QSO TODAY AMATEUR RADIO PODCAST
  • Podcasts
    • Eric's Favorite Podcasts
    • QSO Today Podcast Archive >
      • Sortable Podcast List
      • Downloadable Episodes CSV File
      • Complete List of Podcasts - Libsyn
      • iTunes List of QSO Today Episodes
      • Download Podcast List as PDF
  • Blog
  • Transcripts
  • Sponsors
    • icom
    • Sotabeams
  • About
    • Contact
    • Apple Reviews
    • Whitelist
  • Donate
  • Subscribe
  • Learn to Podcast

K5SDR

9/5/2015

12 Comments

 

Episode 057 - Gerald Youngblood - K5SDR

Picture
Who could imagine that an offer to build fifty experimental SDR radios called the SDR1000 would turn into an order for five-hundred units in the first year launching Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR, into the software defined radio business. FlexRadio Systems was launched,  in 2003, on the kitchen table of K5SDR's Austin, Texas house to become the premier ham radio supplier of turn-key SDR radios.  Gerald joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in this episode of QSO Today. 
Read More
Listen to Podcast

Picture
Picture
Picture
First License: 1967, Novice  WN6RXV
Upgrade:  WA5RXV at the FCC Office in New Orleans

Elmer:  Don Johnson, Physics Teacher at the Junior College next to Gerald’s high school

First Rig:
  • Receiver:  Hallicrafters S38
  • Transmitter:  6L6 homebrew
  • Later added a Central Electronics 20A phasing exciter
  • Amplifier using 1625 tubes 



Education:
BSEE, Mississippi State University

Mississippi State University FM campus radio station

College Radio Job: Jackson, Mississippi Channel 16 UHF

Station upgrade in the college days:
  • Heathkit SB301 Receiver
  • Heathkit SB401 Transmitter
  • Heathkit SB630 station console  

Entrepreneurial ventures:
  • Start up college stations
  • chief engineer am/fm broadcast 
  • 1975: PC board manufacturing company 
  • Diversified Technology, Jackson, Mississippi (as employee)
  • Sun River Corporation, Austin, TX, 1986 (moved to Austin in 1989)
  • FlexRadio Systems, Austin, TX

Software Defined Radio Links:
  • Flexradio Systems - Gerald’s company where he is the founder and CEO. 
  • SDR1000 Board - Gerald’s first “10” prototypes. Sold 500 in the first year. Accidental company. 
  • Power SDR - free SDR software 
  • ARRL Software Defined Radio Working Group
  • FlexRadio Systems Yahoo Group
  • Software Defined Radios - An Architectural Viewpoint, by Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR

A Software Defined Radio for the Masses, by Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR

  • Part 1
  • Part 2
  • Part 3 
  • Part 4

Interview with Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR, President Flex Radio Systems - KA3DRR Blog, 2008

Flex Radio Knowledge Center

Smart SDR 2.0  - protocol developed by FlexRadio to work over wide area networks and the Internet.

FlexRadio System CDRX-3200 - 32 blade receiver for government listening posts.

Best Experimenter SDR Group:
  • HPSDR Group
  • SDR-Radio.com

SDR User Resources:
Ham Radio Smart SDR -next generation SDR software

K5SDR’s SDR rig of choice for the beginner: FlexRadio 1500

K5SDR's New Station: FlexRadio 6700 in a rolling 12U rack

The RSS Feed for all audio content from QSO today is available from here. 

Please join our QSO Today community by pressing the button below. It is the best way to suggest guests and topics, and provide feedback to Eric, 4Z1UG.
Join the QSO Today Community
Picture
Hallicrafters S38D General Coverage Receiver
Picture
The first "FlexRadio"
 SDR1000 circa 2003
Picture
Flex Radio 1500 Transceiver
Picture
FlexRadio 6700
12 Comments
Scott Wright
9/5/2015 03:58:25 pm

Excellent interview and story. It is also nice to see American Ingenuity shine through in ham radio again! Thanks for sharing Gerald's story with us.

Reply
Eric 4Z1UG
9/5/2015 11:57:20 pm

It was an easy story to share as he was a wonderful guest. Like all of them, so far.

Reply
Andy KD3RF
9/6/2015 05:46:41 am

Great to see that "Made in America" is still the mark of achievement for technical leadership and innovation. How about a story on Elecraft's founders and their path to success? Equally interesting, equally great products and a testament to American entrepreneurship just like Flex.

Reply
Eric 4Z1UG
9/6/2015 09:02:00 am

Andy, Put N6KR in the search bar at the top of the page. I interviewed Wayne Burdick, N6KR, in Episode 11.

Reply
Frank Howell link
9/7/2015 12:31:21 pm

Great, great interview, Eric! Gerald is one of our "home boys" here in the Jackson MS area. I recall his starting Sun River in Jackson before moving to the Austin area when Texas had an incentive program for tech companies in the Austin area.

Frank
K4FMH

Reply
Eric 4Z1UG
9/10/2015 09:25:10 am

Texas's gain is Mississippi's loss, I guess. Thanks for your comment.

Reply
Lionel Booth
9/7/2015 04:13:37 pm

Very interesting. Gerald is an interesting interview and especially to learn his path into the hobby. I guess many of us who started in the 60's, or earlier, recall that first receiver. A bit of nostalgia. Now Flex has made an SDR convert out of me opened all sorts of new interest areas.

