QSO Today Podcast - Interviews with the leaders in amateur radio - podcast cover

QSO Today Podcast - Interviews with the leaders in amateur radio

Eric Guth, 4Z1UGqsotoday.com
QSO Today is a weekly conversation, or QSO, between amateur radio operators about ham radio. Eric Guth, 4Z1UG, hosts a new guest every week to talk about their ham radio journey, their specialized expertise in ham radio, and how amateur radio has impacted their personal and professional lives. QSO Today is targeted at anyone interested in amateur radio who wants to learn more about this fascinating hobby.
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Episodes

Episode 437 Jim Aspinwell NO1PC

Jim Aspinwall, NO1PC, was the fly on the wall, as a kid growing up in Madison, Wisconsin, listening to his dad and friends talk about electronics, radio, and television repair. This led to a “hands on” electronics education that kept him employed from junior high school to this day. As a public safety volunteer, Jim believes that giving back to the community is key to a happy life. Amateur radio, and all of its benefits, is the icing on Jim’s cake of life. N01PC is my QSO Today.

Feb 04, 20231 hr 43 minSeason 1Ep. 437

Episode 436 Jerry Spring VE6TL

Jerry Spring, VE6TL, like many hams got an early start in amateur radio as a teen, but stepped out of the hobby to nurture a career and family. Upon returning Jerry revisited his love of vintage WW2 gear, vintage transceivers in general, and a love of CW and contesting to make enough contacts for DXCC. ForJerry, both hamshack and workbench are fully operational and busy. VE6TL is my QSO Today.

Jan 28, 20231 hr 16 minSeason 1Ep. 436

Episode 435 Thomas Henderson WD5AGO

Thomas, “Tommy” Henderson, WD5AGO, has always found EME or Moonbounce operation on the bands above 6 meters fascinating and worthwhile, making thousands of contacts by phone or CW. Building his own EME rigs has led to deep technical expertise and ham radio success. As a teacher and now department head of the Electronics Technology program at Tulsa Community College, he uses amateur radio to enhance his full curriculum while demonstrating its utility. WD5AGO is my QSO Today.

Jan 21, 20231 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 435

Episode 434 Quin Schultze K8QS

Quin Schultze, K8QS, began his ham radio journey as a teenager with modest means and found his calling in college where he majored in communications, leading to a doctoral degree. Through Quin’s looking glass we discuss the uniqueness of our ham radio hobby, the communities that form within it, and the real estate in the ether that we tend while on the air. K8QS is my QSO Today.

Jan 14, 20231 hr 29 minSeason 1Ep. 434

Episode 433 Paul Simmonds VK5PAS

Paul Simmonds, VK5PAS, now a retired South Australia Police detective, is a relatively new ham, along with his wife, Marija, VK5MAZ. They have taken the hobby to new heights by operating in the great outdoors of South Australia, participating in WWFF, SOTA, POTA, and other outdoor amateur radio operating events. He collects certificates, QSL cards, and new friends, around the World, in pursuit of amateur radio. VK5PAS is my QSO Today.

Jan 07, 20231 hr 23 minSeason 1Ep. 433

Episode 432 Mark Persons W0MH

Mark Persons, W0MH, was a recent speaker at the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo where he presented “How to build a Broadcast Engineer’s Version of a HF Amateur Radio Station, detailing his home ham radio shack installation meeting broadcast standards. Broadcast radio ran in Mark’s family, and he spent a long and successful career as a broadcast engineer, contributing tens of articles to professional and amateur radio publications, and is the consummate radio mentor, volunteer and ham radio elmer. W0M...

Dec 30, 20221 hr 12 minSeason 1Ep. 432

Episode 431 Walt Stinson W0CP

Walt Stinson, W0CP’s love of shortwave listening, amateur radio, and electronics led him to a career as an entrepreneur and founder of ListenUp, in Denver, Colorado. Walt remained on the cutting edge of the consumer electronics industry leading to his induction into the Consumer Electronics Association Hall of Fame. W0CP enjoys working DX, contesting, and now Summits on the Air from the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Walt is my QSO Today.

Dec 24, 20221 hr 30 minSeason 1Ep. 431

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.

Dec 17, 20221 hr 26 minSeason 1Ep. 430

Episode 429 Michael Crestohl W1RC

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

Dec 10, 20221 hr 20 minSeason 1Ep. 429

Episode 428 Mooneer Salem K6AQ

Mooneer Salem, K6AQ, discovered that amateur radio provides plenty of opportunities for hams who also love computers and computer programming. K6AQ loves open source, contributing to HF digital voice development in the Free-DV Project, and improving on WinLink HF digital email gateways. Combine all this with Software Defined Radio and you have an active 21st century ham. K6AQ is my QSO Today.

