Qso Today - A Conversation For Amateur Radio Operators

Bill Tippett, W4ZV’s ham radio journey is a series of firsts. He was the first USA Novice licensee to achieve DXCC, first teenager to achieve DXCC Honor Roll, first 160 meter DXCC from “0” land, and the first amateur operator Worldwide to work 300 DXCC countries on 160 meters. Bill shares his ham radio story with Eric, 4Z1UG, on QSO Today.

If you wanted to operate two meter EME or “moon bounce”, then you're Elmer should be Howard Sherer, AE3T, who has made over 700 contacts with a modest station and antenna array. Howard discusses his ham radio journey, travel and ham radio, and EME, with Eric, 4Z1UG,  on this episode of QSO Today.  

When it comes to hams making their own kind of music, one has to think of Don Huff, W6JL, who notes on his QRZ page that people who make things are happier than those who buy them. Don operates a completely modular home-brew HF station and power amplifier that is continuously variable in output power from 50 mw to 550 watts. Don loves to rag chew and share, and this is why he is Eric, 4Z1UG’s guest on QSO Today.

According to Nick Kennedy, WA5BDU, we live in the “golden age” of home brewing in amateur radio. Nick explains how this golden age is possible, what he does with a former AT&T long-lines microwave site, and highlights his amateur radio journey, with Eric, 4Z1UG, on QSO Today.

If you want to meet a ham that works every contest and operates every mode, from 160 meters to 1296 Mhz, then John Thompson, K3MD, would come to mind. With over 350,000 contacts in his logbook since 1991, John is just a guy that loves operating, especially contests. At the same time, he collects classic rigs, writes articles, and mentors hams, and is active in many ham organizations. John joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in this week's QSO Today.

From the hills of Tennessee, Kirk Pickering, K4RO, operates a SO2R, single operator 2 radio, contest station and makes over ten-thousand contacts a year. Using Beverage antennas, Kirk is able to operate 160 meters, the “top band”, as solar cycle band conditions fade.  Kirk is Eric, 4Z1UG’s, guest on QSO Today.

Amateur Radio and The Boy Scouts of America merged in a new and strong partnership under the leadership of Jim Wilson, K5ND, through his promotion of the annual Jamboree on the Air, the largest single scouting event in the World. Jim is Eric, 4Z1UG’s, guest on QSO Today.

When Craig Thompson, K9CT, wanted a place to spend a contest weekend with his amateur radio friends he built a multi operator contest station on a rural property, not far from his home in the city. Drawing on the experience and expertise of other multi operator contest station owners, Craig built his ultimate man cave.   Craig discusses his amateur radio story and the details of building this station with Eric, 4Z1UG, in this QSO Today.

Larry Makoski, W2LJ, is a QRP CW operator, founder of the “Skeeder Hunt”, an outdoor QRP contest, and a blogger with many stories to tell and observations to make about amateur radio.  Larry joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in this episode of QSO Today.

Phil Anderson, WOXI, founded Kantronics in 1971 to build wiring harnesses for automobiles. The company morphed over time to become one of the premier manufacturers of terminal node controllers or TNCs for amateur packet radio. Now retired, Phil is as active as ever pursuing new avenues in ham radio. Phil joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in this episode of QSO Today.

Maybe the ultimate home-brew project is to build the modern “KWM4” based on the Collins KWM2, then soup it up, like a hotrod, with an Arduino microprocessor, a digital synthesizer, and a digital display. This was and is Pete Juliano, N6QW’s dream rig. Pete joins Eric, 4Z1UG, for a conversation on home-brewing, construction technique, and ham radio on QSO Today.  

  Lance Collister, W7GJ, has had a fascination with VHF,  six and two meters,  for over fifty years, when he had a Heathkit Twoer and a three element yagi. Now Lance travels to the far corners of the Earth with his Elecraft KX3 to bounce his six meter signal off of the moon. Lance tells us how he does it in his conversation with Eric, 4Z1UG, on QSO Today.

  Chuck Adams, K7QO, is working the world with his single channel 20 meter transceiver just to show that he can. CW is Chuck’s mode of choice because of its efficiency and as a gateway to making ham radio affordable to anyone. Chuck shares his ham radio life, his Manhattan Muppet board construction method, and how to copy call signs at 140 words a minute, with Eric, 4Z1UG, on this episode of QSO Today.

  Who could imagine that an offer to build fifty experimental SDR radios called the SDR1000 would turn into an order for five-hundred units in the first year launching Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR, into the SDR business.  FlexRadio Systems was launched,  in 2003, on the kitchen table of K5SDR's Austin, Texas house to become the premier ham radio supplier of turn-key SDR radios.  Gerald joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in this episode of QSO Today.

  The book,  SOS at Midnight, by Walker Thompson, inspired Glenn Elmore, N6GN, to become an amateur radio operator. Son of a Caltech physicist, Glenn follows in the family’s tradition of careful research and documentation of his experiments in WSPRnet for VHF and UHF propagation, and his use of quad-copters as a sky hook for his surface wave transmission line experiments. Join N6GN and Eric, 4Z1UG, in a fascinating discussion on QSO Today.

  According to Joe Shupienis, W3BC, a “real ham” is an active ham, who takes part in any aspect of the hobby. Joe is the founder of the Quad Counties Amateur Radio Club, over 40 years ago, and he continues to lead the hobby with his ham radio blog and contributions to the club newsletter. Besides being active on the air, Joe is the ARRL WPA club coordinator under Section Manager, Tim Duffy, K3LR.  W3BC joins 4Z1UG on QSO Today.

Becoming a top contester in the World of amateur radio is about skill, practice, experience, and a great station according to Pat Barkey, N9RV. Pat combines all of these attributes, including his SO2R, single operator two radio, station,  to be one of the top contesters in the World. Now he is the editor of the National Contest Journal, a professor at Contest University, and Eric, 4Z1UG’s, guest on QSO Today.

  For some hams, amateur radio provides an opportunity to not only work DX, but to travel the world on DXpeditions of all kinds.  My guest on QSO Today,  has visited over 60 countries during his ham radio career.  Wayne Mills, N7NG, was also inducted into the CQ DX Hall of Fame and is the founder of DX University.  He is Eric, 4Z1UG’s guest, this week,  on QSO Today.

  Like many of us who got interested in radio as kids, Doug Grant, K1DG, got his start with a crystal radio kit from an ad in the back of Boy’s Life magazine.  Receiving  signals on a wire strung across the back yard was the beginning of Doug’s amateur  radio journey that led him, this year,  to his induction into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame.  Contests are Doug’s passion, and he  operates a Single Operator Two Radio (SO2R)  contest station. He shares the details with Eric, 4Z1UG, on QSO Today.

  When it comes to introducing amateur radio to kids, there is no better elmer than Carole Perry, WB2MGP.  Carole captured the imagination of almost nine-hundred Staten Island, New York,  public school kids a year, for almost thirty years.  With this experience and and knowledge, Carole is still a leader in ham radio education through a number of national organizations.  She joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in this QSO Today.