Courtney Duncan, N5BF, has humble amateur radio beginnings in Texas where he earned a degree in musical piano performance.  Destiny intervened, allowing Courtney to get a degree as an  electronic engineer and a career at JPL, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, associated with NASA and CalTech in Pasadena, California  working on flight radio systems for spacecraft that go to Mars and beyond.  Now retired after 30 years, N5BF is active as the president of the San Bernardino Microwave Society,  amateur microwave operation and contesting,  and moonbounce.  N5BF is my QSO Today.

Episode 374 Courtney Duncan N5BF

QSO Today is a weekly conversation, or QSO, between amateur radio operators about ham radio.  Eric Guth, 4Z1UG, hosts a new guest every week to talk about their ham radio journey, their specialized expertise in ham radio, and how amateur radio has impacted their personal and professional lives. QSO Today is targeted at anyone interested in amateur radio who wants to learn more about this fascinating hobby.

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Ian Kahn, NV4C, with the encouragement of his father in law joined the amateur radio ranks in his mid-thirties.  He hit the ground running, operating on his local club’s repeater and involving himself in the North Fulton Amateur Radio League to aid its resurgence the the introduction of new programs attracting new and old hams.  NV4C discusses his ham radio journey, his operating passions, and what excites him about our hobby in this QSO Today.

Episode 504 Ian Kahn NV4C

Todd McKenney, KN4TPG, found his way into amateur radio through a teenager’s deep dive into YouTube and discovering  meteorological balloon launches leading to Bill Brown WB8ELK and Pico Ballooning. Todd’s entry into ham radio may be the key to attracting young people into amateur radio by using our hobby as a tool to complement and extend the usability of their other STEM or Maker  projects and hobbies.  KN4TPG tells his ham radio story through his high school ballooning interest leading to graduate work at the University of Alabama, Huntsville  in this  QSO Today.

Episode 503 Todd McKinney KN4TPG

Louis Hammer, 4Z5OT, is a good friend here in Israel and has taken outdoor and park operations to a new level.  Faced with antenna challenges and inflexible neighbors at home, operating events, like lighthouses on the air, and other portable operations has opened new opportunities for Louis to be active, gain better operating experience, and to be ready with his portable rig in a flash when necessary.  4Z5OT is my QSO Today.

Episode 502 Louis Hammer 4Z5OT

Ron Hranac, N0IVN, is not only a long time ham radio operator but a 50 year pioneer in the cable television industry, author of hundreds of articles and presentations for the Society of Cable Television Engineers.  We discuss the crossover of amateur radio and cable television technology, interference to amateur radio from leakage, and the potential opportunities for young people who want to enter the industry on the ground floor.  N0IVN is my QSO Today.

Episode 501 Ron Hranac N0IVN

Hiroki Kato, AH6CY, was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan, 20 miles from the epicenter of the atomic bomb blast in August 1945 that killed approximately 100,000 Japanese.  Hiroki was fascinated with radio as a youngster and was first licensed in Japan.  After moving to the USA, Hiroki continued to pursue amateur radio and began to research and collect the military radios that both the Japanese used to bomb Pearl Harbor, and the radios that were on the Enola Gay, the US bomber that dropped the Hiroshima bomb.  AH6CY tells his ham radio story and about these radio restorations in this QSO Today.

Episode 374 Courtney Duncan N5BF

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