Dec 02, 20221 hr 6 minSeason 1Ep. 428

Episode 427 Ted Robinson K1QAR

Ted Robinson, K1QAR, was a speaker in the last QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo on the subject of magnetic loop antennas, especially in noisy urban areas, HOAs, and urban lots. Ted has a long ham radio history, a love of surfing, aviation, restoring Collins Equipment, and now expertise in the construction and use of high power magnetic loop antennas. K1QAR tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

Nov 26, 20221 hr 27 minSeason 1Ep. 427

Episode 426 Michael Fluegemann KE8AQW

Michael Fluegemann, KE8AQW, is a next generation ham, active on HF and CW. Michael is an engineer at Ford, likes the Long Island CW Club, and made a training video on the popular Morserino Arduino training device on this YouTube channel. KE8AQW provides some insight into how we might attract the next generation of hams in this QSO Today.

Nov 18, 202254 minSeason 1Ep. 426

Episode 425 Hayden Honeywood VK7HH

Hayden Honeywood, VK7HH, is a Ham Radio YouTuber, with an interest in VHF, UHF, and microwave amateur operations using multiple modes including WSPR. Hayden operates a remotely controlled station, as well as maintains the repeater network that serves his island State of Tasmania, Australia. VK7HH shares his knowledge, expertise, and his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

Nov 12, 20221 hr 23 minSeason 1Ep. 425

Episode 424 Lee Finkel KY7M

Lee Finkel, KY7M, honed his operating skills passing CW messages for the Nation Traffic System in the 60s. His membership in the with Central Arizona DX Association, after moving to Phoenix from Chicago, led KY7M to an interest in DX, DXpeditions to West Africa, and contesting. Lee is now a trustee of the NA7TB Milt Jensen N5IA Memorial Station, a remotely controlled multi-band station that includes a 160 Meter 8 circle antenna in the Arizona desert. KY7M is my QSO Today.

Nov 05, 20221 hr 1 minSeason 1Ep. 424

Episode 423 David Trachtenberg N4WWL

David Trachtenberg, N4WWL’s ham radio journey started with shortwave listening as a young teen growing up on the East Coast, and once licensed, matured to operating Air Force MARS in the service of his hobby and country. David appreciates the variety of new equipment and technology as well as making new friends on the air. N4WWL is my QSO Today.

Oct 29, 20221 hr 7 minSeason 1Ep. 423

Episode 422 Murray Greenman ZL1BPU

Murray Greenman, ZL1BPU, now a silent key, was my guest in Episode 71 more than 5 years ago. Murray was famous in amateur circles for the development of many popular digital modes. I spoke to Murray over Skype from his home in New Zealand. The body of Murray’s work, spanning over 20 years, includes a book, Digital Modes For All Occasions, and on-line content that is very detailed and complete. Murray passed away in April 2022. May his memory be for a blessing.

Oct 22, 20221 hr 7 minSeason 1Ep. 422

Episode 421 Art Bell W6OBB Reprise

Art Bell, W6OBB, now a silent key, was my guest on Episode 85, in March of 2016 and the interview that follows is the remastered version. Art was a very active ham from his QTH in Pahrump, Nevada, and his 160 meter Rhombic antennas were legendary. He was also one of the most popular late night talk radio hosts for over 30 years, syndicated nationwide until his retirement in 2007. I was a great fan of Art’s and like many of his fans truly miss him on the radio.

Oct 14, 20221 hr 5 minSeason 1Ep. 421

Episode 420 Tim Berry WB4GBI

Tim Berry WB4GBI has been a ham almost 50 years, in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has more than a passing interest in repeaters, emergency communications, and has been a broadcast engineer for most of his life. Tim shares his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

Oct 07, 20221 hr 9 minSeason 1Ep. 420

Episode 419 Lauren Libby W0LD

Lauren Libby, W0LD, was my guest on the QSO Today podcast, five years ago this month, and because of a confluence of events including the ham expo and the holidays of the Jewish new year, I decided this week to go back into the QSO Today catalog and remaster an amazing interview I had with Lauren. What’s more, I got to meet Lauen in person at the Dayton Hamvention last May helping me to better choose the now remastered episode of Episode 161. Lauren’s love of radio broadcasting brought him to am...

Oct 01, 20221 hr 1 minSeason 1Ep. 419

Episode 418 Otis Vicens NP4G

Otis Vicens, NP4G, grew up in Puerto Rico, with an appreciation for radio, a love of learning, and an eventual career in orthodontics. NP4G has enjoyed ham radio from his teenage years and now is one of the 3Y0J DXpedition crew members to Bouvet Island in January 2023. Otis joins me to tell his ham radio story and about his preparations for Bouvet.