Reply
Eric 4Z1UG
9/10/2015 09:25:58 am

I certainly like the visual displays of SDR.

Reply
Phil
9/16/2015 06:52:47 pm

I am a Mac user and I am interested in adding a SDR rig to my shack. Can I expect a Mac OS/X version of PowerSDR in the future to support the FlexRadio products, esp the 1500?

Reply
Eric 4Z1UG
9/20/2015 12:09:20 pm

Phil -

It looks to me that you would have to make a disk partition and use Bootcamp on the MAC to look like Windows XP. Look at http://sourceforge.net/projects/gqrx/ for a MAC SDR program. It has a very high rating and should work great. 73, Eric

Reply
Marty
9/25/2015 05:02:12 pm

The latest Flex Insider (September 2015 Issue 5-15) has the following to say about this:

Read the article on our FlexADP program below to learn more about new third-party applications such as FLEX-6000 Series client software for the iPad and Mac along with tight integration with DXLabs, MacLogger, N1MM+ and Writelog.

you can sign up for the newsletter here: http://www.flexradio.com/resources/flexinsider/

Reply
christian music radio free online link
11/25/2019 07:23:13 am

That is so nice and congratulations on the awards that you have received. I work at a local radio station here at our place and I have been working here for almost 5 years. Our station is still kind of new and that is why we still don't get nominated for local award ceremonies. However, we are still doing our very best for our viewers and listeners because we are really passionate about giving news and providing entertainment. I hope next year will be the year we will be known for something.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Sponsors

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    My Amazon Link
    Picture
    #commission earned

    Listen on: 

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Podcast Archives

    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014

    Categories

    All
    10 GHz
    160 Meters
    3D Printing
    Allstar Link
    AM
    Amateur Radio Testing
    Amateur Television
    Amplifiers
    AMSAT
    Antennas
    Antique Telegraph Keys And Bugs
    Apps
    APRS
    Arduino
    AREDN
    ARES
    ARISS
    ARRL
    Art
    Audio Processing
    Australia
    Aviation
    Ballooning
    Balun
    Beacons
    BITX
    Blind
    Blog
    Boat Anchors
    Boy Scouts
    Broadcast Radio
    CERT
    Collins 74A4
    Collins KWM2
    Contesting
    CQ World Wide
    Crystal Set
    CW
    Dayton Hamvention
    DDS Direct Digital Synthesizer
    Dead Bug Construction Method
    Digital Television
    DMR
    DMR Hot Spot
    DMR Hot-spot
    DMR Marc
    Double Side Band
    Drake TR4
    D-Star
    DX
    DXCC Honor Roll
    DXpedition
    Echolink
    Elecraft
    Elecraft K3
    Elecraft KX3
    Electronic Building Techniques
    Electronic Noise And Interference
    Electronic Tools
    EME Moon Bounce
    Emergency Comm
    Emergency Power
    Enigma
    Ex Military Radio
    Ex-military Radio
    FCC
    Fflghtaware
    FlexRadio
    Flow State
    FM And Repeaters
    FreeDV HF Digital Voice
    FSQ
    FT 8
    FT-8
    G5RV
    Hall Of Fame
    Hamfest
    HamSCI
    Heathkit
    Heathkit Hw8
    Hexbeam Antenna
    HF Digital Modes
    HOA
    Home Brew
    IARU
    Icom
    International Hams
    International Space Station
    Ionosphere
    IOTA Islands On The Air
    IOTA - Islands On The Air
    IRLP
    JOTA
    JS8Call
    JT4
    Kenwood TS 2000
    Kenwood TS-2000
    Kenwood TS440
    Kit Building
    KX2
    Leadership
    LoRaWAN
    M17 Project
    Magnetic Loop Antenna
    Maker Faire
    Manhattan Construction
    Manpack Radio
    Maritime Mobile
    Mesh Networking
    Metal Fabrication
    Meteor Scatter
    MFSK
    Microwave
    Microwave Roving
    Military Cipher Machines
    MMDVM
    Morse Code
    Museum
    Music
    NASA
    Nets
    New Hams
    NTS - National Traffic System
    Operating Practice
    Packet Radio
    PACTOR
    Parks On The Air
    Portable Operation
    POTA
    Propagation
    Public Safety
    QCWA
    QRO
    QRP
    QRPP
    R-390
    Races
    Radar
    Radio Astronomy
    Raspberry Pi
    Remote Control
    Remote Hams
    Repeaters And Remote Base Stations
    RTTY
    Russ Farnsworth Morse Code Method
    Satellites
    SDR
    Short Wave Listening
    Single Operator Two Radio
    Single Side Band
    Slow Scan Television
    SO2R
    Software Defined Radio
    Solar Power
    SOTA
    Space Shuttle
    Special Event Station
    Spectrum Monitor
    Spy Radios
    SSB
    System Fusion
    TAPR Tucson Amateur Packet Radio
    TAPR - Tucson Amateur Packet Radio
    Technology Development
    Test Equipment
    Top Band
    UBITX
    Ugly Construction Method
    UHF
    Unique Contributions
    US Army MARS
    Vacuum Tube Radio
    VHF
    Video
    Vintage Gear
    WinLink
    WSPRnet
    WWFF
    Yaesu FT-840
    Youth
    YouTube
    You Tube

Proudly powered by Weebly