Qso Today - A Conversation For Amateur Radio Operators

Sam Birnbaum, W2JDB, has a background in computer science and programming that led him to first develop a software logging program called QLog for operating and logging the digital modes more easily while doing National parks on the air.  Sam’s enhancements to QLog now allow blind ham operators to work FT8.  

Charlie Morris, ZL2CTM, builds his QRP rigs, the old fashioned way, starting with a paper and pencil, combining basic components to make each stage of a receiver or transceiver.  Once the radio is made, he adds an Arduino micro-controller, touch screen, and other advanced components to bring his masterpiece into the 21st century. Charlie is a prolific creator of You-Tube videos to document and demonstrate his creations.  ZL2CTM is my QSO Today.

Bry Carling, AF4K, collects old boat anchor radios, is the co-founder of the Novice Rig Roundup, and provider of thousands of old-time crystals, that he sells for your next rig restoration, or a new build of Bob Heil, K9EID’s, pine board project AM transmitter.  Bry shares his eclectic ham radio story in this QSO Today. 

Bob Nagy, AB5N, is having the time of his life in retirement. He teaches technology and the Russian language in his adopted community of Hot Springs, Arkansas, creates You-tube instructional videos, builds solar powered devices for hiis house and ham shack, and operates the digital  modes. His expertise and improvements of the audio characteristics of the microphones on amateur transceivers is unmatched. AB5N is my QSO Today.

Michael Rainey, AA1TJ, is a master of building simple HF transmitters from the materials that he has on hand, including the parts from a compact fluorescent light bulb.  AA1TJ was my guest in Episode 80, more than four years ago. We remastered the audio of this valuable episode to present Mike again in this QSO Today.

Dale Parfitt, W4OP, developed a love for operating  VHF and above, including moonbounce operation, from an early exposure to a 6 meter Gonset Communicator, or Gooney Box. His love for electronics grew into a career as an electronics engineer and the entrepreneur founder of Par Electronics where custom filters and antennas are Dale’s special forte.  W4OP tells his story in this QSO Today.

Glen Jenkins, WB4KTF, grew up on US Marine bases in the 50’s and 60’s, and was no stranger to starting over in new places.  Glen tells his ham radio story that includes a professional start in Israel, a stint in Moscow, a successful landing in Houston Texas, until Hurricane Harvey changed his retirement plans.  Glen loved his early Heathkit HF Transceivers, collecting Colliins gear, and working the digital modes on his modern station. WB4KTF is my QSO Today.

Janis Carson, AB2RA, first licensed in 1959,has been an active ham since childhood, has an interest in the restoration and repair of older tube type amateur rigs, is a frequent contributor to Electric Radio Magazine, and documents her projects on her own website. Janis may be the “Erin Brokovich” of ham radio, as an advocate for your hobby to the FCC, and she mentors new and old hams in her community.  AB2RA tells her ham radio story in this QSO Today.

Michael, Mike, Ritz, W7VO, left the big city for rural Oregon to build his dream contest station. Mike uses his station to help new and local hams to learn the skills necessary to become lifetime contestors and HF operators. In addition to his leadership

Guy Lemieux, VE2BWL, built his dream contest station, including a one-hundred ten foot self supporting tower, from metal stock delivered to his bard, in a rural area of Southern Quebec.  while attempting to relax in the evenings and weekends from a stressful career. Guy shares this project and the stories behind his seven tower contest station in this QSO Today. 

Fred Schramm, K2HA, visited Israel a few weeks ago and contacted me to meet with him in Jerusalem.  Howard, 4X1ZZ, and I visited Fred at his hotel and recorded this interview with him. Fred tells his ham radio story, his life in Fairbanks, Alaska, and his thoughts on keeping old hams connected when they can no longer get on the air.

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. 

George Byrkit, K9TRV, was first licensed in 1966, in Madison, Wisconsin.  He returned to amateur radio as a licensee many years after letting that Novice license expire.  George has since jumped back into amateur radio with both feet that include a board position in TAPR, projects in TAPR, including software development, work with HamSCI, and his local radio club and emergency groups.  We touch on George’s many special projects in this QSO Today.

Michael, Mike, Murphy, WU2D, separates his professional and his personal radio and electronics life by building, using, and working with vintage radios made no later than the early 1960s. As a collector and builder of old time and military surplus radios,

Ward Silver, N0AX, author of the QST magazine column, ·Hands-On Radio·, editor of ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications, and author of many books on ham radio joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today. In the podcast, Ward describes his ham radio beginnings

Andrash Bato, HA6NN, or “Andy” is coming up on his 50th anniversery as an amateur radio operator in Hungary, growing up in what is now the Former Soviet Union, or “FSU”. Andy is active at every level of amateur radio from his involvement in Hungary's national radio club and as a representative of Hungarian hams at the IARU. 

If you want to get stuff done, you give it to a busy person. Yoram Rotbach, 4Z1YR, is the busy ham who has become the repeater tzar for Israel Amateur Radio Club. Now retired from the Israeli military, but now full time with an international corporation,

Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, had a love for radio and electronics as a boy growing up leading to a career as an electronic engineer for ATT. It was not until much later in Fred·s life that he officially joined the amateur ranks. Along with his wife Antia, AB1QB

Bob Dixon, W8ERD, retired after 49 years as an Ohio State University radio astronomer working on SETI, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, and supporting the electronic and communication needs of the University.  Now Bob is one a key member of the Delaware Amateur Radio Club’s deployment of a radio mesh network. 

This week I joined Denny Johnson, K5DCC, in his Digicomm Cafe, the name of his amateur radio podcast, where he has a ham radio guest almost every night to discuss our hobby.  Denny invited me to a conversation over virtual coffee about our lives, both ham radio and personal. This show is “off the rails” from the traditional QSO Today format and is simulcasted in Denny’s podcast.