QSO Today Podcast - Interviews with the leaders in amateur radio
A "QSO" is a conversation between amateur radio operators, or "Hams". Eric Guth, 4Z1UG, interviews a new guest every week on the subject of amateur radio, their history, and the specific areas of technical and operating interest in amateur radio or ham radio. These interviews also serve as an oral history of amateur radio since WW2.
Episodes
Marty Young, W4MY, is a lifelong amateur radio operator whose 50-year journey began with a simple shortwave receiver as a child and grew into a deep passion for CW operation, homebrewing, and portable radio in the outdoors. From building his first Heathkit HW-16 as a teenager to leading roles in clubs, contesting, and Parks on the Air, Marty represents the classic self-taught ham who never stopped learning. His story r...
Michael Goldstein VE3GFN has spent more than 70 years in the hobby spanning the full arc of amateur radio's technical evolution. Licensed in the 1950s, Mike began as a dedicated homebrewer and CW operator, later designing receivers published in Bill Orr's, W6SAI Radio Handbook and built a professional career in electronics instrumentation at the University of Tor...
Cory Sickles, WA3UVV, first licensed in 1973, explores radio from the inside out, including homebrew transmitters, vintage gear, and cutting edge digital modes that he highlights in his monthly Spectrum Monitor Magazine column, Digitally Speaking. Cory was a bleeding edge pioneer in desktop computing and applications for specialized business segments. He is a passionate club builder and mentor, helping grow one of the most active ...
Ian Flemming, G3ZDQ, grew up tuning mysterious signals on his grandfather's radio in northwest England, a spark that led to a lifelong journey through classic gear, pioneering microprocessor work, Raynet emergency communications, digital modes, canal boat-portable QRP operation, and the restoration of iconic British radios from KW Electronics and Eddystone. His story weaves technical curiosity, professional engineering, and a deep ...
Norm Cantin, WA1NLG, discovered amateur radio at age 14 through Boy Scouts in Massachusetts, got his Technician license in 1969 so he could get on 6 meters, and that early exposure led directly to his career in navigation electronics. Amateur radio Elmers in the Framingham Radio Club helped him get his first job at Northstar, a startup building LORAN navigation equipment, where he spent almost 30 years rising to Vice President of E...
In this episode of QSO Today, we sit down with Jack Schuster, W1WEF, whose amateur radio journey spans more than 73 years. From building his first crystal set at age 10 to contesting at the highest levels around the world, Jack shares stories of innovation, DX adventures, CW mastery, and a lifetime of dedication to the hobby. His perspective offers both history and inspiration, making this co...
Jake Groenhof, N0LX, discovered amateur radio in the 1960s thanks to his uncle's impressive home station and his father's interest in CB radio.. Over the years, Jake turned his curiosity into a lifetime of experiments — from pedestrian-mobile DX with just 5 watts and an endfed antenna tethered to a balloon, to building saltwater antennas in PVC pipes, to flying pico balloons that circled the Earth six times. Along the way, he's set...
Alex Nersesian K6VHF is a US immigration success story. Hailing from the Republic of Georgia after the fall of the former Soviet Union, Alex credits amateur radio with finding work, career,family, and community in his new country. Now successfully living the American dream, K6VHF loves to chase DX on HF, VHF, and Microwave using FT-8, SSB, and CW and is an avid DXpeditioner. In addition, Alex makes EME, microwave, and rover co...
Ron Demcko, WA2TBQ, found his way into electronics—and later amateur radio—thanks to the early influence of his older brother, John, KD7JR. From a young age, Ron funded his growing passion for kit building and radio experimentation by buying and reselling surplus electronic gear, a resourceful start that helped pave the way for his formal education. Today, Ron is a recognized expert in the field of radiation-resistant passive compo...
Bob Pantazes, W2ARP, discovered amateur radio in high school but only became licensed at age 40. A career in electronics shaped his hands-on approach to amateur radio. With 296 DXCC entities, Bob is active in contesting, POTA - Parks on the Air, and antenna building. He advocates FT8 access for Technicians on HF to attract younger hams and grow our numbers the hobby. W2ARP is my QSO Today.
In the QSO Today podcast episode #525, host Eric Guth interviews Jack Prindle, a former law enforcement officer and amateur radio enthusiast, who shares his unique journey from his early electronics background in Kentucky to his distinguished police career, ultimately specializing in computer forensics. Jack, who obtained his amateur radio license in 1976, reflects on his passion for radio that grew alongside his professional life,...
Charles "Pete" Corp, WA2JMG, operates simple rigs into wire antennas, using low power. His primary operating mode is ragchewing on CW for meaningful and reliable communications. At the urging of his grandfather, Pete pursued the power system management side of electrical engineering side of his four year degree as a way to satisfy the market demand for power engineers in industry, when there is a scarcity of supply. WA2JMG tell...
Ron Taylor WA7GIL, while having a love for HF CW, boat anchor restoration, and kit building, still stays current with home brew equipment using Arduino controllers, the latest ham radio software, and the NanoVNA. His beautiful ham shack and carefully appointed workbench and parts inventory allow Ron to build and fix just about anything. WA7GIL is my QSO Today.
Cathy Goodrich, W4CMG, is an enthusiastic contester and dedicated DX chaser. Known for her meticulous scheduling, Cathy ensures she dedicates time each day to amateur radio, honing her operating techniques and CW rag chewing skills. In her retirement, Cathy continues to make an impact as a Red Cross Coordinator in Nashville, TN, applying strategic insights gained from her extensive experience as a project manager in the pharmaceuti...
Walt Hudson, K4OGO, has always lived by and had a love of the sea, pursuing a career in ship building, beginning in Port Smith, Virginia. While he always had an interest in radio, including Citizens band radio, it wasn't until just a few years ago that Walt became a ham radio operator. Since he is always near the shore, operating portable QRP SSB from the water's edge and making DX contacts is what excites him. K4OGO loves to exp...
Steve Johnston, WD8DAS, was my guest in Episode 14, 10 years ago this October. I urge you to go back to that episode to get Steve's ham radio story. A lot can happen in ten years, especially in this age of ham radio and the Internet. So in this episode we catch up with Steve to find out what contributions he has made and is making since the last time we spoke....
Adam Kimmerly, K6ARK, discovered amateur radio almost by accident through his participation in the San Diego Mountain Rescue organization. Adam's ham radio interests evolved from VHF to HF SOTA, or Summits on the Air, learning CW, and reaching SOTA Mountain Goat status. The need for light weight kits to carry to the most difficult to reach summits demanded new expertise in antenna design and construction with 3D printing. K6ARK ...
Dan Quigley, N7HQ, is a true veteran in the world of ham radio and technology. Like many of us, Dan's passion for radio began early, with a crystal radio, and earned his license while delivering newspapers to pay for his new hobby. Dan's professional career evolved based on the specific needs of clients and customers, creating long and successful stints through Microsoft and Amazon before joining FlexRadio as their ...
My guest this week is Willi Kraml, OE1WKL, creator of the Morserino CW code practice machine . Willie discovered amateur radio as a boy in Lindz, Austria, but had to wait until the legal age of 16 to get his license. With his doctorate in linguistics, Willi pursued a career in IT security with KPMG. When his local makerspace needed an Arduino project around amateur radio, the Morserino code practice system was born...
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