Qso Today - A Conversation For Amateur Radio Operators

Greg Lane, N4KGL, tells us how amateur radio adds to his enjoyment of his other outdoor hobbies that include Rocketry and model airplanes.  As one of the key US proponents of RaDAR, or rapid deployment amateur radio, Greg is the master of foot portable HF operation in the Southern forests and swamps, to the Gulf’s beautiful Florida beaches.  Greg Lane, N4KGL joins Eric, 4Z1UG in QSO Today.

 Ward Silver, N0AX, author of the QST magazine column, “Hands-On Radio”, editor of ARRL Handbook for Radio Communications, and author of many books on ham radio joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today.  In the podcast, Ward describes his ham radio beginnings and his amateur radio journey that includes his authoring many books and articles on ham radio. He also offers practical advice to new and returning hams.

When Eddie Leighton, ZS6BNE, created “shack in a sack” as a working concept for portable operation, in South Africa's great outdoors,  for ham radio activity and contests, he had no idea it would become an international ham radio phenomena he renamed RaDAR, or rapid deployment amateur radio. RaDAR, could be ham radio's "iron man" contest that combines outdoor activity with ham radio.  Eddie joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today.

  Amateur Radio opened many doors for David Larsen, KK4WW, that began in high school, with the US Navy, a front row seat to the burgeoning computer industry, a career at Virginia Tech, World travel, and a visit to the White House.   David joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today to discuss his ham radio life and all of the wonderful opportunities and relationships that amateur radio created. Now as the historian and curator of the Bugbook Historical Microcomputer Museum, David has his perfect vehicle for preserving his unique past for future generations.  

Scott Andersen, NE1RD, has evolved a system,  over the years, that combine a family vacation and a serious DXpedition, especially during contests that he calls the 100 pound DXpedition.  In this episode of QSO Today, Scott shares his secrets that include how to plan and execute the perfect combination of ham radio contesting and vacation in an exotic location. Some of this simple wisdom and experience might surprise you.

Dan Romanchik, KB6NU, is one of the most prolific bloggers about ham radio on the Internet today.  As an advocate for ham radio and as a teacher of ham radio, both with his study guides and the local classes that he teaches, Dan practices what he preaches.  Join the QSO Today between Dan and Eric, 4Z1UG, on the amateur radio topics that most interest them.

  Dan Walker, WG5G, works DX and has worked almost every country in the World, except four, with a simple Kenwood TS-130V and five watts of power.  All QRP.  Dan joins Eric, 4Z1UG,  in his QSO Today to discuss his ham radio story and what it really takes to be the best QRP DX operator in the World.  His answers might surprise you.

Dennis Blanchard, K1YPP,  started his ham radio journey in 1962 at the age of twelve, after discovering an old Hallicrafters receiver in the attic of the family home. Ham radio became a passion that eventually pulled his father and brother into the hobby.   In 2007, Dennis combined his love for backpacking and ham radio when he started a 6 month trek of the 2100 mile Appalachian Trail.  Dennis joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today to discuss his ham radio life and hiking the trail. 

  In 1980, when the hospital where she worked had a phone system failure, April Moell, WA6OPS, gave a call to local hams to come provide support. She discovered that hospitals in every community frequently have communications failures that risk the lives and safety of patients. Thirty years after founding the Hospital Disaster Support Communications System, April and her group now provide emergency communications to over 34 hospitals in her area.  Join Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today with WA6OPS.

Join Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today with Eric Manning, VA7DZ.  Eric and Eric discuss the Reverse Beacon Network and the use of the CW Skimmer software as tools for contesting and understanding of real time low band openings.  VA7DZ has a lifetime of amateur radio beginning in 1948, in his 5th grade classroom.  His ham radio journey led him to a career in computers and computer science, culminating as a professor of computer science and electrical and computer engineering,   and to his current ham radio operation at the University of Victoria. Even in retirement, Eric’s ham radio life is rich with experiences and new projects.

