Dear Friend,

As this message is posting, Field Day in the USA is just starting. If you are doing Field Day, I hope that you have a great time outdoors and with your club this year. I don't want to interrupt, so come back to this message once the contest is over.

This message to you this week, may seem like it has a few requests for help, and it does.  You are part of an elite group of listeners and subscribers who are among the most interested and loyal followers of QSO Today. Because you are a member of this group, I respect and rely upon your feedback, recommendations, and advice as I continue to produce the QSO Today Podcast, and the Virtual Ham Expo that has grown out of QSO Today.  So here goes:

Keynote Speaker

The upcoming QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo should have a Keynote Speaker.   I think that a Keynote speaker at an event needs to motivate, inspire, and entertain an audience.  Frankly, I think that I am too "in the trees" to see the forest and the possible candidates  this time around without your help.  Would you recommend a ham radio speaker who would inspire the hams that come to the Expo?  To this end, I created a "Nomination Form" that will let you help me to find the right person for the event.  My thanks in advance for your recommendation(s).  Here is the form:  https://bit.ly/3vVorS8

Help Wanted at the Expo

I need some help selling exhibit space in the next Expo.  My time zone differences, 10 hours ahead of California, make it difficult for me to do this job by myself.  If you know someone who has time during the month of July and sales experience, please refer him/her to me using the contact form on the QSO Today Website.   Here is a link to the form:  https://www.qsotoday.com/contact.html  Again, my thanks. 

What happened to the Expo YouTube Channel?

The QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo videos were removed from YouTube a few weeks ago without explanation.  I have attempted to reach YouTube about 6 times using their form.  They do not reply.  I believe that the videos were taken down because I clicked on the video editor that the videos were OK for kids, thinking that what ham radio video would not be OK for kids.  Videos on YouTube for kids need to be targeted for kids, not just OK.  I guess that this confusion resulted in my YouTube platform being closed.  However, I have all of the videos hosted on Vimeo and they can be reached on the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo Website.  I am, as time permits, uploading to a different account on YouTube.  However, they limit me to only 6 videos a day.  This may take some time.   If you know of a software or service that will upload a video library to YouTube, following their instructions, rules and agreement,  I appreciate any suggestions. 

Greg Algieri, WA1JXR is my guest this week on QSO Today.  I say in the intro that his ham radio story begins when Greg asked his dad for a Gillette Blue Razor Blade to make a detector for a new crystal set that subsequently ignited his ham radio career.   What is interesting is that it was the Blue oxide finish that prevented the blade from rusting, and the oxide itself is needed to make the semiconductor junction.  They called this Radio, that used the blue blade,  a Foxhole radio because servicemen during WW2 would make the radios from the Gillette double edged blades in their shaving kit.  I remember reading about these radios as a kid.  

I hope that you enjoy this episode and thanks for listening.  

Have a good week, 73,

Eric, 4Z1UG