Qso Today - A Conversation For Amateur Radio Operators

DuWayne Schmidlkofer, KV4QB, is one of the amazing creators of homebrew projects from conception to the finished package.  He uses microcontrollers combined with RF circuitry to make some pretty cool and mostly inexpensive projects. His blog is a great read where he documents each of his projects from beginning to end.  In this episode, we discuss construction techniques and his home brew projects. KV4QB is my QSO Today

Glen Popiel, KW5GP, author of  two popular books on Arduino for amateur radio and a book on mesh networking for amateur radio joins QSO Today once again.  Glen told his ham radio story in Episode 49, almost three years ago. We catch up with Glen to get an Arduino update and to hear about his current and future projects.

Richard Newstead, G3CWI, as an avid outdoor radio enthusiast, co-founded SOTA or the Summits on the Air program. When he needed the right gear to take to the mountaintop, Richard had to create and import his own equipment, ultimately resulting in the creation of his company, Sotabeams, our new sponsor on QSO Today.  Richard’s story includes operating from a research station in Antarctica during the Falklands war to the founding of Sotabeams our new QSO Today sponsor.

Rick Karlquist, N6RK is a long time amateur radio operator who likes contests, DX, and over the years acquired a large square of property in California’s Central Valley to have enough room to build his antenna farm.  In this episode we discuss building 90 foot vertical antennas with irrigation pipe, and using the falling derrick method to raise  tall masts and towers.  Rick has acquired a wide range of experience from his amateur radio and professional life, some of which he shares in this QSO Today.

Bernie van der Walt, ZS4TX, is a South African ham for many years.  He loves to contest on HF, and operates two remote control EME or Moon bounce stations on two and six meters away from the noise pollution of his residential neighborhood. We discuss these subjects and more on this episode of QSO Today.

Mitch Gill, NA7US is the New editor of QRP Quarterly Magazine, the official journal of the QRP Amateur Radio Club International  and a former columnist for both Popular Communications and CQ VHF.  Mitch has a love for all things amateur radio and is now retired from active military service where he operated at YI9TU in Iraq.  Mitch tells this story and more in this QSO Today.

Tomas Hood, NW7US is the propagation editor of a number of shortwave and amateur radio magazines, and has a wide variety of websites,  that grew out of his love for all things radio, and  for listening on the bands to far off DX and commercial broadcast stations. Tomas shares his understanding  of propagation and the lessons we can learn from listening, really listening to the QSOs and exchanges during contest operation.

My guest this week is Geoff Howard, W0CG / PJ2DX, who operates along with his ham friends the P2JT contest station in a villa on a cliff overlooking the sea in Curacao. Geoff shares his ham radio story and the history of P2JT in this QSO Today.

Keith Hibbert, WB2VUO, is the ARRL Technical Coordinator for Western NY State.  In that capacity Keith serves as a resource and goto guy for technical questions by amateur radio operators. Keith and I had a great QSO on his areas of interest that include QRP Single Sideband, digital modes like FT-8, and Keith’s interest in both amateur HF and aircraft beacons.  Keith shares his insights and some valuable resources in this QSO Today.

One of the most unusual ham radio operating modes is meteor scatter or bouncing signals off the ionized trails left by space dust the the earth’s atmosphere.  Shelby Ennis, W8WN has operated this mode for over 50 years, first on CW using tape recorders to send a high speed burst, then using the K1JT digital modes. We learn that meteor scatter is a reliable mode and much more in this QSO with W8WN.

Natural disasters, especially the most recent hurricanes, present us with opportunities to make a real difference if we step up to the plate.  As part of this amateur radio story, Brian Machesney, K1LI, was presented his opportunity to make a difference on the Caribbean Island of Dominica after it was wiped out by Hurricane Maria in October 2017.  Brian, his wife, and other hams came stepped up to the plate and provided relief with the Dominica Airlift as it was called by the press.   This story and so much more in this QSO Today with K1LI.

Steve Murphy, N8NM, builds most of his modern equipment using the Manhattan and “ugly” construction method, or he refurbishes old tube transmitters, receivers, and transceivers.  Steve is not afraid to try a new design or component to further his love of home brewing.  We follow the ham radio career of N8NM in this episode of QSO Today.

Brain Short, KC0BS, is a busy amateur radio operator in Kansas City, Missouri.  He is actively involved in teaching ham radio and getting new hams involved in the many amateur radio activities that Kansas City hams enjoy.  In this episode, we discuss tower climbing and safety, APRS, emergency services, building up code speed, and Brian’s participation in the emergency efforts around the Joplin Missouri tornado that destroyed much of the city in May 2011.

Jeff Damm, WA7MLH, designs and builds his own amateur radio receivers, transmitters, and transceivers using the ugly construction method based on the work of his amateur radio mentor and friend, Wes Hayward, W7ZOI.  Jeff shares his ham radio story and his electronic construction philosophy with Eric, 4Z1UG, in this QSO Today.

Hal Turley, W8HC, is a veteran DXpeditioner who is headed for  Bouvet Island, perhaps the World’s most remote Island and DX entity, in a few weeks.  Hal tells his ham radio story, his discovery and the satisfaction that he gains from working DX,  and his personal preparations for his upcoming trek to Bouvet Island with the 3Y0Z DXpedition team.  W8HC is my QSO Today.

Bob Rosier, K4OCE, started his ham radio journey in the fifties, inspired by his father who built their first family television using a surplus radar screen and a broadcast receiver.  Bob discovered QRP almost by accident and from that point on realized that he could have reliable DX contacts based on good operating practice and technical expertise. Bob is the creator of the “OCE Minirig” QRP transmitter.

Heading South to Australia, our QSO Today is with Rob Norman, VK5SW, who wanted to get away from the electronic noise of the his home city of Adelaide, in South Australia, by building a remote control HF station in the Australian bush some two hours drive from his QTH. We learn from Rob, what it takes to make this a great solution getting on the air.

Preston Douglas, WJ2V, discovered the joys of QRP and home-brewing whole transceivers almost by accident. The result is a rewarding ham radio past-time leading to becoming the President of the QRP-ARCI group.  Preston brings to life his ham radio story, home brew projects, and QRP in this QSO Today.

After 44 years with the ARRL, beginning as an intern in 1972 at the American Radio Relay League, David Sumner, K1ZZ, retired, last year, as CEO and General Manager.  In this episode of QSO Today, Dave shares his ham radio story from its early beginnings, his favorite operating practices, and his reflections on his years at League Headquarters.  

My QSO this week is with Fred Regennitter, K4IU, has a rich ham radio history spanning over 50 years, from the first crystal radio receiver to his modern FlexRadio software defined transceiver. DX and contests are Fred’s interest and the new digital modes have won a new appeal for making contacts as we reach the bottom of the Sunspot cycle.  Amateur radio has expanded into a big tent that with many facets.  K4IU tells us why in this episode of QSO Today.