QSO Today Amateur Radio Podcast
  • Podcasts
    • Eric's Favorite Podcasts
    • QSO Today Podcast Archive >
      • Complete List of Podcasts - Libsyn
      • iTunes List of QSO Today Episodes
      • Download Podcast List as PDF
  • Blog
  • Transcripts
  • Sponsors
    • icom
    • Sotabeams
  • About
  • Contact
  • Sign Up
  • Login

W0XI

10/3/2015

6 Comments

 

Episode 061 - Phil Anderson - W0XI

Picture
Phil Anderson, WOXI, founded Kantronics in 1971 to build wiring harnesses for automobiles. The company morphed over time to become one of the premier manufacturers of terminal node controllers or TNCs for amateur packet radio. Now retired, Phil is as active as ever pursuing new avenues in ham radio. Phil joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in this episode of QSO Today
Read More
Listen to Podcast
Hometown: Lawrence, Kansas

First License: Novice, 1955, KNØHSB

First Rig:
  • Collins 75A4 receiver
  • Tetrode single tube transmitter

Later Rig:
Heathkit HW7  

Sputnik accelerated interest in math and science in the USA

Played violin and chello through college

Education:
  • BSEE,  University of Kansas  
  • MSEE, Syracuse University

Kantronics formed in 1971 by Phil and

Elmer:  W0AR - Lee Berger,  elmer in Kansas City and suggest the building of a CW code reader called “Field Day”.  

Motorola 6502 processor

“The Interface” - first packet “TNC” or terminal node controller. Firmware was computer specific.  Later evolution would allow ASCII terminal programs to allow all computers to talk to the TNC. First appeared at the Chicago Hamfest.

Commodore 64
Apple 2E

KPC-1 - “Kantronics Packet Controller”

Kantronics invented protocol GTor added Golay error correction to raise the baud rate.
G-TOR - or Golay-TOR, invented by Kantronics as a HF digital mode with a dramatically increased speed and reliability.

Auxillary Rig: Yaesu FT-450D

Favorite Operating Mode: CW, now on SSB

Current Rig: 
  • Elecraft K3
  • Elecraft P3 pan adapter with SVGA interface 
  • Stepper IR Vertical Antenna
  • Beverage Antenna on the Auxillary antenna port to make diversity

RufZ CW practice

SO2V - single operator two VFO operation

Xtal Set Society - Phil’s family business that supplies crystal set parts and kits for educational purposes. As a part of this Phil has designed all of the radio kits sold on the site.

CWT Contests and CW Operators Club - have a 1 hour contest every week.

Beverage Antenna - basics of how to build a Beverage antenna.

8 Day Contest Calendar

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
Collins 75A4 Receiver
Picture
Picture
Commodore 64 Computer
Vintage 1982
Picture
Phil's Spider Crystal Set Kit

6 Comments
Mike Morneau
10/3/2015 05:56:40 pm

Excellent interview with Phil Anderson! I still have several of Kantronics' productions in the shack.

Reply
Norman carless
10/3/2015 08:54:25 pm

Enjoyed having my memories brought forward. From the past . I am over the hill now at 93 years
73 and God bless you
Norman

Reply
Nick Kennedy
10/22/2015 02:39:57 pm

Interesting interview. I had a Kantronics interface card for my Atari 800 back around 1983 - I built tone decoders & encoders for RTTY and worked my first RTTY with it.

Reply
John
10/29/2015 12:39:12 pm

Took this podcast on my morning bike ride today. Great conversation, but was hoping to hear some discussion of the 8040a DC receiver and I think there was a companion transmitter. 73

Reply
Phil Anderson w0xi
11/1/2015 11:44:08 am

Hi John. It's been so long I don't recall much about the 8040 RX. I'll hunt around...think there are some pictures. There was a little QRP transmitter that some guys used...it was called the (original) Rock Hound and it used a xtal in a logic oscillator for the frequency source. That was feed to four OPEN COLLECTOR NAND GATES IN PARALLEL for a whopping 3 or so watts. This little thing was powered through the KEY to a battery of all things. I've seen the schematic on the web a few times..........might try searching "rock hound tx" or...... thanks, John. Phil W0XI, Lawrence KS......Look for me on 20 meters, usually around 14030.........73 !

Reply
Phil W0XI
11/1/2015 11:48:20 am

John....just checked the web and found these sites for rock hound TX

http://rigreference.com/en/rig/3313-Kantronics_Rockhound

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/2315

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Sponsors

    Picture
    Picture

    Listen on: 

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Podcast Archives

    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
    Allstar Link
    Amateur Television
    AMSAT
    Antennas
    Apps
    APRS
    Arduino
    ARES
    ARISS
    ARRL
    Ballooning
    BITX
    Boat Anchors
    Boy Scouts
    CERT
    Collins 74A4
    Contesting
    CQ World Wide
    Crystal Set
    CW
    DDS Direct Digital Synthesizer
    Dead Bug Construction Method
    Digital Television
    DMR Hot Spot
    DMR Hot-spot
    DMR Marc
    Drake TR4
    D-Star
    DX
    DXCC Honor Roll
    DXpedition
    Echolink
    Elecraft
    Elecraft K3
    Elecraft KX3
    Electronic Building Techniques
    Electronic Tools
    EME Moon Bounce
    Emergency Comm
    Ex Military Radio
    Ex-military Radio
    Fflghtaware
    Flow State
    FM And Repeaters
    FSQ
    Hall Of Fame
    Heathkit Hw8
    Hexbeam Antenna
    HF Digital Modes
    Home Brew
    Icom
    International Space Station
    Ionosphere
    IOTA - Islands On The Air
    IRLP
    JOTA
    JT4
    Kenwood TS 2000
    Kenwood TS-2000
    Kenwood TS440
    Kit Building
    KX2
    Magnetic Loop Antenna
    Manhattan Construction
    Manpack Radio
    Maritime Mobile
    Mesh Networking
    Meteor Scatter
    MFSK
    Microwave
    Microwave Roving
    MMDVM
    Museum
    Packet Radio
    Propagation
    QCWA
    QRP
    QRPP
    RACES
    RaDAR
    Raspberry Pi
    Remote Control
    Repeaters And Remote Base Stations
    Russ Farnsworth Morse Code Method
    Short Wave Listening
    Single Operator Two Radio
    Single Side Band
    Slow Scan Television
    Software Defined Radio
    SOTA
    Space Shuttle
    Test Equipment
    Top Band
    Ugly Construction Method
    Unique Contributions
    US Army MARS
    Vacuum Tube Radio
    Video
    WSPRnet
    Yaesu FT-840
    You Tube
    You-Tube

Proudly powered by Weebly