  After 60 years in the hobby, Martin Huyett, K0BXB, loves ham radio as much as he did when he first started. After a career in electronic engineering, inspired by ham radio, and an operating career that included homebrew slow scan television, 2 meter FM on surplus mobile equipment, and packet radio,  Martin has gone back to his ham radio roots and now enjoys a simple CW QSO on a straight key. Join Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today with K0BXB.

Join Eric, 4Z1UG in his QSO Today with Dean Mertz, K0MKT.  Dean and Eric have been friends for almost 40 years after meeting at the local ham radio club, in Southern California.  While their lives have taken them around the World, there is always an opportunity, a few times a year, to catch up on ham radio projects and personal lives. As a software engineer and hardware tinkerer, Dean always has an inspiring project to discuss.  This time its a web based audio adjustment meter, using the Beaglebone Black, for the local DMR mobile radio system.

Is is possible for ham radio operators to have a broadband wireless network for the transmission of voice, video, and data as a backup, to the Internet and the commercial infrastructures, that we depend upon? Jim Kinter, K5KTF, thinks it is. Jim is the chief evangelist for the Broadband Hamnet group in Austin, Texas. Ham radio broadband mesh networks is the topic of conversation in Eric’s, 4Z1UG, QSO Today with Jim Kinter, K5KTF.  Ham radio mesh networking began with the conversion of Linksys home routers, with special firmware, into a robust wideband data network to allow voice, video, and data between hams in the amateur bands. Join Eric and Jim in their QSO Today.

Bob Wolbert, K6XX, owns and operates a multiple position contest station in the coastal hills of Northern California.  According to Bob, you need every dB to get contacts in your log during a contest. As the team leader for the US in the World RadioSport Team Championship 2010,  he is especially qualified to speak about what it takes to be a great contest operator. As an employee of Elecraft, Bob gets to be a professional amateur radio operator in addition to his hobby operating ham radio. Join, Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today with Bob, K6XX.   

Scott Zimmerman, N3XCC, founder of the W3WAN repeater network in Pennsylvania, joins Eric, 4Z1UG, on the QSO Today podcast, to discuss the FM world of repeaters above 50 Mhz.  Coming to amateur radio from a commercial two-way radio background, Scott applies his expertise to maintain a network work of interconnected amateur radio repeaters that provide wide area coverage, international access through the Allstar linking network, and public service in times of emergency.  Scott is also a contributor to the Repeater Builder website, the one-stop for any ham who wants to reassign commercial land mobile radios to amateur service.

  Bruce Perens, K6BP, is a self described evangelist for amatuer radio. As the creator of the Open Source Definition used for the free exchange of software code, Bruce has appled this to amateur radio towards the development of Codec2 and FreeDV, digital modulation schemes for HF and VHF.  Through his new company, Algoram, Bruce hopes to create the ultimate open source handheld software defined radio.  As an evangelist, Bruce founded No Code International, where he successfully eliminated the Morse code requirement for amateur radio licenses Worldwide.

You can still build a beautiful tuna can transmitter, especially if it uses vacuum tubes instead of solid state components.  Join Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today with Steve Johnston, WD8DAS, where they discuss Steve’s ham radio journey that includes experimentation in the 630 meter band, restoration of Chinese military radio gear, and the love of amateur radio.

  The right elementary school teachers who challenged their students with the Morse Code was just the beginning of Hap Holly’s, KC9RP’s, ham radio career leading to the RAIN Report and The Dayton Hamvention’s 2002 Amateur of the Year.  Join Eric, 4Z1UG, and Hap in their QSO Today.  

  The team of Sharon and Wayne Spring, K6IRD and W6IRD, make a powerful combination, not only in amateur radio, but as a lesson in commitment, hard work, and attention to detail. This has led both to not only a successful 50 year marriage, but to a rich, hands on amateur radio life.  Join Eric, 4Z1UG, in this inspiring conversation with both Wayne and Sharon Spring on QSO Today.

  Elecraft’s co-founder and CTO, Wayne Burdick, N6KR, joins Eric, 4Z1UG, on another QSO Today. Waynes fascination with home brewing from an early age combined with his love of QRP led to the development of some of the best amateur radio transceivers on the market. Wayne and Eric’s conversation reveals some insights into what makes a successful ham radio product.