Qso Today - A Conversation For Amateur Radio Operators

Ron Schwartz, VE3VN, maintains his enthusiasm for participating in CW contests using his SO2R station and tower farm. For more than five decades, Ron has been an avid ham radio operator and ham radio blogger with an enduring passion for climbing towers and rigging antennas. In recent years, Ron has pursued an interest in EME - moon bounce , Tropospheric ducting,  and meteor scatter.  VE3VN is my QSO Today.

Dave Olean K1WHS, and his brother, started with modest and simple surplus and homebrew VHF rigs, modified and upgraded over a long period of time to operate EME or moon-bounce, meteor scatter, and bouncing signals off of the Aurora Borealis that appears in the Northern skies.  Dave demonstrates that one can make a ham radio career out of very modest equipment to solve complex problems leading to real expertise.  K1WHS is my QSO Today.

Bob Vinikoor W3CFE, was inspired to become an amateur radio operator by his father David, who held first license W3CFE in 1935.  Bob followed this technology and media interest into the satellite TV business then later he became the owner of AM broadcasting stations in the New England states.  Always active and on the air, Bob operates his remote Vermont ham radio station from around the World, and now from Israel.  W3CFE is my QSO Today.

Rich Gussow, 4Z1JJ, discovered ham radio in high school and finally got his amateur radio ticket in his first year at Brooklyn College in 1976, where he quickly built up his operating skills and amateur theory to upgrade to Advanced within a year.   Single Side-band is Rich’s favorite mode, and now Rich enjoys working amateur satellites in voice and packet modes from his QTH in Modiin, Israel.  4Z1JJ is my QSO Today.

Nick Tusa, K5EF, embarked on his ham radio journey as a teenager in a New Orleans Jesuit high school, where he was introduced to the cutting-edge technology of a Central Electronics 10A SSB Exciter at the school's ham radio station. This early fascination sparked a lifelong friendship between Nick and Wes Schum, W9DYB, the co-founder and chief engineer of Central Electronics. Over the course of their 50-year friendship, Nick not only built a successful career in radio and communications but also became Schum's biographer. K5EF is my QSO today.

Adam Farson, VA7OJ/AB4OJ, embarked on his amateur radio journey more than six decades ago as a young enthusiast fascinated by electronics and later, ham radio in his home country of South Africa. His passion for the field of telephony led him to pursue a career in this area, where he has adapted telephony techniques and testing tools to assess the performance of amateur radio transceivers. Adam recounts his experience as both a ham radio operator and a professional in this episode of QSO Today.  

A special update about the upcomming expo.  

Rick Palm K1CE is a well-known figure in the ham radio community, having spent a career at the ARRL and writing columns and articles that have been widely read and appreciated by fellow enthusiasts. With a particular interest in public safety radio and ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service), Rick has dedicated his time and expertise to ensuring that these critical communication channels remain reliable and effective. Although now retired and based in Florida, Rick remains an active participant in the ham radio community, regularly checking in to nets and staying involved in his local ARES chapter. K1CE is my QSO Today.   

Passionate about electronics and radio since childhood, Orv Beach (W6BI) has a knack for digital modes, including CW, RTTY, packet radio, Pactor, Winlink, and AREDN. He has built and manages an extensive AREDN mountain top network in LA and Ventura Counties and delivers lectures globally on accessing this latest digital mode. Learn more about Orv Beach on my QSO Today. #HamRadio #DigitalModes #AREDN #W6BI

Robert “Bob” Glorioso, W1IS had early beginnings in electronics and radio, encouraged by his father, led Bob to advanced degrees in engineering, a stint in the US Army, and opportunities to be on the cutting edge of technology throughout his career with major corporations and his own startup.  The consummate teacher, Bob has developed new hams through courses at the local ARES.  W1IS has been a frequent contributor to ham radio publications for over 50 years, is a contributor to the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo, and my guest in this QSO Today.

