QSO Today Podcast - Interviews with the leaders in amateur radio

The right elementary school teachers who challenged their students with the Morse Code was just the beginning of Hap Holly’s, KC9RP’s, ham radio career leading to the RAIN Report and The Dayton Hamvention’s 2002 Amateur of the Year. Join Eric, 4Z1UG, and Hap in their QSO Today.

The team of Sharon and Wayne Spring, K6IRD and W6IRD, make a powerful combination, not only in amateur radio, but as a lesson in commitment, hard work, and attention to detail. This has led both to not only a successful 50 year marriage, but to a rich, hands on amateur radio life. Join Eric, 4Z1UG, in this inspiring conversation with both Wayne and Sharon Spring on QSO Today.

Elecraft’s co-founder and CTO, Wayne Burdick, N6KR, joins Eric, 4Z1UG, on another QSO Today. Waynes fascination with home brewing from an early age combined with his love of QRP led to the development of some of the best amateur radio transceivers on the market. Wayne and Eric’s conversation reveals some insights into what makes a successful ham radio product.

Stan, WB2LQF, does more with less in his 50 year ham radio journey starting with a single tube transmitter loaded in to his bed springs to the Elecraft KX3 and an attic antenna. Always a CW operator, ham radio played a major role in Stan’s professional and personal life. Stan joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today.

John Portune, W6NBC, may have more hams to his credit due to his teaching methods and one day amateur radio licensing courses than any of his peers. John joins Eric, 4Z1UG, on the QSO Today Podcast to discuss this and John’s other ham radio interests from Amateur Fast Scan Television to residential disguise antennas for antenna restricted neighborhoods.

One of the original founders of the Amateur Radio Service in Israel, Amnon Bar Giora, 4X1DF, joins Eric, 4Z1UG, in a conversation about his early beginnings as a radio operator for the pre-Israel Haganah, his training of Yugoslav partisans in the use of radio behind the Nazi lines, his pursuit of the Nazi doctor of Auschwitz across South America, and his co-founding of the Amateur Radio Service in Israel. At 91 years of age, Amnon has a rich history of radio, service to his country and people, and entrepreneurship.

Yehuda, 4X1TQ, survived the electic shock of his life at the tender age of 13, while working on the high voltage power supply for his homebrew transmitter. Fortunately, for all of us, this led Yehuda on a life of innovation, teaching, and paying forward on his ham radio journey. Join Eric, 4Z1UG, on his QSO Today with Yehuda Cern, 4X1TQ.

Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, has Plasma dreams and chanrges up the ionosphere using high power transmitters based upon his years of experience in ham and broadcast radio. Starting in 1972, as a high school senior in Southern California, Eric first earned his Novice Class Amateur Radio license, WN6TEE. Upgrading to General Class, two years later, and adding a First Class Radio Telephone license, Eric made his way to North Pole, Alaska where he spent over 20 years as a broadcast engineer. He shares his ham radio journey through his contribution of over 150 published articles in QST, QEX, eHam and other publications, and even a ham radio novel, Plasma Dreams. Join Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today, with Eric Nichols, KL7AJ.

Ron, W6OM, carries on the tradition of “paying it forward” by “Elmering” neighborhood teenagers, Donnie and David to their Extra Class ham radio licenses. Beginning in the Summer of 1957, at 10 years of age, Ron started his ham radio journey under his Elmer, the original W6OM, George Hutchins. Going on for his Novice license the following September, Ron’s first contact on 15 meters was another 10 year old, Andy Chesnioff, UA3AB, of the former Soviet Union. That original contact created an international friendship that has lasted over 50 years and survived the “Cold War”. His second contact was Stan, F05IW, another ham to become a lifelong friend and business partner. Follow with me on Ron’s ham radio journey.

Rich's ham radio journey began, in the suburbs of Detroit, on a bicycle, when he was sixteen years old, in search of the source of ham radio conversations heard on his portable all band radio. Looking for "big" antennas on the neighborhood houses, he found his Elmer, Charlie, W8LVR, who led him through his first Novice license in 1964. This led Rich on a 40 year career through General Motors, slow scan televsion, working DX, and developing antennas. Rich is the developer of the "fractional wave loop antenna", a theme and variation on the magnetic loop antenna. Listen in on Eric's, 4Z1UG, QSO Today with Rich, K8NDS.