QSO Today Podcast - Interviews with the leaders in amateur radio

Jim Halfpenny, K9YNP, spent his career in the great outdoors tracking wildlife, educating and leading groups into the wilderness all around the World and in Yellowstone National Park. Ham radio has always been a parallel track of interest and education. For K9YNP, serving his community with Montana Tour bike race and mountain marathon support through the Rocky Mountains keeps his ARES team at the top of their game. K9YNP is my guest in this QSO Today.

Mike Padron, N1CC, had an early love for amateur radio that was eclipsed by aviation leading Mike to become the longest serving captain pilot at FEDEX. Returning to ham radio during the Covid 19 Pandemic, Mike rediscovered his love for CW through the Long Island CW Club and remote controlling his FlexRadio home station while traveling the World. N1CC is my guest in this QSO Today.

Will Harris, KI4POV, followed in his father’s footsteps, from his junior workbench along side his dad’s to become a licensed ham at age 12. While Will did not pursue and engineering career, he has become a prolific homebuilder in the tradition of Doug DeMaw, W1FB, and Wes Hayward, W7ZOI. KI4POV discussed his 5 band homebrew transceiver and the rest of his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

Amateur Radio operation for Bob Wertz, NF7E is a family affair, beginning with regular round table rag chews with his brother and father. Bob likes to chase DX confirming over 340 DX entities with the latest, Bouvet Island 3YOJ his crowning achievement. His Flagstaff Arizona ham radio club special events, including Route 66 and Quartzfest provide ample opportunities to get out and meet the hams. NF7E tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

Bob Phinney, K5TEC, created a new and dynamic afterschool science and amateur radio program called New England Sci-Tech, Inc, after his private school, where Bob taught, closed his program from their lack of vision. K5TEC refocused his energies and built an amazing after school program for kids that re-enforces STEM learning and makes new and exciting amateur radio operators. Bob, K5TEC, tells this fascinating story on this 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ron Hranac, N0IVN, is not only a long time ham radio operator but a 50 year pioneer in the cable television industry, author of hundreds of articles and presentations for the Society of Cable Television Engineers. We discuss the crossover of amateur radio and cable television technology, interference to amateur radio from leakage, and the potential opportunities for young people who want to enter the industry on the ground floor. N0IVN is my QSO Today.

Hiroki Kato, AH6CY, was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan, 20 miles from the epicenter of the atomic bomb blast in August 1945 that killed approximately 100,000 Japanese. Hiroki was fascinated with radio as a youngster and was first licensed in Japan. After moving to the USA, Hiroki continued to pursue amateur radio and began to research and collect the military radios that both the Japanese used to bomb Pearl Harbor, and the radios that were on the Enola Gay, the US bomber that dropped the Hiroshima bomb. AH6CY tells his ham radio story and about these radio restorations in this QSO Today.

Chris Rutkowski, NW6V, had the best radio elmer and teacher for life in his father, a career Navy radio officer, who taught life·s lessons and the proper way to handle a CW key with methods that challenge the current conventions. Chris shares this histor

Glam Ham, Natalie, NW6S, is a lot of things including actress, comedian, writer for both film and television, painter, and now an amateur radio operator. The awareness of amateur radio came to Natalie almost naturally and has become and enjoyable sideline in her life. As Glam Ham on TikTok, she has amassed almost one-hundred thousand subscribers who are interested in what she says and demonstrates about amateur radio. NW6S is my QSO Today.

In this episode of QSO Today, we are joined by Steve Shorey, G3ZPS, who shares his captivating journey through the world of amateur radio. Starting with his early days of constructing tube transmitters from found parts, to securing electronics apprenticeships fueled by his passion for the hobby, and taking a hiatus to focus on family life, Steve's story is one of passion and dedication. Now back in the fold, he finds joy in revisiting old operating modes and refurbishing the vintage equipment that once seemed unattainable in the 1960s. Join us as G3ZPS delves into his ham radio adventures and reflects on the profound impact this hobby has had on his life, right here on QSO Today.

Irad Deutsch, 4Z1AC, began his ham radio journey at the age of twelve. With a strong foundation in software development and a keen interest in the fusion of ham radio and digital technology, Irad has emerged as a leading voice in modernizing communication methods within the amateur radio sphere through his creation of VarAC digital mode. His dedication to preserving the human connection in ham radio while embracing the advancements of the digital age makes him an influential and insightful figure in the community.

Charles Wilmott, M0OXO, operates a private, self-funded, QSL management bureau, where he sorts and distributes both physical and electronic QSL cards for distribution around the World for the best known DXpeditions including 3YOK Bouvet and Peter I Islands, as well as for IOTA, or Islands on the air. We touch on Charles’ ham radio beginnings and his private career as a police officer in Sheffield, South Yorkshire , United Kingdom, made famous by its founding industries of steel and coal, and by the movie The Full Monty. M0OXO is my QSO Today.

Fred Hopengarten K1VR, and his wife Betty, were guests in my home after an afternoon of touring with me the unusual sites around Jerusalem and Gush Etzion, where I live a few years ago. Fred has a long history in amateur radio and took to the law rather than engineering as a profession specializing in communications law and antenna regulations for both commercial broadcasting and amateur radio. His book, Antenna Zoning for the Radio Amateur, is a must read for hams that need and want external antennas at their QTH. K1VR discuss antenna law, contesting, and his elaborate station in this QSO Today.

Dr. Jonathan Kramer W6JLK, transitioned into becoming an communications law attorney after a successful career in cable television engineering in addition to his amateur radio activities. Kramer W6JLK stressed that amateurs should be very active in local government as a way to advocate for antenna and tower rights, especially in areas of strong HOA controls. W6JLK and I discuss the first Motorola simulcast radio system in Kern County, California, and his use of AREDN and portable radios for integrating ham radio with public service.

Linus Balsys, LY2H, dives into the fascinating realm of field operations in his native Lithuania, QRP techniques, Morse code, digital modes, and much more. Linus talks about his exploration of the great outdoors with park activations, hillfort castles, chases awards, and delves into satellite communications. From his Renault Trafic campervan equipped with cutting-edge ham radio gear like the Icom IC-705 and the QRP-Labs QMX. Linus showcases the innovation and affordability of modern equipment. In addition, Linus shares how ham radio skills have practical applications in daily life, from repairing electronics to enhancing relationships. Hear about his efforts to rejuvenate the ham community in Lithuania, attracting young enthusiasts through contests, digital operations, and educational classes. Linus also highlights the dual thrill of ham radio: the leap in technology with Software Defined Radios (SDRs) and the invaluable role of amateur radio in emergency communications, echoing its historical significance. Tune in for a journey through the intriguing and impactful world of ham radio with Linus Balsys, L2YH. in this QSO Today.