau, where he sorts and distributes both physical and electronic QSL cards for distribution around the World for the best known DXpeditions including 3YOK Bouvet and Peter I Islands, as well as for IOTA, or Islands on the air. We touch on Charles’ ham radio beginnings and his private career as a police officer in Sheffield, South Yorkshire , United Kingdom, made famous by its founding industries of steel and coal, and by the movie The Full Monty. M0OXO is my QSO Today.

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K1LEC

1/27/2024

Episode 486 - Lanny Aldrich - K1LEC

Lanny Aldrich, K1LEC, began his professional career as a third generation commercial dairy farmer in Vermont. Amateur radio was his hobby that he pursued at a steady pace to pursue DX, build operating skills, and contribute to the hobby by just being involved. Just his advice on antennas is a prize from our conversation. K1LEC is my QSO Today.

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WC3W

12/23/2023

Episode 481 - Mark Wohlschlegal - WC3W

Mark Wohlschlegal, WC3W, knew at age 12 that amateur radio would set the course of his life pursuing engineering degrees leading to a career in big system and equipment sales and marketing. An additional love of flying, boating, and motorcycle touring kept Mark and his family active outside of work. Now retired, WC3W operates a remote HF station, in Florida, with a partner and describes it all in this QSO today.

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K5TR_2

9/30/2023

Episode 469 - George Fremin - K5TR

Today's podcast is a reprise of my interview with George Fremin, K5TR in April of 2017. George is a world class contester and DXer, with years of experience building and maintaining first class multi-operator contest stations. George gives some important advice on tower safety and working on antenna towers. We also touch on the “flow state” that is achievable during intense contesting rounds in this QSO Today.

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AA0Z

9/16/2023

Episode 467 - Kyle Krieg - AA0Z

Kyle Krieg AA0Z, says that radio, in his case CB Radio, was the pre-internet social network that he used with his friends in his mid-west rural town. Imagine American Graffiti with radios. Eventually learning that amateur radio can take Kyle to a higher level, AA07 jumped in completely, immersing himself in POTA - Parks on the Air, portable operation, software defined radio, and remote control. We both agree that ham radio contesting should be even more gamified and we discuss all of these topics in this QSO Today.

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VE3VN

5/6/2023

Episode 449 - Ron Schwartz - VE3VN

Ron Schwartz, VE3VN, maintains his enthusiasm for participating in CW contests using his SO2R station and tower farm. For more than five decades, Ron has been an avid ham radio operator and ham radio blogger with an enduring passion for climbing towers and rigging antennas. In recent years, Ron has pursued an interest in EME - moon bounce , Tropospheric ducting, and meteor scatter. VE3VN is my QSO Today.

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NP4G

9/24/2022

Episode 418 - Otis Vicens - NP4G

Otis Vicens, NP4G, grew up in Puerto Rico, with an appreciation for radio, a love of learning, and an eventual career in orthodontics. NP4G has enjoyed ham radio from his teenage years and now is one of the 3Y0J DXpedition crew members to Bouvet Island in January 2023. Otis joins me to tell his ham radio story and about his preparations for Bouvet.

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W4IPC_WW0CJ

8/12/2022

Episode 413 -
Connor Black - W4IPC, and CJ Pokowitz - WW0CJ

While many of us "old timers" may think we know what drives youth interest in amateur radio, a discussion with Conner Black, W4IPC, and CJ Pokowitz, WW0CJ, today's amateur radio youth leaders, may lead us to believe that old timer "value propositions" for ham radio do not resonate with today's youth. Join Eric and his guests in this discussion of how to potentially increase our numbers in this QSO Today.

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K1KA

7/23/2022

Episode 410 - Dave Mackey - K1KA

Dave Mackey, K1KA, like many amateurs of his generation, was influenced by broadcast radio, broadcast hosts like Jean Shephard, and the magic of radio in the late 50’s and 60’s. Dave went on to work with companies like Multitone, Microwave Associates, and Cushcraft before spending a generation in his own manufacturing company. Amateur radio played a serious role in Dave’s career choices and personal successes. K1KA tells his story in this QSO Today.

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W8ARU

7/2/2022

Episode 407 - Arun Kumar - W8ARU

Arun Kumar, W8ARU, builds most of the gear that he uses on the air, based on a skillset that he learned from becoming an amateur radio operator in India in the 1960s. This skill set combined with advanced degrees in engineering has put Arun on the cutting edge of solar and battery technologies used in big equipment as the World is going green. Arun was also Ashhar Farhan, VU2ESE’s original mentor, one of his many major contributions to our hobby. W8ARU is my QSO Today.

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K9AF

6/25/2022

Episode 406 - Jerry Arnold - K9AF

Jerry Arnold, K9AF, is a long time commercial broadcaster and amateur radio operator, originally from Southern California, and now living in Terre Haute, Indiana. While Jerry likes to operate CW, he also has a restored AM Broadcast transmitter on 160 meters to transmit that warm AM sound we like to hear. K9AF and I discuss a whole range of ham radio topics in this QSO Today.

