QSO Today Podcast - QSO TODAY AMATEUR RADIO PODCAST

K8ZT

6/6/2020

Episode 305 - Anthony Luscre - K8ZT

Anthony, Luscre, K8ZT, has a love for cataloging all of his interests and sharing with others. In this episode, I find some great websites, built by Anthony, that are not only amazing resources for ham radio operators, but also for teachers who want to master the on-line resources that they now need to support their students during this pandemic. K8ZT is my QSO Today.

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WW9JD

5/9/2020

Episode 301 - Rick Dubbs - WW9JD

Rick Dubbs, WW9JD, spent four years at sea in US nuclear submarines, retired as a teacher of junior high school kids, flies drones professionally as a part of his small business, and now has time for his ham radio projects. WW9JD shares his ham radio story and his project details in this QSO Today.

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VK3HN

4/18/2020

Episode 298 - Paul Taylor - VK3HN

Paul Taylor, VK3HN, loves to operate QRP, SOTA, or Summits on the Air, with his homebrew pocket-sized multi-band transceivers that he designs and builds in his home workshop. Paul enjoys a weekly 160 meter AM net using his homebrew 200 watt solid-state AM transmitter. VK3HN is my QSO Today.

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ZL2BMI

8/31/2019

Episode 265 - Eric Sears - ZL2BMi

Eric Sears, ZL2BMI, who joins me from New Zealand, is famous for this 80 meter QRP double sideband rig that he designed and documented in the 1980s for his personal use when “tramping” in the forests and mountains of New Zealand. Eric’s stated design philosophy and rigs proved to be robust and foundational for other QRP rig builders, especially in the southern hemisphere through the years.

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W0GJ

6/8/2019

Episode 253 - Glenn Johnson - W0GJ

Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, began his ham radio journey as a teenager and from his love for chasing DX, has since been to many DX entities around the world including Heard Island, an attempt last year to land on Bouvet Island, and an upcoming DXpedition later this year to Pitcairn Island. Glenn’s interest and determination to provide these rare DX entities along with his DXpedition group, is worth the weeks at sea, sometimes in terrible conditions. Glenn was able to break from his preparations for Pitcairn to record with me this 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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KJ6VU

1/12/2019

Episode 232 - George Zafiropoulos - KJ6VU

George Zafiropoulos, KJ6VU, is the the co-host of the Ham Radio Workbench Podcast, one of the more popular ham radio podcasts. George has a long and interesting ham radio history as well as he is an accomplished home-brewer, builder, operator, and high tech executive. We touch on a few of our favorite subjects that include repeaters and repeater controllers, the Cactus Intertie, DMR, and building with Arduino micro-controllers. KJ6VU is my QSO Today.

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W6PNG

12/1/2018

Episode 226 - Paul Gacek - W6PNG

Along with a successful career in California hightech, Paul Gacek, W6PNG, became an amateur radio operator. Finding that ham radio challenged his mind and created opportunity to learn new things, Paul discovered SOTA, Summits on the Air, and operating from the field. California has over 4000 SOTA peaks, and that is a good start for W6PNG, my QSO Today.

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4X1KS

10/20/2018

Episode 220 - Mark Rosenberg - 4X1KS

While exposed to amateur radio at an early age, it was not until Mark Rosenberg, 4X1KS, got his first license and upgraded quickly within a few short months, in Memphis, Tennessee. In Memphis, Robert Barbee, W4AMI, became Mark’s ham radio mentor driving Mark to satellite excellence. Now in Israel, Mark is active in just about every on-air activity, as well as being the consummate fixer and homebrewer. 4X1KS is my QSO today.

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WB8VGE

9/15/2018

Episode 215 - Mike Bryce - WB8VGE

Mike Bryce, WB8VGE, collects and restores the old Heathkit and Drake rigs that we remember from the 60s and 70s, works QRP on his favorite Ten-Tec transceivers, and has enough solar electric power to run power his whole house and his rigs. WB8VGE shares the background of all of these things and his current view of the state of ham radio in this QSO Today.

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K4ERO

6/9/2018

Episode 201 - John Stanley - K4ERO

My QSO Today is with John Stanley, K4ERO, a frequent contributor of articles about antenna design and performance to QST, QEX, the ARRL Antenna Book, and the ARRL Handbook. An MIT graduate, John and his wife Ruth, WB4LUA, spent many years abroad working as engineers for Christian broadcast stations in Africa, South America, and Asia. John shares his ham radio story and his antenna expertise in this QSO Today.

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PY1AHD

5/12/2018

Episode 197 - Alex Grimberg - PY1AHD

From his QTH in Rio De Janeiro, Alex Grimberg, PY1AHD, has mastered the art of the portable magnetic loop antennas for QRP use in the field. This interest, generated from his need for a light and portable antenna, has blossomed into the AlexLoop antenna business. Now Alex travels the ham radio World showing off his AlexLoops and other accessories that make portable QRP field operations that much more enjoyable. PY1AHD is my QSO Today.

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KV4QB

3/24/2018

Episode 190 - DuWayne Schmidlkofer - KV4QB

DuWayne Schmidlkofer, KV4QB, is one of the amazing creators of homebrew projects from conception to the finished package. He uses microcontrollers combined with RF circuitry to make some pretty cool and mostly inexpensive projects. His blog is a great read where he documents each of his projects from beginning to end. In this episode, we discuss construction techniques and his home brew projects. KV4QB is my QSO Today.

