QSO Today Podcast - Interviews with the leaders in amateur radio

Jim Veatch, WA2EUJ, is a three time winner of the ARRL Homebrew Challenge contest where his winning entries pushed the limits of homebrew design and implementation within the financial constraints of the contest. Jim has gone on to create other projects, some of which are now available in kit form, such as the Hardrock 50 amplifier and automatic antenna tuner available from HobbyPCB. Jim is Eric, 4Z1UG's QSO Today.

Contest Super Station owner, Frank Donovan, W3LPL, will tell you that his ham radio story began in 1923 when his grandfather collected parts and built single tube receivers for friends and family. These parts and grandpa's expertise were young franks introduction to electronics and radio many years later. With the support of his radio clubs and Elmers, Frank, focuses on the technology and engineering of great ham radio station design and performance to win contests throughout the year. W3LPL is my QSO Today.

Dale Green, VE7SV, is a 2013 CQ Contest Hall of Fame winner who chases the endless Summer by dividing his time between his homes in Renaca Beach, Chile and Chilliwack, British Columbia. Dale operates a contest super station for over 20 years in Canada where he has honed his skills to become one of the top contesters in the World as well as a contest mentor and elmer. He credits ham radio for his love for travel and meeting new people.

Jim Stafford, W4QO, was recognized at the 2010 Dayton Hamvention for over 50 years of ham radio achievements that include mentoring and elmering, QRP building and operating, and revitalizing the North Fulton Amateur Radio League into one of the premier ham radio clubs in the USA. Jim tells his amateur radio story to Eric, 4Z1UG, in this QSO Today.

IIn a country, like Chile, that gets 70% of the earthquakes recorded around the World, hams like Dr. Dino Besomi, CE3PG, have to be ready at a minute's notice to provide emergency communications when traditional communications channels fail. Dino shares his ham radio story and the role of amateur radio operators in Chile, with Eric, 4Z1UG, in this QSO Today.

Bill Murray, W9VC, likes to spend his ham radio time building tube type transmitters of his own design from old equipment purchased at hamfests. In addition, Bill likes to rebuild old gear and and operate QRP in the field. W9VC shares his ham radio story in this episode of QSO Today.

From time to time, one of the listeners to the QSO Today podcast reaches out to me to dialog about something in ham radio often related to a previous episode. I began a conversation with Gerry Jurrens, N2GJ, that resulted in this QSO Today conversation. Gerry has a wide range of ham radio interests, including QRP and emergency communications, and… he loves to Elmer other hams in the art of amateur radio. N2GJ is my QSO Today.

Scott Wright, K0MD, travels the World extensively as part of his responsibilities as a doctor with the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. This creates for Scott opportunities to take his portable station on DXpeditions around the globe from China, the Caribbean, to South America. K0MD shares his ham radio story and some practical advice on this QSO Today.

Bob Witte, K0NR, is an amateur radio blogger with a long history of ham radio homebrewing, repeater building, and operation using many bands and modes. From his home in Monument, Colorado, Bob is also an excellent Elmer and is a partner in Ham Radio School dot com for teaching the amateur radio basics beyond the first license. K0NR is my QSO Today.

Sometimes, amateur radio can play an important role in shaping the news around World Events. For BBC correspondent and amateur radio operator, Laurie Margolis, G3UML, it was on amateur radio that Laurie discovered, reported and scooped the invasion by Argentina of the Falkland Islands starting the Falklands war in 1982. Laurie and I discuss this event and the rest of his ham radio journey in this QSO Today.