QSO Today Podcast - Interviews with the leaders in amateur radio

AMSAT, the Amateur Radio Satellite Corporation, has launched over 95 satellites into space since 1961.  Keith Baker, KB1SF, former President and now treasurer of AMSAT speaks and write on amateur satellites, what is happening now, how to get started, and how to get involved.  Keith shares is wealth of satellite knowledge in this episode of QSO Today.

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 tells us his ham radio story, beginning in 1960, in this QSO Today.

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 pharmaceutical industry. In our conversation, we delve into how amateur radio operators can engage in and contribute their expertise to Red Cross operations, as well as improving on the air operating skills. W4CMG is my QSO Today.

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 experiment with vertical antennas on the beach to fine tune his technical and operating skills.  K4OGO is my QSO Today. 

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.  WD8DAS is my QSO Today.

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 tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

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 Director of Strategic Solutions.  N7HQ is a kindred spirit, perhaps to many of us, and tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.   

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.  OE1WKL discusses the delivery of over 10,000 Morserinos, his projects, and his contributions to amateur radio in this QSO Today.   

Rudy Hardy, W5HRH, was introduced to electronics and radio at a young age by a favorite uncle. His interest in the hobby deepened through his experiences with CB radio and the influence of mentors in college. Rudy pursued a career in federal law enforcement, eventually teaching criminal justice at a community college in Houston. He's also a skilled sports photographer. In this episode, we explore Rudy’s journey with Parkinson’s disease, his successful treatment, and how amateur radio can benefit retirees and those facing complex health challenges. W5HRH is my QSO Today.

Susan Gayle Nordskog, LA0CY, was practically born into ham radio. She learned Morse code from her mother and grew up in Los Angeles, surrounded by her parents' ham radio friends. After college, Susan developed a deep love for the sea and a passion for crewing large vessels, even during a time when American ships rarely hired women. Undeterred, she immigrated to Norway, completed a three-year ship’s officer course, and started a family. Her career took her across the world’s oceans on some of the largest ships afloat. Now, LA0CY is back on the air, actively participating in the local ham radio scene on two meters and always ready for a chat on any topic with fellow operators. LA0CY is my QSO Today.  

Steve Corley, N5BZM, discovered ham radio, almost by accident, by the intervention of his mother with an FCC official attempting to scare a teenager out of operating a CB radio improperly.  Steve loves the range and variety of amateur radio opportunities and started a Ham Radio Auctions business to aid amateurs to find buyers and the heirs of deceased ham radio operators to properly dispose of their equipment.  N5BZM stresses the importance of HF to amateur radio and tells his story in this QSO Today.   

Lee Barrett, K7NM, has had a wonderful career, in broadcast radio,  military projects, command and control, spacecraft, and medical device development.  His early initiation into amateur radio set in motion all that came later in both professional and amateur radio life. From early in his ham radio career, Lee published papers on vertical antenna beam tilt for repeater networks, and well as his most recent “C-Match Method of Phasing HF Vertical Antennas.  He was a presenter at the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo, speaks to radio clubs all over the United States, and at the Dayton Hamvention.  K7NM is my QSO today.

Justin McAllister, K5EM’s early interest in ham radio in high school, set him on a professional path to electronic engineering for industry,  startups, and entrepreneurship.  In ham radio,  Justin  adopted a few favorite areas of special interest.  Justin likes to operate satellites with his portable full duplex rig, operate the digital modes both actively and passively, creating new antennas designs, and getting out in nature to operate POTA and SOTA.  K5EM is my QSO Today.

Jim Halfpenny, K9YNP, spent his career in the great outdoors tracking wildlife, educating and leading groups into the wilderness all around the World and in Yellowstone National Park.  Ham radio has always been a parallel track of interest and education.  For K9YNP, serving his community with Montana Tour bike race and mountain marathon support through the Rocky Mountains keeps his ARES team at the top of their game.  K9YNP is my guest in this QSO Today.

Mike Padron, N1CC, had an early love for amateur radio that was eclipsed by aviation leading Mike to become the longest serving captain pilot at FEDEX.  Returning to ham radio during the Covid 19 Pandemic, Mike rediscovered his love for CW through the Long Island CW Club and remote controlling his FlexRadio home station while traveling the World.  N1CC is my guest in this QSO Today.

Will Harris, KI4POV, followed in his father’s footsteps, from his junior workbench along side his dad’s to become a licensed ham at age 12.  While Will did not pursue and engineering career, he has become a prolific homebuilder in the tradition of Doug DeMaw, W1FB, and Wes Hayward, W7ZOI.  KI4POV discussed his 5 band homebrew transceiver and the rest of his ham radio story in this QSO Today.  

Amateur Radio operation for Bob Wertz, NF7E is a family affair, beginning with regular round table rag chews with his brother and father.  Bob likes to chase DX confirming over 340 DX entities with the latest,  Bouvet Island 3YOJ his crowning achievement.  His Flagstaff Arizona ham radio club special events, including Route 66 and Quartzfest provide ample opportunities to get out and meet the hams.  NF7E tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.

Bob Phinney, K5TEC, created a new and dynamic afterschool science and amateur radio program called New England Sci-Tech, Inc, after his private school, where Bob taught, closed his program from their lack of vision.  K5TEC refocused his energies and built an amazing after school program for kids that re-enforces STEM learning and makes new and exciting amateur radio operators.  Bob, K5TEC, tells this fascinating story on this QSO Today.

Stuart Watchman, ZL2TW, hails from New Zealand where he began his early career working for the New Zealand Post Office on telephone exchange equipment, then made the transition to medical school, becoming a physician.  Ham radio was an early passion leading Stuart to work in technical positions to pay for medical school and later to leadership positions with the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitter (NZART), New Zealand’s “League”.  ZL2TW shares his amateur radio experience in this QSO Today.