Qso Today - A Conversation For Amateur Radio Operators

David Okrent W7DAO, like many hams grew up with shortwave radio, electronic kits, and a radio interest that led to a professional career related to our hobby. David focuses the use of these skills and expertise on emergency rescue and treatment as a military medical corpsman, as an EMT, and providing volunteer support to the  Red Cross.  Contribution and giving back to his community drives W7DAO, who is my QSO Today.

Kay Savetz, K6KJN, followed his father, Steve, into amateur radio when he entered college and Journalism school at the beginning of the Atari computer age.  Tech journalism is Kay’s profession leading him to be the technical historian specializing in amateur radio and communications at the Internet Archive. We deep dive into Kay’s interest in amateur radio, technology and communications history, and the Atari 8 bit computers in this QSO Today.

Alan Higbie, K0AV, is a ham over sixty years, with an interest in CW, contesting, working DX, and working 2BSIQ mode.  Alan has developed special expertise in finding RF noise sources around his QTH using a portable SDR receiver, and as a trial lawyer, he has had the opportunity to live in unusual places that lead to unusual ham radio operating events.  K0AV is my QSO Today.

Joshua Wander, 4X4BB, began in amateur radio as a “prepper” where radio is one of the elements of being prepared for disaster, natural or otherwise.  Origionally, Josh was from Pennsylvania, where he grew up, but immigrated to Israel with his family 10 years ago when I first met him.  Josh is many things including journalist on many war fronts, volunteer rescuer of refugees from the Ukraine into Israel, and most recently one of the ZAKA team members who is recovering, identifying, and preparing the recently slaughtered Jews by Hamas from October 7th.  I was able to catch up with Josh after his shift ended today.  4X4BB is my QSO Today.

Dov Gavish 4Z4DX is one of Israel’s best known amateurs outside of Israel, and avid DXer and DXpeditioner. Even before Parks on the Air or Summits on the Air, Dov had a rig in the car ready to go on a moment's notice.  While CW is his favorite operating mode, Dov prefers whatever mode works to make the contact.  4Z4DX is my QSO Today.

Ron Gang, 4X1MK, had his early amateur radio beginnings in Canada, and later immigrated, as part of a group, to Israel in the 1970s, where his amateur radio license, skills, and equipment were highly appreciated and valued.  Always an active amateur radio operator, 4X1MK is willing to try every operating mode. Ron is also a musician and painter who shares his amateur radio story and his perspectives of the amateur radio service in Israel, past and present.

Tony Fishpool, G4WIF, is still active in the United Kingdoms G-QRP Club and contributes to the quarterly Sprat Magazine, is the author of a book on Test Equipment for the QRPer, an numberious article on equipment building with particular attention to detail and budget.  I am please to present to you this re-edited and mastered QSO with Tony Fishpool, G4WIF.

Today's podcast is a reprise of my interview with George Fremin, K5TR in April of 2017.  George is a world class contester and DXer, with years of experience building and maintaining first class multi-operator contest stations.  George gives some important advice on tower safety and working on antenna towers. We also touch on the “flow state” that is achievable during intense contesting rounds in this QSO Today.    

I interviewed Dave Casler, KE0OG, in September 2017, at a time when 10 meters was dead, and the discussion of ham radio education was as important then,  as it is today.  Dave creates ham radio Youtube videos from the Western Slope of Colorado to educate and inform his ham radio audience.  Beginning with videos to aid in obtaining ham radio licenses, Dave has created a catalog of how-to videos for ham radio that are interesting and well produced.  Dave is a retired project engineer from the aerospace industry and a self published author of both fiction and non-fiction works.  KE0OG is my QSO Today in this reprise of the earlier interview, now re-mastered and cleaned up.

Kyle Krieg AA07, says that radio, in his case CB Radio, was the pre-internet social network that he used with his friends in his mid-west rural town.  Imagine American Graffiti with radios.  Eventually learning that amateur radio can take Kyle to a higher level, AA07 jumped in completely, immersing himself in POTA - Parks on the Air, portable operation, software defined radio, and remote control.  We both agree that ham radio contesting should be even more gamified and we discuss all of these topics in this QSO Today.