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KW5GP Returns

3/17/2018

Episode 189 - Glen Popiel - KW5GP returns

Glen Popiel, KW5GP, author of two popular books on Arduino for amateur radio and a book on mesh networking for amateur radio joins QSO Today once again. Glen told his ham radio story in Episode 49, almost three years ago. We catch up with Glen to get an Arduino update and to hear about his current and future projects.

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G3CWI

3/9/2018

Episode 188 - Richard Newstead - G3CWI

Richard Newstead, G3CWI, as an avid outdoor radio enthusiast, co-founded SOTA or the Summits on the Air program. When he needed the right gear to take to the mountaintop, Richard had to create and import his own equipment, ultimately resulting in the creation of his company, Sotabeams, our new sponsor on QSO Today. Richard’s story includes operating from a research station in Antarctica during the Falklands war to the founding of Sotabeams our new QSO Today sponsor.

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WB2VUO

1/27/2018

Episode 182 - Keith Hibbert - WB2VUO

Keith Hibbert, WB2VUO, is the ARRL Technical Coordinator for Western NY State. In that capacity Keith serves as a resource and goto guy for technical questions by amateur radio operators. Keith and I had a great QSO on his areas of interest that include QRP Single Sideband, digital modes like FT-8, and Keith’s interest in both amateur HF and aircraft beacons. Keith shares his insights and some valuable resources in this QSO Today.

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K4OCE

12/9/2017

Episode 175 - Bob Rosier - K4OCE

Bob Rosier, K4OCE, started his ham radio journey in the fifties, inspired by his father who built their first family television using a surplus radar screen and a broadcast receiver. Bob discovered QRP almost by accident and from that point on realized that he could have reliable DX contacts based on good operating practice and technical expertise. Bob is the creator of the “OCE Minirig” QRP transmitter.

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WJ2V

11/25/2017

Episode 173 - Preston Douglas - WJ2V

Preston Douglas, WJ2V, discovered the joys of QRP and home-brewing whole transceivers almost by accident. The result is a rewarding ham radio past-time leading to becoming the President of the QRP-ARCI group. Preston brings to life his ham radio story, home brew projects, and QRP in this QSO Today.

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G0SBW

9/8/2017

Episode 162 - Tom Robinson - G0SBW

When Tom Robinson, G0SBW, wasn’t getting satisfactory results from his HF station at this home QTH, he decided to move his operation to the English shore, on his back while walking. As a single-sideband operator running QRP, Tom has had amazing success with this “manpack” radio, refining its operation and ease of use, and taking it on DXpeditions abroad. GOSBW is Eric’s QSO Today.

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NK6A

8/8/2017

Episode 158 - Don Minkoff - NK6A

Amateur radio is a big tent with an appeal for every amateur’s special interest. Once a QRO DX operator, the new magic of ham radio for Don Minkoff NK6A, came from turning down the power to QRP levels and getting out of the QTH to the great outdoors and working SOTA, or Summits on the Air. Don shares his ham radio story and so much more in this QSO Today.

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N1IX

7/14/2017

Episode 154 - Dave Le Duc - N1IX

Dave LeDuc, N1IX, like many of my guests got his ham radio start as a teenager in the sixties. His love for CW and chasing DX has not diminished over the years. His new passion is running QRP and winning contests. Dave shares his ham radio story and offers some advice for QRP success in this episode of QSO Today.

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N2APB

6/22/2017

Episode 151 - GEorge Heron - N2APB

For George Heron, N2APB, the love of amateur radio comes from the design, collaboration, and building electronic devices for amateur radio, along with his friend and mentor, Joe Everhart, N2CX - and then sharing this live on their Chat with the Designers podcast. All of it interests George, from test equipment and restored vintage radios to a stand alone SDR transceivers and more efficient designs of magnetic loop antennas. N2APB is Eric, 4Z1UG’s QSO Today.

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N6KR and the Bay Area Meetup

6/10/2017

Episode 149 - Wayne Burdick, N6KR, and QSO Today Bay Area Meetup

On my recent trip from Israel to the USA, to attend the Dayton Hamvention, I stopped in the Bay Area to visit with Wayne Burdick, N6KR, and long time childhood friend, and co-founder of Elecraft, to catch up, discuss the KX2, and working HF from the field. That evening Wayne and I attended the QSO Today Bay Area Meetup where I asked the participants their name, callsign, and the most exciting thing that they think is happening in ham radio.

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KI6SN

6/1/2017

Episode 148 - Richard Fisher - KI6SN

Richard Fisher, KI6SN, after a 40 year career in newspaper journalism, is now an editor and contributor to many of the most widely read amateur radio magazines including Popular Communications, WorldRadio Online, CQ, and QRP Quarterly. As a feature writer, Richard’s digs deep into every area of amateur radio producing a prolific body of work that informs and educates us. KI6SN is Eric’s QSO Today.

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AA4XX

4/13/2017

Episode 141 - Paul Stroud - AA4XX

Paul Stroud, AA4XX, went from being a QRO, high power operator, to a QRP operator, testing the bottom limits of power output to distance. Paul approaches ham radio now, as almost a meditative experience, where he operates from his solar powered ham shack deep in the woods near his house, under his wire antennas. Paul takes us on his ham radio journey in this QSO Today.

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