Podcasts & Newsfeeds

QSO Today

QSO Today is a weekly conversation between Eric Guth, 4Z1UG and an amateur radio operator guest.

Podcasts
  1. Episode 494 - Fred Hopengarten - K1VRFred Hopengarten K1VR, and his wife Betty, were guests in my home after an afternoon of touring with me the unusual sites around Jerusalem and Gush Etzion, where I live a few years ago.  Fred has a long history in amateur radio and took to the law rather than engineering as a profession specializing in communications law and antenna regulations for both commercial broadcasting and amateur radio.  His book, Antenna Zoning for the Radio Amateur, is a [...]
  2. Episode 493 - Jonathan Kramer - W6JLKDr. Jonathan Kramer W6JLK, transitioned into becoming an communications law attorney after a successful career in cable television engineering in a addition to his amateur radio activities. Kramer W6JLK stressed that amateurs should be very active in local government as a way to advocate for antenna and tower rights, especially in areas of strong HOA controls.  W6JLK and I discuss the first Motorola simulcast radio system in Kern County, California, and [...]
  3. Episode 492 - Linas Balsys - LY2HLinas Balsys, LY2H, now hosts a YouTube channel on amateur radio, field operations, QRP, and operating CW.  Growing up in Lithuania, becoming one of the country’s best known news correspondents, a member of the Lithuanian Parliament, now enjoys CW and digital modes from his ham radio van or electric bicycle in nature operating parks, hill forts, and castles on the air. LY2H tells his ham radio story in this QSO Today.Show NotesSponsor TranscriptionListen t [...]
  4. Episode 491 - Paul Barnes - W4YRLPaul Barnes, W4YRL, now a ham for over 65 years, enjoys FT8, CW, and getting on the air with modest wire antennas.  Paul has traveled to over 50 countries and enjoyed operating from abroad. He credits the hobby for a happy career in electronics focused on simulators for space, military, and nuclear power plants, and for the life long friends that he has made along the way. W4YRL is my QSO Today.Show NotesSponsor TranscriptionListen to Podcast​OUR LISTENER [...]
  5. Episode 490 Ham Radio Workbench Episode 201Eric Guth, 4Z1UG, was a guest at the celebration of the 200th Ham Radio Workbench Podcast.  Eric  joined George, KJ6VU, Vince, VE6LK, and Mark, N6MTS in a special episode of their podcast that became HRWB episode 201.  This recording of that HRWB episode is added to the QSO Today "official record" for posterity.  Show NotesSponsor TranscriptionListen to PodcastOUR LISTENER SPONSORSThe total amounts contributed as sponsorships an [...]
  6. Episode 489 - John Rusciano - NG0ZJohn Rusciano, NG0Z, knew that eventually living in an HOA would meet he and his family’s needs, even if it meant not having a ham radio station and outside antennas. The state of the art and ubiquitous Internet connectivity made it possible for John to build his ultimate remotely controlled amateur radio station at his vacation home, away from the city's electronic noise and the restrictions of HOA.  NG0Z allows me to interrogate him about all of the asp [...]
  7. Episode 488 - Charles Powell - NK8OCharles Powell, NK8O, would argue that an early interest in radio and communications aided him in making a transition from professional French Horn player to pediatric doctor rather than suffer the mid-life crisis.  Charles likes just about everything that ham radio offers including POTA, CW, kit building, old rigs, and operating his own DXpeditions from exotic locations around the world.  NK8O and I discuss these topic and more in this QSO Today.Show [...]
  8. Episode 487 - Jonathan Taylor - K1RFDJonathan Taylor, K1RFD, has reached his 50th year has a ham radio operator, is the creator of Echolink, one of the first amateur radio Voice over Internet Service linking amateur radio stations, the receiver of technical innovation awards, and author of "VoIP: Internet Linking for Radio Amateurs", now in its second edition.  K1RFD checks all of the ham radio boxes for operating, homebrewing, software development, radio restoration, and is my QSO Today.Sh [...]
  9. Episode 486 - Lanny Aldrich - K1LECLanny Aldrich, K1LEC, began his professional career as a third generation commercial dairy farmer in Vermont.  Amateur radio was his hobby that he pursued at a steady pace to pursue DX, build operating skills, and contribute to the hobby by just being involved.  Just his advice on antennas is a prize from our conversation.  K1LEC is my QSO Today.Show NotesSponsor TranscriptionListen to PodcastOUR LISTENER SPONSORSThe total amounts contributed as [...]
  10. Episode 485 - Martin Buehring - KB4MGMartin, "Marty", Buehring, KB4MG, discovered amateur radio in a private high school growing up in Chicago, Illinois, and went on for a career in electronics engineering following the development of semiconductors from basic transistors to "LSI", large scale Integrated circuits and ASICs.  Marty believes that ham radio clubs are key to ham radio success.  KB4MG is my QSO Today.Show NotesSponsor TranscriptionListen to PodcastOUR LISTENER SPONSORSThe t [...]
