Qso Today - A Conversation For Amateur Radio Operators

Ed Wilson, N2XDD, discovered radio as a kid with a gifted four channel public safety scanner.  This led to an interest in radio, a career in law enforcement,  and exposure to amateur radio.  Now an active ham, Ed has become a booster of the M17 project, a native ham radio digital mode for VHF and above.  NX2DD is my QSO Today.

Jordan Makower, WA2BRV, spent his career influencing kids in the sciences as well as supporting their amateur radio interests.  Now retired, Jordan is a frequent contributor to the K9YA Telegraph magazine.  WA2BRV is my QSO Today.

Dave Slotter, W3DJS, like many hams who had an early interest in radio, but postponed joining our fraternity, is here now.  Dave takes the skills that he developed over the years in software development and design to create a distribution of over 100 amateur radio softwares deployed on the Raspberry Pi called HamPi.  W3DJS demonstrates through his contributions to amateur radio just how valuable new blood in ham radio can be.  Dave is my QSO Today.

Robin Critchell, WA6CDR, had a profound influence on many young hams operating in the VHF and UHF bands in Southern California in the 70s’ and 80s. He and Alan Burgstahler, WA6AWD, at the time and now a silent key, created the Cactus Intertie, now the World’s largest full duplex radio linked amateur radio network. “Top band” or 160 Meters is Robin’s favorite band, and he has participated on DxExpeditions, had an incredible career in the communications industry, and can fix just about anything. WA6CDR, is my QSO Today.

Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS6AKV, has been a mover and shaker in South Africa amateur radio for as long as he has been licensed, almost 65 years.  In that time he has taken leadership positions in the South African Radio League, represented his country at the International Amateur Radio Union, involved himself in high altitude balloon launches, AMSAT South Africa, and a host of projects going back to his early beginning.  Hans is an alumni speaker at the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo and is my QSO Today.

Dave Bottom, WI6R, a second generation amateur radio operator, credits this early exposure to radio and spending his teenage years in Palo Alto, to a stint in the famous Hewlett Packard labs and a lifetime electronics career.  WI6R is a builder of his own rigs, kit rigs, and a restorer of popular vintage rigs.  Dave likes DX, QRP, and operating and is my QSO Today.

Rod Fritz, WB9KMO, is a fixer and builder, who is a pioneer in amateur television, amateur television repeaters in the UHF and microwave bands, and now the Amateur Television Network, a combination of amateur analog and digital television, over RF links and the Internet.  This network allows amateurs to share video, over amateur radio, Worldwide.  Rod, WB9KMO, discusses the details of this history in this episode of QSO Today.

Michael Burnette, AF7KB, and his wife, Kerry Burnette, KC7YL, are both active in amateur radio, a board member and president, respectively of their local amateur radio club, and the creators of the Fast Track series of amateur radio licensing manuals, originally designed by Michael for Kerry.  As a result they are both on the fast track to amateur radio success.  They share their ham radio story in this QSO Today.

Arnie Shatz, N6HC, began his amateur radio journey over 64 years ago, loves to work DX, on CW, and has participated in 14 major DXpeditions, including the ill fated 3Y0Z to  Bouvet Island a few years ago.  N6HC believes that amateur radio is the best hobby for developing critical thinking and problem solving skills, and he is my QSO Today.

Corey Ruth, KD3CR, was a speaker in last August’s QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo,  with a presentation titled, HF in an HOA: The BBTD Attic Antenna.  His presentation captured my attention because Corey is a relatively new ham, living in an HOA, an immigrant to the United States, and using an antenna that for all intents and purposes, was too good to be true.  You will hear in this interview that my conversion from being a skeptic to a believer is complete.  I know that you will find this interview with KD3CR very interesting, allowing you to draw your own conclusions. 

Callum McCormick, M0MCX, is YouTube's DX Commander and maker of a line of antennas of the same name.  Callum says that he has the best business in the world,  is an active ham, on the air, always testing and fine tuning his antenna creations.  M0MCX shares his discoveries with antennas and ham radio on regular YouTube postings, growing his audience to over 42,000 subscribers.  Callum McCormick, M0MCX, is my QSO Today.

Dave Jensen, W7DGJ, found his way into amateur radio from volunteering to help disabled Korean War veterans, who were active amateurs,  in a Cleveland, Ohio, Veterans Hospital.  From that interaction grew a love of radio and communications that has lasted a lifetime.  Dave likes to work CW on 17 meters and build his own equipment.  W7DGJ is my QSO Today.

Chip Lohman, NN4U, was introduced to amateur radio during an early stint as a US Marine stationed next to an Army MARS station.  Fascinated by the technology that could connect him to his family around the World, Chip got his first license.  NN4U has reinvented himself a few times over his career, and he tells this story in this QSO Today.

Geoffrey Mendenhall, W8GNMs,  early interest in electronics, germanium transistors, and later high power triodes led him to a career, as an engineer,  designing, building, and managing broadcast transmitters projects for Gates Radio and later Harris Broadcast.  Geoff made a presentation in the last QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo on Beverage Antennas, urging us to try building Beverages  even if conditions are not optimal, and being surprised by the result.  W8GNM is my QSO Today.   

Vince d'Eon, VE6LK, has taken hold of the many amateur radio opportunities on HF SSB, VHF/UHF mobile operation, repeater building and maintenance, and supporting events with his Calgary based amateur radio club.  Vince is a regular contributor to the bi-weekly Ham Radio Workbench Podcast and made a presentation at the last QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo on Disaster Communications and Leadership Imperatives for Radio Amateurs.  VE6LK is my QSO Today.

Charlie Brown, NJ7V, is twice a mountain goat, a title that comes from many SOTA activations.  Of course this means achievement and expertise operating portable from mountain tops across Arizona and the West.  NJ7V will share his amateur radio story, secrets to SOTA success, and some ideas on how to build a local SOTA organization in this QSO Today.

Kirk Kleinshmidt, NT0Z, has spent most of his professional life working in amateur radio as an editor, author, and contributor to the amateur radio magazines that we have grown to love including QST, ARRL Handbook, Spectrum Monitor, and others.  His own book, Stealth Amateur Radio, continues to advise us how to get on the air and enjoy our hobby, even when our living situation is against it.  NT0Z is my QSO Today.

Dr. Jack Purdum, W8TEE, licensed since 1954, is a prolific author of at least 17 books on computer programming languages and microprocessor projects for amateur radio and is now the Microcontroller Editor at CQ Magazine. This episode is part of my series of interviews to introduce you to QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo Speakers. Jack and Al Peters, AC8GY, are now prolific creators of Arduino projects and gave a presentation last August 2021 on building an HF SSB/CW software defined transceiver, called the T41. W8TEE is my QSO Today.

Julian White, OH8STN, operates outdoors in Finland's Arctic Circle and records, on his popular YouTube Channel,  his expeditions with his compact but sophisticated simulations of grid down communications.  Julian is a natural teacher and his channel may be one of the best ways to understand how and what to pack and take into the wild.    OH8STN is my QSO Today.

Pablo Lewin, WA6RSV, has an interest in radio astronomy and scans the heavens with his hydrogen line radio telescope using an SDR or software defined radio.  Pablo had an interesting aviation career where amateur radio weaved in and out of it since the late seventies.  Now in aviation retirement, he does stand up  comedy and creates content for the film and television industry.  WA6RSV tells his amatueur radio story in this QSO Today.