QSO Today Podcast - QSO TODAY AMATEUR RADIO PODCAST

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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KB0YH

9/11/2021

Episode 367 - Augie "Gus" Hansen - KB0YH

Augie, “Gus” Hansen, KB0YH, always had an interest in radio, but did not get his first ticket until he was in his mid-thirties. Gus enjoys operating the 80 meter nets and building antennas, now especially STL or Small Transmitting Loop, also known as magnetic loop antennas. On this 20th Anniversary of the World Trade Center attack, Gus tells his on the scene story in this QSO Today.

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WA4JQS

8/28/2021

Episode 365 - Tony DePrato - WA4JQS

Tony DePrato WA4JQS had an early love of radio and a junior high school mentor who helped him get on the air in the early 1960s. An 80 meter DX contact from his native Kentucky to Australia ignited a passion for DX that resulted in Tony leading two DXpeditions to the most sought after DX entities in the World. WA4JQS tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

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3D2AG

7/24/2021

Episode 361 - Antoine De Ramon NYeurt - 3D2AG

Antoine De Ramon NYeurt, 3D2AG, is one of three hams in paradise, who holds up the CW representation from Fiji, the largest Island in the South Pacific and the second largest island in the World next to Australia. Antoine gave an excellent presentation last March at the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo about operating from Fiji and Rotuma, another island 600 KM North of Fiji. 3D2AG shares his Fiji and ham radio life in this QSO Today.

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WA7NPX

5/22/2021

Episode 352 - Tom Tate - WA7NPX

Tom, Tate, WA7NPX, began his ham radio journey with his best friend in middle school. The amateur radio hobby can make lifelong buddies as well as develop practical and professional skills. WA7NPX shares his ham radio story and how it can serve as a springboard for developing expertise in other hobbies as well.

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WA2ROA

5/15/2021

Episode 351 - Henry Seidner - WA2ROA

Henry Seidner, WA2ROA, like many of his contemporaries in the 60s, discovered amateur radio from Shortwave listening and was licensed in high school. Henry spent most of his professional life living and working in New York City, and travelling the world. Amateur radio was his door opener allowing him to make lasting friendships. WA2ROA tells this ham radio story in this 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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k7OJL

5/1/2021

Episode 349 - Roland Smith - K7OJL

Roland Smith, K7OJL, is currently my teacher at CW Academy, who got a very early start in ham radio almost 60 years ago. After a stint in the US Air Force, life and professional relocations around the World paused Rolands ham radio activity. Roland has since returned to amateur radio at a fast and furious pace, operating in just about every band and mode. Together, we explore the dramatic changes in the hobby and how K7OJL has adapted in this QSO Today.

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AC4BT

1/30/2021

Episode 338 - Jerry Weisskohl - AC4BT

Jerry Weisskohl, AC4BT, always had a love of radio and short wave listening. He got a late start in amateur radio but thinks that the art and practice of CW, or Morse code, is exactly what quiets and relaxes the mind after an engaging day as a computer scientist. AC4BT has taken lead roles with CWops and CW Academy and is my QSO Today.

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W1JR

12/26/2020

Episode 333 - Joe Reisert - W1JR

Joe Reisert, W1JR, continues to pay forward, the kindness of his early ham radio mentors, with his contributions to our amazing hobby. Amateur Radio paved the way to a successful career and amazing encounters, Worldwide, with people and technology. W1JR tells his amateur radio story in this QSO Today.

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NN4NT

12/5/2020

Episode 330 - Rob Suggs - NN4NT

Rob Suggs, NN4NT, is a space scientist at NASA, specializing in outer space environments that protect our astronauts from the hazards of space including space junk and debris. We discuss NASA, Apollo space technology, and amateur radio in this QSO Today.

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N2RJ

10/31/2020

Episode 325 - Ria Jairam - N2RJ

Ria Jairam, N2RJ, discovered amateur radio on her native Caribbean Island of Trinidad/Tobago back in the 90s. As an immigrant to the United States, Ria pursued a degree in Electronic Engineering and learned from great ham radio mentors. Now an electronic security professional, mother, active ham radio operator and contester, Ria was recently elected ARRL Hudson Division Director. N2RJ tells her story and the ham radio issues that interest her in this QSO Today.

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K5DB

4/25/2020

Episode 299 - Don Banta - K5DB

Don Banta, K5DB, is a ham’s ham, because of his generous nature, his contributions to the local ham community, and his being ready to mentor any amateur or would-be amateur that needs help. Don is the organizer of the Arkansas QSO Party, active in 80 meter nets, and likes to work DX. K5DB is my QSO Today.

