QSO Today Podcast - QSO TODAY AMATEUR RADIO PODCAST

NI0K

12/14/2025

Episode 533 - John Simmons - NI0K

John Simmons, NIØK, like many hams who were licensed in the sixties and seventies, built his CW skills passing traffic on the NTS, or the national traffic system. Developing an interest in early mechanical teletypes, John gained a practical knowledge of RTTY. As an active contester and DXer, John regularly appears in major international contests and is currently expanding his station for SO2R (single-operator, two-radio) operation, reflecting his ongoing commitment to competitive operating and technical improvement. From his QTH in rural Minnesota, NI0K, has an antenna farm, with three towers and a completely remotely controllable station. With interests spanning vintage technology, modern SDR systems, logging integration, and the future direction of the hobby, John offers a thoughtful, experience-based perspective on what it means to be an engaged amateur radio operator today. John Simmons, NIØK, 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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NK8O

2/10/2024

Episode 488 - Charles Powell - NK8O

Charles Powell, NK8O, would argue that an early interest in radio and communications aided him in making a transition from professional French Horn player to pediatric doctor rather than suffer the mid-life crisis. Charles likes just about everything that ham radio offers including POTA, CW, kit building, old rigs, and operating his own DXpeditions from exotic locations around the world. NK8O and I discuss these topic and more in this 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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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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WI6re

6/17/2023

Episode 455 - Ed Tipler - WI6RE

Ed Tipler, WI6RE, began his ham radio journey on a rural farm in Washington State, and ultimately landed an engineering job at the China Lake Naval Weapons Test Range in California’s Mojave Desert. As an active amateur radio operator, Ed felt the need to connect his community of Ridgecrest, California, to the outside world on FM using IRLP and Allstar. WI6RE is my QSO Today.

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N2WL

12/17/2022

Episode 430 - Bill Levy - N2WL

Bill Levy, N2WL, operates from his apartment in New York City, and from a remotely controlled FlexRadio station in Colorado, as part of a network of remotely controlled stations available for hire. As a kid, Bill paid for his ham radio hobby by running Wall Street, and he did a stint as a wildlife photographer for Time-Life and Partridge Films, while operating as a DX entity from Africa. N2WL tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

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W1RC

12/10/2022

Episode 429 - Michael Crestohl - W1RC

Mike Crestohl, W1RC, is the benevolent dictator and founder of Near Fest, the twice yearly New England Amateur Radio Festival, a collector of WW2 spy radios, a journalist, by profession, with contributions to amateur magazines, and a lover of Collins boat anchor gear. Mike likes to operate his Icom IC-705 remote station while on the road. W1RC is my QSO Today.

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K0IZ

5/7/2022

Episode 399 - John Raydo - K0IZ

John Raydo, K0IZ, had a great mentor at the beginning of his ham radio story that laid the foundation for John’s approach to operating amateur radio and building radio equipment from scratch. John shares this story and how he now remotely controls and has the noise benefit of his rural Colorado rig when operating from his QTH in Missouri. K0IZ is my 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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VA3MW

8/29/2020

Episode 316 - Michael Walker - VA3MW

Michael Walker, VA3MW, joins me from the Canadian Province of Ontario where he started his ham radio journey. Getting into ham radio as a kid, Michael’s interest in amateur radio and technology led him through a technical career. He is now widely known as FlexRadio’s inside sales person, and he is a frequent guest host on the Ham Radio Workbench Podcast. VA3MW is my QSO Today.

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W0IH

1/25/2020

Episode 286 - Michael Foerster - W0IH

Michael, Mike, Foerster, W0IH, loves to ragchew with his friends on 80 meters in the evening. Mike is a frequent contributor to QST magazine including articles on finding and solving electronic noise problems and remote control of your HF station while on the road. We also discuss his broadband adjustable 80 meter dipole in this episode of QSO Today.

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W2HDI

10/27/2018

Episode 221 - Arnold Ziegel - W2HDI

After running maritime mobile from his 40 foot sailboat for many years, Arnold Ziegel, W2HDI, switched to power boats and all of the challenges to amateur radio brought on by the new boat. Not deterred by these challenges, W2HDI discovered remote control operation, over the Internet, from his new boat. We dive deeper into Arnold’s ham radio story and remote operation in this QSO Today.

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NN2X

9/28/2018

Episode 217 - Tom Wright - NN2X

Tom Wright, NN2X, grew up in the sixties in the foster care system. Amateur radio provided a way out of the system and into the US Army and a career in satellite communications. Tom loves his family, the digital modes, especially the new FT8Call, and helping kids escape poverty by training them for careers in information technology. This QSO is packed with little jewells as NN2X shares his ham radio story.

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AE3RM

6/16/2018

Episode 202 - RaUl Midón - AE3RM

Bad ass and blind is how my guest on QSO Today describes himself on his website and the release of his new jazz music album of the same name. Raul Midón, AE3RM, is also a long time and dedicated amateur radio operator, who takes his ham radio operation on his musical tours around the World. For those of us who think we are too busy to get on the air, Raul provides an answer to a busy schedule while sharing ham radio story on this QSO Today.

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WB2REM

5/5/2018

Episode 196 - Jim Millner - WB2REM

Jim Millner, WB2REM, has traveled and operated amateur radio in 72 countries including Cuba and Guantanamo Bay. He also operates his station by remote control, taking advantage of his prime Florida location with his excellent antenna arrays. Jim shares his amateur radio story and his remote control insight in this QSO Today.

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ZS4TX

2/24/2018

Episode 186 - Bernie van der Walt - ZS4TX

Bernie van der Walt, ZS4TX, from Bloemfontein, South Africa is an active ham radio operator. Bernie loves to contest on HF, and operates two remote control EME or Moon bounce stations on two and six meters away from the noise pollution of his residential neighborhood. We discuss these subjects and more on this episode of QSO Today.

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VK5SW

12/2/2017

Episode 174 - Robert Norman - VK5SW

Heading South to Australia, our QSO Today is with Rob Norman, VK5SW, who wanted to get away from the electronic noise of the his home city of Adelaide, in South Australia, by building a remote control HF station in the Australian bush some two hours drive from his QTH. We learn from Rob, what it takes to make this a great solution getting on the air.

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