Explore every episode of the podcast QSO Today Podcast - Interviews with the leaders in amateur radio

Rudy Hardy, W5HRH, was introduced to electronics and radio at a young age by a favorite uncle. His interest in the hobby deepened through his experiences with CB radio and the influence of mentors in college. Rudy pursued a career in federal law enforcement, eventually teaching criminal justice at a community college in Houston. He's also a skilled sports photographer. In this episode, we explore Rudy's journey with Parkinson's disease, his successful treatment, and how amateur radio can benefit retirees and those facing complex health challenges. W5HRH is my QSO Today.

Susan Gayle Nordskog, LA0CY, was practically born into ham radio. She learned Morse code from her mother and grew up in Los Angeles, surrounded by her parents' ham radio friends. After college, Susan developed a deep love for the sea and a passion for crewing large vessels, even during a time when American ships rarely hired women. Undeterred, she immigrated to Norway, completed a three-year ship's officer course, and started a family. Her career took her across the world's oceans on some of the largest ships afloat. Now, LA0CY is back on the air, actively participating in the local ham radio scene on two meters and always ready for a chat on any topic with fellow operators. LA0CY is my QSO Today.

Stuart Watchman, ZL2TW, hails from New Zealand where he began his early career working for the New Zealand Post Office on telephone exchange equipment, then made the transition to medical school, becoming a physician.  Ham radio was an early passion leading Stuart to work in technical positions to pay for medical school and later to leadership positions with the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitter (NZART), New Zealand's "League".  ZL2TW shares his amateur radio experience in this QSO Today. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Rex Moncur VK7MO, holds the world record for the longest 10GHz EME contact using a 50 watt transmitter to a 70CM satellite TV dish.  Since his retirement over 20 years ago, Rex has garnered expertise, contacts, and equipment for operating VHF and above for EME, meteor, aircraft, and now lighting scatter from his modest home in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.  VK7MO tells his ham radio story and his microwave exploits in this QSO Today.

Arun Kumar, W8ARU, builds most of the gear that he uses on the air, based on a skillset that he learned from becoming an amateur radio operator in India in the 1960s.  This skill set combined with advanced degrees in engineering has put Arun on the cutting edge of solar and battery technologies used in big equipment as the World is going green.  Arun was also Ashhar Farhan, VU2ESE's original mentor, one of his many major contributions to our hobby.  W8ARU is my QSO Today.

Jerry Arnold, K9AF, is a long time commercial broadcaster and amateur radio operator, originally from Southern California, and now living in Terre Haute, Indiana.  While Jerry likes to operate CW, he also has a restored AM Broadcast transmitter on 160 meters to transmit that warm AM sound we like to hear.  K9AF and I discuss a whole range of ham radio topics in this QSO Today.

Herb Goodluck, N7HG, is a member of the Navajo Nation and son of one of the famous World War 2 heros called the Navajo Code Talkers.  Herb keeps the Code Talkers memory alive with an annual special event at Window Rock, Arizona.  N7HG is also an active amateur radio operator and my QSO Today.

Desiree Baccus, N3DEZ, while a relatively new ham, has an infectious excitement and enthusiasm for amateur radio that cannot be underestimated.  She is already a mover and shaker for advancing amateur radio and a key player for NASA on the Air, NASA's year long amateur radio celebration.  N3DEZ is my QSO Today.

Tracy McKim, VE3TWM, believes in the effectiveness of low power communications to communicate across town or around the World.  Tracy uses his YouTube Channel, Outdoors On The Air, to first demonstrate the use of fiberglass poles to install wire antennas, and then to successfully demonstrate outdoor ham radio operation using those full size antennas to operate QRP single-sideband.  VE3TWM is my QSO Today.

Geoffrey Mark, KM6TVJ, is one of the new kids on the block, a recent new amateur radio licensee.  Geoffrey has some fresh ideas and our QSO around his career in the entertainment industry, a pilot, and "maker" caused me to think of some non-traditional ways that we hams can communicate.  KM6TVJ is my QSO Today.

