QSO Today Podcast - QSO TODAY AMATEUR RADIO PODCAST

N5BZM

8/10/2024

Episode 514 - Steve Corley - N5BZM

Steve Corley, N5BZM, discovered ham radio, almost by accident, by the intervention of his mother with an FCC official attempting to scare a teenager out of operating a CB radio improperly. Steve loves the range and variety of amateur radio opportunities and started a Ham Radio Auctions business to aid amateurs to find buyers and the heirs of deceased ham radio operators to properly dispose of their equipment. N5BZM stresses the importance of HF to amateur radio and tells his story in this QSO Today.

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ki4pov

7/6/2024

Episode 509 - Will Harris - KI4POV

Will Harris, KI4POV, followed in his father’s footsteps, from his junior workbench along side his dad’s to become a licensed ham at age 12. While Will did not pursue and engineering career, he has become a prolific homebuilder in the tradition of Doug DeMaw, W1FB, and Wes Hayward, W7ZOI. KI4POV discussed his 5 band homebrew transceiver and the rest of his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

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4Z1AC

4/6/2024

Episode 496 - Irad Deutsch - 4Z1AC

Irad Deutsch, 4Z1AC, began his ham radio journey at the age of twelve. With a strong foundation in software development and a keen interest in the fusion of ham radio and digital technology, Irad has emerged as a leading voice in modernizing communication methods within the amateur radio sphere through his creation of VarAC digital mode. His dedication to preserving the human connection in ham radio while embracing the advancements of the digital age makes him an influential and insightful figure in the community.

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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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NG0Z

2/17/2024

Episode 489 - John Rusciano - NG0Z

John Rusciano, NG0Z, knew that eventually living in an HOA would meet he and his family’s needs, even if it meant not having a ham radio station and outside antennas. The state of the art and ubiquitous Internet connectivity made it possible for John to build his ultimate remotely controlled amateur radio station at his vacation home, away from the city's electronic noise and the restrictions of HOA. NG0Z allows me to interrogate him about all of the aspects of building his remote station in this QSO Today.

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KD9FPC

8/12/2023

Episode 463 - Thomas Langer - KD9FPC

Thomas Langer, KD9FPC, grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a child, he was introduced to his father's amateur radio and developed a passion for electronics and radio. Years later, after a successful entrepreneurial career, and only after facing a major health issue, which changed the course of his life, that Tom fully embraced amateur radio. Tom believes that this hobby is not only mentally stimulating but also serves as a way to connect with others, especially when chronic illness often threatens human relationships outside of immediate family. KD9FPC is my "QSO Today."

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N4WWL

10/29/2022

Episode 423 - David Trachtenberg - N4WWL

David Trachtenberg, N4WWL’s ham radio journey started with shortwave listening as a young teen growing up on the East Coast, and once licensed, matured to operating Air Force MARS in the service of his hobby and country. David appreciates the variety of new equipment and technology as well as making new friends on the air. N4WWL is my QSO Today.

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ZL1BPU

10/22/2022

Episode 422 - Murray Greenman - ZL1BPU (SK)

Murray Greenman, ZL1BPU, now a silent key, was my guest in Episode 71 more than 5 years ago. Murray was famous in amateur circles for the development of many popular digital modes. I spoke to Murray over Skype from his home in New Zealand. The body of Murray’s work, spanning over 20 years, includes a book, Digital Modes For All Occasions, and on-line content that is very detailed and complete. Murray passed away in April 2022. May his memory be for a blessing.

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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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VA3ON

9/3/2022

Episode 416 - Rod Hardman - VA3ON

Rod Hardman, VA3ON, is one of the hosts of the Ham Radio Workbench Podcast, and while a relatively new ham, has a love for hands on radio, technology, and tools that goes back to the 1970s. Rod played an interesting role with his company in New Orleans just after Hurricane Katrina that renewed his interest in amateur radio, finding his community, and eventually building his own tribe. VA3ON tells his story 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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VE6LK

1/7/2022

Episode 383 - Vince d'Eon - VE6LK

Vince d'Eon, VE6LK, has taken hold of the many amateur radio opportunities on HF SSB, VHF/UHF mobile operation, repeater building and maintenance, and supporting events with his Calgary based amateur radio club. Vince is a regular contributor to the bi-weekly Ham Radio Workbench Podcast and made a presentation at the last QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo on Disaster Communications and Leadership Imperatives for Radio Amateurs. VE6LK is my QSO Today.