Sep 24, 20221 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 418

Episode 417 Michael Kalter W8CI

Michael Kalter, W8CI, became infatuated with radio as a young boy growing up in rural Ohio in the days of Sputnik and President Kennedy’s race to the moon. It wasn’t until many years later that Michael joined the amateur radio ranks, becoming a leader in the Dayton Amateur Radio Association sponsors of the Dayton Hamvention. W8CI tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

Sep 10, 20221 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 417

Episode 416 Rod Hardman VA3ON

Rod Hardman, VA3ON, is one of the hosts of the Ham Radio Workbench Podcast, and while a relatively new ham, has a love for hands on radio, technology, and tools that goes back to the 1970s. Rod played an interesting role with his company in New Orleans just after Hurricane Katrina that renewed his interest in amateur radio, finding his community, and eventually building his own tribe. VA3ON tells his story in this QSO Today.

Sep 03, 20221 hr 21 minSeason 1Ep. 416

Episode 415 Bill Jordan AE4S Final

Bill Jordan’s, AE4S, love of electronics and radio paralleled his professional career as college professor. As a founding member of the Tallahassee Amateur Radio Society and the AE4S repeater, Bill is connected and communicates with the lifelong friends he has made through ham radio. AE4S tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

Aug 26, 20221 hr 9 minSeason 1Ep. 415

Episode 414 Joe Long WA2EJT

Joe Long, WA2EJT, has been a frequent contributor to ham radio magazines for decades including 73 and Electric Radio magazine. Joe loves vintage military transmitters and receivers as well as the best tube type rigs. Like many hams of his generation he was early into computers, PCs, and programming where his knowledge contributed to his career advancement and his enjoyment of amateur radio. WA2EJT tells his story in this QSO Today.

Aug 20, 20221 hr 14 minSeason 1Ep. 414

Episode 413 Connor Black, W4IPC, and CJ Pokowitz, WW0CJ

While many of us "old timers" may think we know what drives youth interest in amateur radio, a discussion with Conner Black, W4IPC, and CJ Pokowitz, WW0CJ, today's amateur radio youth leaders, may lead us to believe that old timer "value propositions" for ham radio do not resonate with today's youth. Join Eric and his guests in this discussion of how to potentially increase our numbers in this QSO Today.

Aug 13, 20221 hr 21 minSeason 1Ep. 413

Episode 412 Richard Bateman KD7BBC

Richard Bateman, KD7BBC, smitten by computers and programming from an early age, used this talent to solve problems. Combined with an interest in amateur radio, driven by his family, Richard developed Exam Tools amateur radio testing software now used by the majority of volunteer examiners today. The Covid Pandemic accelerated the evolution of Exam Tools for remote testing. KD7BBC tells the story in this QSO Today.

Aug 06, 20221 hr 40 minSeason 1Ep. 412

Episode 411 Eric Anderson AF7YQ Stereo

Eric Anderson, AF7YQ's ham radio interest led him to advanced degrees from MIT and to become Chief Architect and Camera software manager at Apple’s Advanced Technology Group, creators of the first LCD based cameras, Chief Technology Officer at FlashPoint, and owner of more than 140 patents. Now retired, Eric creates unique ham radio CW transceivers for his new company, Preppcomm. AF7YQ is my QSO Today.

Jul 30, 20221 hr 50 minSeason 1Ep. 411

Episode 410 Dave Mackey K1KA

Dave Mackey, K1KA, like many amateurs of his generation, was influenced by broadcast radio, broadcast hosts like Jean Shephard, and the magic of radio in the late 50’s and 60’s. Dave went on to work with companies like Multitone, Microwave Associates, and Cushcraft before spending a generation in his own manufacturing company. Amateur radio played a serious role in Dave’s career choices and personal successes. K1KA tells his story in this QSO Today.

Jul 22, 20221 hr 19 minSeason 1Ep. 410

Episode 409 Frank Roman KC8VKA

Frank Roman, KC8VKA, was born in Puerto Rico, grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, enlisted in the Navy, and served in Vietnam. Frank is a successful business entrepreneur, now retired, who has continued to leverage his education and experience both professionally and in his pursuit of amateur radio. KC8VKA enjoys mentoring hams in Cleveland, Puerto Rico, and in Panama City, Florida in conjunction with the Panama City Amateur Radio Club. Frank is my QSO Today.

Jul 16, 20221 hr 27 minSeason 1Ep. 409

Episode 408 Will Ravenel AI4VE

Will Ravenel, AI4VE, like many of us, returned to amateur radio after raising a family. Will is active in the QRP-ARCI, as its treasurer, and takes leadership positions in his ham clubs. Will loves to operate ham radio’s first digital mode, CW, using either hand, at low power. AI4VE shares his operating expertise, running low power, in the field and on the beach, in this QSO Today.

Jul 09, 20221 hr 13 minSeason 1Ep. 408
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