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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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HA6NN

12/28/2019

Episode 282 - Andras Bato - HA6NN

Andras Bato, HA6NN, or “Andy” is coming up on his 50th anniversery as an amateur radio operator in Hungary, having grown up behind the “Iron Curtain” under Soviet influence. Andy is active at every level of amateur radio from his involvement in Hungary's national radio club and as a representative of Hungarian hams at the IARU.

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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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K0IR

9/7/2019

Episode 266 - Ralph Fedor - K0IR

Ralph Fedor, K0IR, has participated in at least 15 DXpeditions to the most remote parts of the World. Ralph shares his amateur radio story leading up to his DXpeditions, the opportunities, the lessons learned, and the avoidance of fate off of Bouvet Island in 2018. K0IR took a break from preparing for the upcoming Pitcairn DXpedition in October for this QSO Today.

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W5NDS

6/22/2019

Episode 255 - Rod Moag - W5NDS

Rod Moag, W5NDS, interests in radio and electronics paralleled an interest in American folk and country music leading to advanced degrees in linguistics and South Asian languages. Ham radio plays a solid role throughout this story as it weaves it way in and out of Rod’s professional career. Rod’s musical career and performances are one of the diamonds in this episode of QSO Today.

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W5SV

6/1/2019

Episode 252 - David Reed - W5SV

David Reed, W5SV, began his ham radio story in Mexico at the age of 6, and was undoubtedly one of Mexico’s youngest hams at age 7. W5SV has a rich and interesting story that includes stints in electronics technology, advanced education, as a US Marine Corps pilot, and as a homicide detective in Texas. The twists and turns in this story make this QSO Today an interesting ride.

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WA2ILB

5/25/2019

Episode 251 - Mark Ziegler - WA2ILB

Mark Ziegler’s ham radio story began as a youngster, in the 50's, that moved him into a career as an electronics engineer with the famous Bell Laboratories. Now retired, Mark enjoys operating from an RF quiet QTH in rural New Hampshire. Wind power is WA2ILB’s alternative power source of choice and is one of the subjects that we discuss in this QSO Today.

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K1IG

3/9/2019

Episode 240 - George Allison - K1IG

Sputnik and an uncle inspired George Allison, K1IG, to become a radio amateur. George had a long and successful US Navy career where radio was always the center of his activity including MARS stations, a visit to the South Pole, and the operation of very high powered VLF and ELF stations around the World. George promotes the Wordsworth method of raising CW speed above 40 words per minute. K1IG is my QSO Today.

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k4ZLE

3/2/2019

Episode 239 - Jay Slough - K4ZLE

Jay Slough, K4ZLE, has over 60 years in the amateur radio hobby and still enjoys CW as his primary operating mode. An accomplished DXpeditioner, having operated in over 40 DX entities including South Sandwich Island. Always ready to extend the hand of friendship, either by knocking on the doors of houses with amateur antennas or sharing his own station through RemoteHams. K4ZLE is my QSO Today.

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K6WX

2/16/2019

Episode 237 - Kristen McIntyre - K6WX

Kristen McIntyre, K6WX, is the president of the Palo Alto Amateur Radio Club, in the heart of California’s Silicon Valley, and an ARRL Pacific Division Vice Director. Trained as an MIT electronic engineer, she was an entrepreneur for many years in Japan. Kristen is a much sought after speaker at amateur radio conventions and forums. Antenna design, digital modes, and just getting on the air is key to Kristen’s amateur radio success. K6WX, is my QSO Today.

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W8JER

1/5/2019

Episode 231 - John Raifsnider - W8JER

John Raifsnider, W8JER, shares his ham shack with this wife, Micky, KE8ASK, and likes to rag-chew on DX. His signal is boosted by a new 70 ft tower and Mosley beam antenna, allowing him to extend his amateur radio circle that he has built up through the years. Consistent attention to building his amateur radio skills combined with the hobby’s social dimension, has made W8JER a successful ham.

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K7NJ

12/8/2018

Episode 227 - Riki Kline - K7NJ / 4X4NJ

Riki Kline, K7NJ, has a long and interesting ham radio career, from humble beginnings in Las Vegas, Nevada, as a teenage ham, to his current QTH on over 40 rural acres in Utah. Riki also lives in Israel, part time, in the village of Na’aleh, overlooking Israel’s coastal plain and the Ben Gurion, Airport. K7NJ shares his perspective as an amateur radio operator who frequently works from either side of the World, likes to chase DX and operate contests in this QSO Today.

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