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VA3CW

10/23/2021

Episode 372 - Andy Mitchell - VA3CW

Andy Mitchell, VA3CW, as an eleven year old Boy Scout, participated with his small troop in Boy Scout Jamboree on the Air, in 1974. This exposure changed the course of Andy’s life, profession, and interests. Getting on the air and working DX are the simple ham radio pastimes that contribute to his free time enjoyment. VA3CW is my QSO Today.

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G4GEE

10/9/2021

Episode 370 - Robert Nash - G4GEE

Dr. Robert Nash, G4GEE, discovered early on that amateur radio is a social hobby that makes him a citizen of the World with friendships on every continent. Working DX and dedicating time to his local club, the Coventry Amateur Radio Society, is his formula for ham radio success. G4GEE is my QSO Today.

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N5OT

9/18/2021

Episode 368 - Mark Beckwith - N5OT

Mark Beckwith, N5OT, grew up in Southern California, befriended by amateur radio’s most famous television producer, Dave Bell, W6AQ, who was his amateur radio mentor in the 1970s. Dave opened a lot of doors to Mark, allowing Mark to build up his contesting and DX on-the-air skills. Mark was a professional opera singer for over 30 years, leading to some interesting conversation both on and off the QSO Today microphone. N5OT is my QSO Today.

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N6TR

5/8/2021

Episode 350 - Larry Tyree - N6TR

Larry Tyree, or "Tree", as he is known in amateur radio circles, loves to operate contests, work DX on 160 meters, from his 28 hilltop acres in the Oregon forest, near Portland. Tree is a serious CW operator, where good antenna design, focus, skill, and patience bring the amateur radio rewards. Tree tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

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W1UU

1/23/2021

Episode 337 - Peter Butler - W1UU

Peter Butler, W1UU’s ham radio journey began with the purchase of a J38 code key and a trip to the library. Sputnik inspired Peter to a career in microwave engineering reinforced by this ham radio interest. Peter is the Vice President of CWops and actively involved in sharing his love for CW and good operating practice with the hundreds of amateurs who are signing on to do the same. W1UU is my QSO Today.

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NQ1R

10/10/2020

Episode 322 - Bob Inderbitzen - NQ1R

Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, discovered amateur radio as a kid, like many of the QSO Today guests. One of his desires was to work at the ARRL, where he started his career and has been for 29 years. Bob shares his ham radio story and speaks about the ARRL and what he has learned about amateur radio in this QSO Today.

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NM5M

9/12/2020

Episode 318 - Eric Silverthorn - NM5M

Eric Silverthorn, NM5M, has a great ham radio story, especially at the beginning with the support of his family for this ham radio interest. Eric likes contesting, SO2R operation and is a teacher of the Morse Code at CWOPS and spoke about it at the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. NM5M advises new and returning hams to explore the hobby, pursue what interests you, and warm up the soldering iron.

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W7VO

2/15/2020

Episode 289 - Michael Ritz - W7VO

Michael, "Mike", Ritz, W7VO, left the big city for rural Oregon to build his dream contest station, and uses his station to help new and local hams to learn and build necessary skills to become lifelong contestors and HF operators. Mike is a leader in the Oregon amateur radio community, serves as the ARRL Northwest Division Director, and is a new board member of the ARRL Foundation. W7VO shares his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

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VE2BWL

2/8/2020

Episode 288 - Guy Lemieux - VE2BWL

Guy Lemieux, VE2BWL, built his dream contest station, including a one-hundred ten foot self supporting tower, from metal stock delivered to his barn, in a rural area of Southern Quebec, while attempting to relax in the evenings and weekends from a stressful career. Guy shares this project and the stories behind his seven tower contest station in this QSO Today.

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N0AX

1/4/2020

Episode 283 - Ward Silver - N0AX

Ward Silver, N0AX, author of the QST magazine column, “Hands-On Radio”, editor of ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications, and author of many books on ham radio, was my guest in Episode 29 from February, 2015. As the new year begins, it seems a great opportunity to reach into the archive to bring back one of the great conversations that I with Ward about amateur radio.

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K1OIK

9/14/2019

Episode 267 - Burt Fisher - K1OIK

Burt Fisher, K1OIK, raised a stir and perhaps the ire of many hams with a 2008 YouTube video critical of amateur radio operators and their operating practices. While it is easy these days to have conversations with anyone who shares our opinions and beliefs, it is more difficult to have conversations with people who do not share our views. K1OIK tells his ham radio story and shares his opinions that led to the controversial video and the rest of the story in this QSO Today.

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K1HTV

6/15/2019

Episode 254 - Rich Zwirko - K1HTV

Rich Zwirko, K1HTV, was quickly bitten by the DX bug in the late fifties and has gone on to log just about every DX entity on every band. Rich made a career of radio serving as a teenage broadcast engineer in his hometown of New Haven, Connecticut, and later ended his career at the Voice of America in Washington DC. Getting on the air is Rich’s mantra that he shares with us in this QSO Today.

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