  11. Episode 484 - Richard Gutknecht - NZ2IRichard Gutknecht NZ2I, is a second generation amateur radio operator, catching the bug at an early age and getting the Novice license at age 15. Answering his country’s call to duty, Rick joined the Air Force and became an active ham while stationed in Germany.  Now retired, Rick enjoys getting on the air, volunteering for his amateur radio club, and now producing and co-hosting a podcast on current events and American history.  NZ2I is my QSO T [...]
  12. Episode 483 - William Thomas - WT0DXWilliam Thomas, WT0DX, was inspired by an early interest in electronics, amateur radio, building Heathkits, to spend a career as an engineer and inventor, with over 150 patents, in the electronics and  ultimately the cable television industry where he was given the Cable TV Pioneer award by the National Cable Television Association.  Bill is the co-inventor of the Interactive Program Guide still found on most cable television systems.  Now retir [...]
  13. Episode 482 - Ram Muthukrishnan - VU2JXNRam Muthukrishnan, VU2JXN, while growing up in India, had a difficult time finding any information about amateur radio in the libraries and magazines.  It was not until Ram attended university that he met licensed amateur radio operators and could pursue the hobby.  CW is Ram’s favorite operating mode, especially after attending CW Academy.  He modified his SSB only BitX transceiver to operate CW and to use it for CW practice. As a softwar [...]
  14. Episode 481 - Mark Wohlschlegal - WC3WMark Wohlschlegal, WC3W, knew at age 12 that amateur radio would set the course of his life pursuing  engineering degrees leading to a career in big system and equipment sales and marketing.  An additional love of flying, boating, and motorcycle touring kept Mark and his family active outside of work.  Now retired, WC3W operates a remote HF station, in Florida,  with a partner and describes it all in this QSO today.Show NotesSponsor Trans [...]
  15. Episode 480 - Caryn Eve Murray - KD2GUTCaryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, while inspired at a young age to ham radio, it wasn’t until after a successful career as a professional writer and journalist that she re-discovered amateur radio in 2014.  Her ham radio history was pretty thoroughly covered in a recent Ham Radio Workbench podcast a few weeks ago.  Our conversation explored her professional history leading to her reporting for Ham Radio Newsline and her love for CW.  KD2GUT is my Q [...]
  16. Episode 479 - Ante Laurijssen - VA2BBWAnte Laurijssen, VA2BBW, enjoys the simple amateur radio art of chasing DX and making contacts on CW, and  operating QRP, from Gatineau, in Southwest Quebec, Canada . When operating POTA, Ante taught himself to send CW with his left while recording his log with his right hand.  VA2BBW is the Radio Amateurs of Canada Awards Manager, enjoys giving back to the hobby, and is my QSO Today. ​Show NotesTranscriptListen to PodcastOur Listener Sponsors​ [...]
  17. Episode 478 - Don Westacott - VE6HQDon Westacott VE6HQ, believes that his early foundation in amateur radio contributed to his professional success through the multiple disciplines and out of the box thinking that is amateur radio.  After a successful career and an expert in subsurface measurements and remote sensing for the petroleum  industry, Don now likes to work 20 meters and refine his test equipment bench using the latest low cost solutions like the NanoVNA.  VE6HQ is my QS [...]
  18. Episode 477 - Steve Stroh - N8GNJSteve Stroh, N8GNJ, has always enjoyed the confluence of computers, data communications, and amateur radio from the earliest days of AX.25 packet radio to the current AREDN and SDR (software defined radio).  Steve uses his Zero Retries newsletter on Substack, to communicate the amazing amateur radio technology developments in data communications that does not get covered in the standard amateur radio  journals.  N8GNJ shares his experience and inte [...]
  19. Episode 476 - David Okrent - W7DAODavid Okrent W7DAO, like many hams grew up with shortwave radio, electronic kits, and a radio interest that led to a professional career related to our hobby. David focuses the use of these skills and expertise on emergency rescue and treatment as a military medical corpsman, as an EMT, and providing volunteer support to the  Red Cross.  Contribution and giving back to his community drives W7DAO, who is my QSO Today. ​Show NotesSponsor TranscriptList [...]
  20. Episode 475 - Kay Savetz - k6KJNKay Savetz, K6KJN, followed his father, Steve, into amateur radio when he entered college and Journalism school at the beginning of the Atari computer age.  Tech journalism is Kay’s profession leading him to be the technical historian specializing in amateur radio and communications at the Internet Archive. We deep dive into Kay’s interest in amateur radio, technology and communications history, and the Atari 8 bit computers in this QSO Today.Show NotesSp [...]