QSO Today Interview with Roy Lewallen, W7EL about EZnec and amateur radio

W7EL

4/28/2017

Episode 143 - Roy Lewallen - W7EL

Roy Lewallen, W7EL, approaches ham radio from an engineering and even scientific point of view. Roy is the creator of EZNEC, the popular antenna modeling software, and the author of many articles on radio and transceiver design, baluns, antennas, and inductors. His contributions to the amateur radio hobby and advancing the state of art puts Roy at the head of the class in amateur radio. W7EL is my QSO Today.

Show Notes

Transcript

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This episode of QSO Today is sponsored by:

George Lewallen, W7EL resources:

EZnec Antenna Software
“An Optimized QRP Transceiver for 7 MHz”, By Roy Lewallen, W7EL, QST Magazine. 1980
“Baluns: What They Do And How They Do It”, By Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Zenith Transoceanic radio loaned by landlord

Hallicrafters S-38D general coverage receiver

First License: Novice, 1957, age 11, WL7CIB
Upgrade: 1960, upgrade to General
Upgrade to Extra, 1963

Elmers:

Fred Cunningham, KL7APZ, Douglas, Alaska
Dennis O’Day, KL7AQU, gave the first rig.

First Rig:

Biggest Sunspot Cycle 1957

Instructograph: Code practice machine with paper tape

Favorite operating mode: CW and QRP

Current Rigs:

Icom IC-730, Circa 1982
Homebrew Rigs
Dipoles on 40 and 80 meters

W7EL Field Day Special Wire Beam - From "Try the Field Day Special Antenna, by Roy Lewallen, W7EL, QST, June 1984.

Education:
Illinois Institute of Technology
University of Colorado, Boulder, BSEE

Rick Campbell, KK7B, Diode Ring Mixer

Wes Hayward W7ZOI

EZNEC antenna modeling software

Tektronix Library, Oregon

Hewlett Packard HP11 Calculator

MiniNEC3 Software, written by Logan & Rockwell

GW Basic

ELNEC Antenna Modeling Software -1990 - Roy’s first program

AutoEZ - automates EZNEC

ARRL Antenna Book

Improving the Bandwidth of Simple Matching Networks, By Gary Breed

“Baluns: What They Do And How They Do It”, By Roy Lewallen,

Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur, By Wes Hayward, W7ZOI

“Mounting Toroidal Inductors with Common Materials”

QRP/SWL Website - now defunct - you can download the entire PDF of the website

What is exciting about amateur radio now:

FDIM, Dayton Hamvention
Antenna experiments

Advice to new or returning hams:
Join the ARRL or if you live outside of your national club
Find a group that have the same interests

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Hallicrafters S-38D General Coverage Receiver

Johnson Viking Adventurer Transmitter

Instructograph Code Practice on paper tape

Icom IC-730 HF Transceiver

5 Comments

Spraticus

7/3/2017 05:53:58 pm

Roy, I am so glad to have had a chance to listen to this interview. I have followed your contributions to homebrewing for the past 4 years that I've been melting solder.

Your article & design 'Optimized QRP transceiver' deserves a special place in the history books. So much of that design paved the way for other homebrewers to begin experimenting with their own creations. The T/R switching scheme, muting with the jfet, your zener RIT, that sweet post VFO buffer, parallel NP0's in the tank circuit all of these seemingly minute details your worked hard to discover became common practice in so many future rigs (as far as I have seen/read about). The way the article is written is simple, clear and to the point and it explained a great deal to me that I hadn't quite fully understood prior such as the purpose of the post mixer diplexer and matching the rit offset with the audio bandpass.

I loved building the optimized and highly recommend it to any homebre's out there who haven't built it yet. The article should be available on arrl's website. It was published in the handbook and is featured in QRP Classics (but not the version found as pdf online as far as I've seen).

Roy, thank you for all of your contributions. You and your peer's such as Hayward & DeMaw are the reason why I am a ham (got my ticket so I could legally test out your designs that I built). 72 & may all your metrics be true.

Eric, thank you for taking time to create this interview.

L. M. Sam Elbe KY8R

1/10/2018 09:22:07 am

Really enjoyed the conversation with Roy, He talked about when the ARRL had a book published about his software, it would be nice to have the ARRL update that tutorial manual and release it.

Keep up the Podcasts.

George Conrad N1ABC

4/24/2018 08:32:48 am

Roy, have and use EZNEC ver 5.0.68. Was wondering if there is anyway I can include a coax (RG8X) as part of an antenna? The shield is connected only on one side. Appreciate a response.

George
N1ABC

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Dale E Mecomber

7/31/2022 06:47:54 am

Roy, I have a "Circuit Board Specialists" W7EL transceiver, that I picked up at a hamfest (non-working). I have muddled though it and have the receiver working, but no TX. Would you have documentation for this kit? I am using your 1980 article for documentation at this time. I can send pictures if you desire.
Thanks for your reading of my comments. Dale, N2DM, "Skinny-Atlas" Falls, NY.

W7EL

Episode 143 - Roy Lewallen - W7EL

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