Episode 538 Will Everett N5OLA

Episode 538 Will Everett N5OLA

Author: Eric Guth, 4Z1UG July 14, 2026 Duration: 58:34

Bill and Pete at the SolderSmoke Podcast refer to my guest today as the Heathkit Guru of South Texas, a mantle that Will Everett, N5OLA, wears with pride. After returning from civilian life as a reporter and aid worker in Afghanistan in 2015, Will relicensed in 2019 and took his passion for vintage Heathkit amateur radio transceivers to a new level, restoring them to their former glory before sending them on to new owners. Operating from South Padre Island, Will enjoys CW on his Heathkit HW-101, finding quiet moments between running his coffee shops and pursuing his restoration passion. N5OLA is my QSO today.


Each week on the QSO Today Podcast-Interviews with the leaders in amateur radio, host Eric Guth, 4Z1UG, sits down for a genuine conversation with a different voice from the world of ham radio. These aren't scripted interviews, but more like the organic chats that happen between operators after a successful contact. Eric guides his guests through their unique journeys into the hobby, uncovering the specific technical niches they've mastered, whether that's building antennas, mastering Morse code, or pioneering digital modes. What makes this podcast stand out is how it explores the profound, often unexpected, ways that a passion for radio waves shapes a person's life beyond the shack. You'll hear how skills learned through amateur radio have launched careers, solved complex problems, and built lifelong friendships across the globe. It’s a series of personal portraits that, together, form a rich and human tapestry of the hobby. Tuning in provides both technical insight and personal inspiration, revealing the stories and the people behind the call signs. Whether you're a seasoned operator or just curious about the crackle of distant voices from a receiver, this podcast offers a compelling entry point into a community built on communication, experimentation, and camaraderie.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

QSO Today Podcast - Interviews with the leaders in amateur radio
Podcast Episodes
Episode 510 Mike Padron N1CC [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:36
Mike Padron, N1CC, had an early love for amateur radio that was eclipsed by aviation leading Mike to become the longest serving captain pilot at FEDEX. Returning to ham radio during the Covid 19 Pandemic, Mike rediscover…
Episode 509 Will Harris KI4POV [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:48
Will Harris, KI4POV, followed in his father's footsteps, from his junior workbench along side his dad's to become a licensed ham at age 12. While Will did not pursue and engineering career, he has become a prolific homeb…
Episode 508 Bob Wertz NF7E [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:58
Amateur Radio operation for Bob Wertz, NF7E is a family affair, beginning with regular round table rag chews with his brother and father. Bob likes to chase DX confirming over 340 DX entities with the latest, Bouvet Isla…
Episode 508 Bob Wertz NF7E [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:58
Amateur Radio operation for Bob Wertz, NF7E is a family affair, beginning with regular round table rag chews with his brother and father. Bob likes to chase DX confirming over 340 DX entities with the latest, Bouvet Isla…
Episode 507 Bob Phinney K5TEC [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:53
Bob Phinney, K5TEC, created a new and dynamic afterschool science and amateur radio program called New England Sci-Tech, Inc, after his private school, where Bob taught, closed his program from their lack of vision. K5TE…
Episode 506 Stuart Watchman ZL2TW [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:23
Stuart Watchman, ZL2TW, hails from New Zealand where he began his early career working for the New Zealand Post Office on telephone exchange equipment, then made the transition to medical school, becoming a physician. Ha…
Episode 505 Rex Moncur VK7MO [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:01
Rex Moncur VK7MO, holds the world record for the longest 10GHz EME contact using a 50 watt transmitter to a 70CM satellite TV dish. Since his retirement over 20 years ago, Rex has garnered expertise, contacts, and equipm…
Episode 504 Ian Kahn NV4C [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:42
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…
Episode 503 Todd McKinney KN4TPG [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:36
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…
Episode 502 Louis Hammer 4Z5OT [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:26
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…