QSO Today Podcast - Interviews with the leaders in amateur radio

One of the best ways to get some real hands on experience in electronics, especially as a beginner, is to build electronic kits. Even the seasoned veteran ham can enjoy even the more complex kits. In amateur radio circles, the kit building guru is Joe Eisenberg, K0NEB. Joe spends his free time, in addition to operating his favorite contests and attending hamfests, testing kits, making recommendations, and teaching others how to be successful in kit building. Joe is Eric, 4Z1UG's, QSO today.

With almost sixty years in our amazing hobby, Bob Epstein, K8IA, and his wife Sandy, N7RQ, pursue their love of the contest through their Arizona Outlaws Contest Club and their multi operator contest station, based in their home. Bob shares his story with me in this QSO Today.

Jack Falker, W8KR, has been a ham for over 60 years. He now divides his time between ham radio, rose gardening, and writing an international blog on rose gardening. Now that his tower and beam are retired, Jack uses phased vertical antennas above the rose garden to work DX around the World. Jack discusses amateur radio, vertical antennas, and the mystical side of amateur radio with Eric, 4Z1UG, in this QSO Today.

Gregory Andracke, W2BEE, is an accomplished news cameraman and documentary cinematographer, with Academy and Emmy awards to his credit. He is also an accomplished amateur radio operator, with over fifty years in the hobby. His love for ham radio is as strong as it ever was. Greg joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in this QSO Today.

Jim George, N3BB is an active contestor, DXer, and rag chewer. Jim has many contest awards and was a team member in the 2000 World Radiosport Team Championship, or WRTC, in Slovenia. Now retired, Jim divides his time between ham radio, his wife, Diana, grandchildren, and authoring books. His most recent book, Contact Sport, about the 2014 World Radiosport Team Championship, brings the excitement and suspense of this uniquely ham radio experience to the non-amateur radio audiences. N3BB is Eric’s QSO Today.

After a successful career in finance, Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, embarks on a new career as the ARRL’s new executive director succeeding the retiring David Sumner, K1ZZ. Tom joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in this QSO Today to discuss his ham radio story and his future role at the ARRL.

When it comes to home brew single side-band transceivers and test equipment, Ashhar Farhan, VU2ESE, is the master of building amateur radio equipment on a budget, with common parts. Ashhar is the designer of the BITX "open source" HF SSB transceiver, and has an international reputation as a home brewer, and is referred to as the “home brew hero” by Bill Meara, N2CQR, of the Soldersmoke podcast. Ashhar Farhan is Eric, 4Z1UG's guest on QSO Today.

If you wanted to homebrew QRP radios with vacuum tubes, or thermatrons, then the goto guy would be Grayson Evans, TA2ZGE, author of the book, Hollow State Devices. Grayson joins Eric, 4Z1UG, to discuss his ham radio life, thermatrons, home brewing, and operating QRP, from his QTH in Turkey.

Amateur radio was the early beginning for a career in radio for Art Bell, W6OBB, who became one of America’s number one late night talk show hosts. Art's audience on Coast to Coast AM grew to 15 million listeners in over five-hundred markets. Art discusses ham radio and his broadcast radio career in this QSO Today with Eric, 4Z1UG.

The local city dump was the source of parts for Peter Parker, VK3YE's first ham radio projects. This humble beginning made Peter one of the most prolific contributors of videos and articles on the art of amateur radio. Peter builds his own gear, operates QRP from the local beach, and gives valuable advice on how to be a successful operator. VK3YE is 4Z1UG's guest on QSO Today.