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W8TEE

12/18/2021

Episode 380 - Jack Purdum - W8TEE

Dr. Jack Purdum, W8TEE, licensed since 1954, is a prolific author of at least 17 books on computer programming languages and microprocessor projects for amateur radio and is now the Microcontroller Editor at CQ Magazine. This episode is part of my series of interviews to introduce you to QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo Speakers. Jack and Al Peters, AC8GY, are now prolific creators of Arduino projects and gave a presentation last August 2021 on building an HF SSB/CW software defined transceiver, called the T41. W8TEE is my QSO Today.

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OH8STN

12/11/2021

Episode 379 - Julian White - OH8STN

Julian White, OH8STN, operates outdoors in Finland's Arctic Circle and records, on his popular YouTube Channel, his expeditions with his compact but sophisticated simulations of grid down communications. Julian is a natural teacher and his channel may be one of the best ways to understand how and what to pack to take into the wild. OH8STN is my QSO Today.

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WA6RSV

12/4/2021

Episode 378 - Pablo Lewin - WA6RSV

Pablo Lewin, WA6RSV, has an interest in radio astronomy and scans the heavens with his hydrogen line radio telescope using an SDR or software defined radio. Pablo had an interesting aviation career where amateur radio weaved in and out of it since the late seventies. Now in aviation retirement, he does stand up comedy and creates content for the film and television industry. WA6RSV tells his amateur radio story 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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K8OS

7/31/2021

Episode 362 - James Anderson - K8OS

James, “JB”, Anderson, K8OS, will be presenting in the next QSO Today Virtual ham Expo, on August 14th and 15th on the topic of Vertical Yagi-Uda Array using Wire Elements - Stealth HF Gain on a Budget. I thought that it would be good to introduce the QSO Today audience to the presenters themselves. While JB has been a ham for over 50 years, he is also an accomplished electronics engineer and a radio astronomer. K8OS tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

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N5AC

3/6/2021

Episode 343 - Steve Hicks - N5AC

FlexRadio is the Platinum Sponsor at the next QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. I wanted to bring back an interview that I had with Steve Hicks, N5AC, VP of Engineering at FlexRadio. Steve will be a speaker at the Expo. Steve is a natural teacher in addition to leading a team developing the most advanced software defined radios for amateur radio. Of course, he also has a great ham radio story that he tells in this QSO Today.

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K5SDR

2/20/2021

Episode 341 - Gerald Youngblood - K5SDR

Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR, is the founder and CEO of FlexRadio that is now on the cutting edge of building advanced software defined radio (SDR) platforms for amateur radio, as well as for government, business, and the military. Gerald is a leader and pioneer in the development of SDR leading to the founding of FlexRadio. This episode is a newly minted version of the original interview that I had with K5SDR in 2015.

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WX2S

10/3/2020

Episode 321 - Steve Masticola - WX2S

Steve Masticola, WX2S, took a 30 year vacation from amateur radio to pursue his life. Now he is back. WX2S loves to operate in the field, necessitated by living in a Revolutionary War era village with antenna restrictions. This has created a new passion for SOTA, Parks on the Air, and QRP Fox Hunting. All this and more in my QSO Today with WX2S.

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W6LG

9/25/2020

Episode 320 - Jim Heath - W6LG

Jim Heath, W6LG, has been a ham for over 56 years. Jim is an Elmer’s Elmer with an amazing You-Tube channel, with over 30,000 subscribers. Jim not only reviews the basics of amateur radio, and he makes that content up close and personal, reflecting on his years of experience as an amateur radio operator.

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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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K4ZDH

7/18/2020

Episode 311 - Riley Hollingsworth - K4ZDH

Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, started his ham radio career in Rock Hill, South Carolina, in 1960, proceeded through law school to a career at the Federal Communications Commission, the FCC. Riley was a part of the evolution of the FCC as it dealt with the new communications technologies including paging, cellular, PCS, and amateur radio. K4ZDH tells his amateur radio story as well as his impact on the amateur radio service through his career at the FCC.

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W2NAF

8/10/2019

Episode 262 - Nathaniel Frissell - W2NAF

Dr. Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, is the 2019 Dayton Ham of the Year because of this contribution to the amateur radio art though his combined professional interest in ionospheric physics and the amateur radio modes, such WSPRnet and FT-8, that build big data bases of propagation data. HamSCI is an organization founded by Nethaniel on this concept. Nethaniel tells his ham radio story leading through Svalbard and McMurdo Station in Antarctica, to a National Science Foundation grant to HamSCI that arrived during the recording of this QSO Today.

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W1PJE

7/20/2019

Episode 259 - Phil Erickson - W1PJE

Phil Erickson, W1PJE, sits on a million watt UHF transmitter, where he is a group leader at the MIT Haystack Observatory. There he studies the atmosphere and radio propagation. Phil is a long time radio guy but a newcomer to amateur radio. As you will hear in this QSO Today, the tools, modes, and technology of amateur radio complement the research achievements of scientists like Phil, W1PJE.

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