Bob Witte K0NR is the active ham that you want in your community.  Bob lives in the Colorado Rocky mountains, operates SOTA on the “teeners”, maintains and operates the local repeaters, and mentors new hams.  K0NR is a frequent contributor to the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo and will be a presenter next month.  This interview is one that I conducted with Bob more than five years ago, and I am delighted to play it again with the help of Ben Bresky, who edited and remastered the audio.

Fred Cady, KE7X, (SK) became a silent key.  I thought that in Fred’s memory we should recall his love of radio and electronics that led him to a PhD in Electronic Engineering and found his love of teaching at Montana State University.  Fred was the author of 14 books, when I interviewed him in April of 2018, including many on how to operate and use Elecraft transceivers.  Fred loved to operate contests and work DX.  So this we we will go back and remember Fred Cady, KE7Z, in this QSO Today

Paul Topolski, W1SEX, was my guest in Episode 133, in February 2017, six years ago.  I wanted to reprise this interview as well as point out that Paul is always one of the first to help as a speaker or Expo moderator.  Paul was just meters from ground zero working the communications center, when terrorists struck the 2013 Boston Marathon, killing three and injuring hundreds of spectators and participants.  Paul shares with me his ham radio story, his experience, and how he continues to make a difference to his community in this QSO Today.   

Jim Aspinwall, NO1PC, was the fly on the wall, as a kid growing up in Madison, Wisconsin, listening to his dad and friends talk about electronics, radio, and television repair.  This led to a “hands on” electronics education that kept him employed from junior high school to this day. As a public safety volunteer, Jim believes that giving back to the community is key to a happy life. Amateur radio, and all of its benefits, is the icing on Jim’s cake of life.  N01PC is my QSO Today.

Jerry Spring, VE6TL, like many hams got an early start in amateur radio as a teen, but stepped out of the hobby to nurture a career and family.  Upon returning Jerry revisited his love of vintage WW2 gear, vintage transceivers in general, and a love of CW and contesting to make enough contacts for DXCC.  ForJerry, both hamshack and workbench are fully operational and busy.  VE6TL is my QSO Today.

Thomas, “Tommy” Henderson, WD5AGO, has always found EME or Moonbounce operation on the bands above 6 meters fascinating and worthwhile, making thousands of contacts by phone or CW.  Building his own EME rigs has led to deep technical expertise and ham radio success.  As a teacher and now department head of the Electronics Technology program at Tulsa Community College, he uses amateur radio to enhance his full curriculum while demonstrating its utility.  WD5AGO is my QSO Today.

Quin Schultze, K8QS, began his ham radio journey as a teenager with modest means and found his calling in college where he majored in communications, leading to a doctoral degree.  Through Quin’s looking glass we discuss the uniqueness of our ham radio hobby, the communities that form within it, and the real estate in the ether that we tend while on the air.  K8QS is my QSO Today.

Paul Simmonds, VK5PAS, now a retired South Australia Police detective, is a relatively new ham, along with his wife, Marija, VK5MAZ. They have taken the hobby to new heights by operating in the great outdoors of South Australia, participating in  WWFF, SOTA, POTA, and other outdoor amateur radio operating events.  He collects certificates, QSL cards, and new friends, around the World, in pursuit of amateur radio.  VK5PAS is my QSO Today.

Mark Persons, W0MH, was a recent speaker at the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo where he presented “How to build a Broadcast Engineer’s Version of a HF Amateur Radio Station, detailing his home ham radio shack installation meeting broadcast standards.  Broadcast radio ran in Mark’s family,  and he spent a long and successful career as a broadcast engineer, contributing tens of articles to professional and amateur radio publications, and is the consummate radio mentor, volunteer and ham radio elmer. W0MH is my QSO Today.

Walt Stinson, W0CP’s love of shortwave listening, amateur radio, and electronics led him to a career as an entrepreneur and founder of ListenUp, in Denver, Colorado.  Walt remained on the cutting edge of the consumer electronics industry leading to his induction into the Consumer Electronics Association Hall of Fame.  W0CP enjoys working DX, contesting, and now Summits on the Air from the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Walt is my QSO Today.