I revisit my 2017 interview with Dave Sumner, K1ZZ. He's the ex-CEO and General Manager of the ARRL, retiring in 2016 after a 44-year tenure where he started as an intern. Today, Dave discusses his views on ham radio, operating methods, and his long career at ARRL.

Dr. Jack Mandelman, K1VT, was my guest in 2018, after meeting him on a DMR talk group.  As my head is down in preparation for the upcoming QSO Today Academy Event, I wanted to bring back this great interview with Jack.  Jack is on the short list for holding the most patents, over 700 Worldwide, in the area of semiconductor physics, while at the same time a successful ham radio operator working DX and CW.  Jack is exploring   satellite communications and DMR. K1VT shares his ham radio story episode of QSO Today.

Dr. Frank Brickle, AB2KT, was my guest in Episode 212, in August of 2018, five years ago.  He is both a musical composer and a technology expert. He earned a Ph.D. in Music from Princeton University and has been involved in computer science and signal processing since 1970. He was an early pioneer in development of Software Defined Radio for the US Government, and later by private industry, and was the Co-deleloper of PowerSDR software with Bob McGwier, N4HY.   Frank is also a classical music composer and has his written compositions performed worldwide. AB2KT is my QSO Today in this remastered audio version of the original interview.

Thomas Langer, KD9FPC, grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a child, he was introduced to his father's amateur radio and developed a passion for electronics and radio. Years later, after a successful entrepreneurial career, and only after facing a major health issue, which changed the course of his life, that Tom  fully embraced amateur radio. Tom believes that this hobby is not only mentally stimulating but also serves as a way to connect with others, especially when chronic illness often threatens human relationships outside of immediate family. KD9FPC is my "QSO Today."

John Bignell VE1JMB, makes a difference by serving his Halifax, Nova Scotia community for many years as a paramedic and EMT.  While involved with two-way radio as part of his profession for many years, amateur radio seemed like the most natural next step to John’s radio life, but also to re-enforcing his community’s emergency response when everything else fails during a disaster.  VE1JMB is my QSO Today.

Martin Butler, M1MRB, is the co-founder, along with son, Colin, M6BOY,  and one of the hosts of the popular  bi-weekly ICQ Amateur Ham Radio podcast. Martin had an early interest in electronics and a successful career in the computer industry in the UK.  Martin joined the amateur radio ranks in 2000, and is an active committee member of the Sutton and Cheam Radio Society.   M1MRB is my QSO Today.

Richard Rudman, W6TIA, found an early love for electricity, electronics, and radio from frayed electrical cords and Boston’s Washington Street electronic surplus stores in the late 1950s.  Radio and Technology would serve Richard well for over 65 years as a broadcast engineer in the prestigious and large Los Angeles market.  Amateur radio expertise and business acumen make Richard Rudman a leader in Emergency Alert System or EAS.  W6TIA is my QSO Today.

Beau Ambur, K6EAU, is a relatively new ham, and a long time member of the hacker community.  This intersection of ham radio with hacking led to his new ham radio license just as the Covid 19 pandemic broke out.  Through trial and error, Beau has found the right combination of activities to scratch his amateur radio itch.  I know that you will enjoy this QSO Today with Beau especially when we discuss using ham radio fox hunting techniques to recover radiosondes, or weather balloon transmitters.

Dr. Ulrich Rohde, N1UL,  is a trailblazer in the world of RF oscillator and receiver design. Throughout the past four decades, N1UL has penned more than 60 articles for esteemed publications like QST and QEX magazines. Not only that, but he has also contributed to the field through his books, academic papers, and various articles. Dr. Rohde continues to impact on his family business, the Munich-based Rohde and Schwarz test equipment company, as well as on amateur radio manufacturers such as Icom where he played a key role in the design of the IC-7850.  Ulrich Rohde was featured in this month’s QST magazine, and N1UL is my QSO Today.

Graham Firth, G3MFJ, joined our amateur radio hobby almost sixty years ago as a kid growing up in Yorkshire, England.  Electronics and electronics building was the driver and is still Graham's first love in the hobby.  QRP was the natural choice of this builder and a way to avoid television interference to his neighbors.  Graham is active in the G-QRP group, builds QRP kits for the group, and still plays a mean bass guitar. G3MFJ is my guest on QSO Today.