Bruce Prior, N7RR, loves to operate SOTA in Washington State's great outdoors where he has cataloged for SOTA all of the available mountain peaks in the state.  I had the great pleasure of spending an afternoon last week with Bruce in Washington, activating Mt. Walker in Washington's  Olympic Mountain range.  My first SOTA activation where I learned the basics of SOTA activation.  This was a great opportunity to get to know my guest in this week's QSO Today.

Jim Wilson, K5ND, returns to interview QSO Today Podcast host Eric Guth, as Eric reaches the 400th episode milestone of QSO Today.  Jim and Eric discuss the changes to QSO Today that have evolved since the 200th episode milestone include the four QSO Today Virtual Ham Expos and the upcoming, soon to be announced QSO Today Academy for the advancement of amateur radio expertise.

John Raydo, K0IZ, had a great mentor at the beginning of his ham radio story that laid the foundation for John's approach to operating amateur radio and building radio equipment from scratch. John shares this story and how he now remotely controls and has the noise benefit of his rural Colorado rig when operating from his QTH in Missouri.  K0IZ is my QSO Today.

John Fallows, VE6EY, when faced with an urban HF noise problem, applied this knowledge, expertise, and background from his years of experience in amateur radio to find a solution.  This solution, John presented, last March,  in the last QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo.  Every problem leading to a solution has a story, and VE6EY tells it in this QSO Today.

Ian Kahn, NV4C, with the encouragement of his father in law joined the amateur radio ranks in his mid-thirties.  He hit the ground running, operating on his local club's repeater and involving himself in the North Fulton Amateur Radio League to aid its resurgence the the introduction of new programs attracting new and old hams.  NV4C discusses his ham radio journey, his operating passions, and what excites him about our hobby in this QSO Today.

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. 

Todd McKenney, KN4TPG, found his way into amateur radio through a teenager's deep dive into YouTube and discovering  meteorological balloon launches leading to Bill Brown WB8ELK and Pico Ballooning. Todd's entry into ham radio may be the key to attracting young people into amateur radio by using our hobby as a tool to complement and extend the usability of their other STEM or Maker  projects and hobbies.  KN4TPG tells his ham radio story through his high school ballooning interest leading to graduate work at the University of Alabama, Huntsville  in this  QSO Today.

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 three times a mountain goat, a title that comes from over 3000  SOTA activation points.  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. 

Louis Hammer, 4Z5OT, is a good friend here in Israel and has taken outdoor and park operations to a new level.  Faced with antenna challenges and inflexible neighbors at home, operating events, like lighthouses on the air, and other portable operations has opened new opportunities for Louis to be active, gain better operating experience, and to be ready with his portable rig in a flash when necessary.  4Z5OT is my QSO Today.

Stephen Houser, N1SH, was essential to helping Rex Harper, W1REX, present his Build-A-Thons at the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expos with multi-camera coverage of Rex's project demonstrations.  Stephen had early exposure to amateur radio and  was no stranger to our hobby years before he got his first license. Stephen has a strong interest and expertise in computers, programming, building projects, and he makes his own contributions to our interesting hobby.  N1SH is my QSO Today.

Michael Johnson, WO9B's ham radio career has evolved through a number of phases over the last 50 years that now include CW and QRP operation, with his dog, during CWOPs weekly tests from local parks in Milwaukee.  Mike's park operation has  become a weekly meetup for his local radio club.  WO9B also enjoys DMR and HF digital modes and is my QSO Today.

Nelson Farrier, NF7Z, is a relatively recent new ham, a retired middle school teacher of STEM learning to children, and a graduate of the ARRL Teacher Institute. He has some refreshing insight into what we as an amateur radio community do better to relate to children and strengthen our numbers with younger hams.  NF7Z is my QSO Today.