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The FlexRadio Systems' Team
CEO and President of FlexRadio Systems - Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR
Gerald has been a ham since 1967 as WA5RXV, KE5OH, AC5OG, and now holds an Extra Class license as K5SDR. In April of 2003 he founded FlexRadio Systems to market the first Software Defined Radio products to the Amateur Radio market. Gerald previously founded and ran five technology companies spanning hardware, software, and electronic manufacturing, one of which he took public in 1996. Gerald holds a BSEE degree from
Mississippi State University. He is a member of the ARRL Software Defined Radio Working Group and is the recipient of the ARRL 2002 Doug DeMaw, W1FB, Technical Excellence Award and the Central States VHF Society 2004 John T. Chambers Award.
Executive Vice President of Software Engineering - Eric Wachsmann, KE5DTO
Eric joined FlexRadio in January of 2004 as Director of Software Engineering. In this role, he has been responsible for development of the PowerSDR console and the coordination/integration of all open source contributions from customers. Eric also provides pre and post sales support to customers. He graduated from the
University of Texas with a BSEE (Computer Engineering) degree in December of 2003. During his college career, Eric worked with Microchip Computers, where he began as a computer technician and later moved into sales and management. Eric enjoys spending time with his family, sports, music, computer games, and life in general.
CFO & COO - Matt Youngblood, KD5FGE
Matt, KD5FGE son of CEO Gerald Youngblood, is responsible for managing the financial and day-to-day activities for FlexRadio Systems. He is a recent graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in business management. He enjoys photography, music, soccer, A&M football and basketball, traveling and of course ham radio.
Vice President of Engineering - Steve Hicks, N5AC & AAR6AM
Steve, N5AC, was originally licensed as a novice with the call WD5EMG at the age of 12. He has a BSEE from Texas A&M University (1989) and, while there, upgraded to Extra and served as the President of the Texas A&M Amateur Radio Club (W5AC). He received his MBA from SMU's Executive MBA program in 2003. Steve has held technology posts at a number of high technology companies including Rockwell/Collins, Digital Equipment and Texas Instruments and has started and run his own software and consulting companies. Steve was awarded the Mini-Circuits Annual Award for Design Achievement in 2008. Steve is a life member of the ARRL, Central States Microwave Society and the Texas VHF-FM Society and is a past President of the North Texas Microwave Society. Much of Steve's 30+ year amateur radio career has been spent on FM, repeaters, linking and emergency communications. In the last few years, Steve's interests have shifted to microwave construction and operation which he channeled into the construction of a multi-band microwave rover that he frequently uses in microwave contests.
Vice President, Sales and Marketing - Greg Jurrens, K5GJ (ex WD0ACD)
Greg earned his novice license at age 15 and has been actively involved in most aspects of the amateur radio hobby since. While completing his BS degree in Electrical Engineering Technology at Kansas State University, he was very active at the KSUARC - W0QQQ. After graduation, Greg held engineering roles in the aerospace and semiconductor industries then senior level management positions in Field Applications Engineering, Technical Marketing, and Product Management. Along the way he earned his Amateur Extra Class license. In 2002, Greg became a partner in a Manufacturer’s Representative firm. He joined FlexRadio Systems in July 2009. When he’s not working, Greg is usually playing ham radio. He is an ARRL member, Life member of the TX VHF-FM Society and Central States VHF Society, founding Board Member and Public Service Director for a statewide FM linked repeater system in Texas, an APRS infrastructure builder, and a rabid multiband VHF/Microwave “ROVER” contester. Greg is also a licensed pilot and airplane owner plus likes to spend time on the lake with his wife Karla - N5KUR of 30 years and the rest of his ALL HAM family.
Senior Design Engineer - Ken Simmons, K5UHF
Ken has been a ham since 1967 and has held the calls WB5ARW, HL9KA, KK5RH now K5UHF. His amateur interests include VHF/UHF Roving, and 6m operating. Ken met Gerald in 1998 and has been involved in the development of FlexRadios' transceivers since the very beginning of the SDR concept. He has designed the mechanical aspects of the SDR-1000, FLEX-5000A, and FLEX-5000C . Ken studied Electrical Engineering at Texas Tech University and worked as an Automation Design Engineer in the semiconductor packaging industry for over 25 years of combined Electrical and Mechanical Engineering experience. Ken expects to be major contributor to all new products being developed at FlexRadio.
FlexRadio Systems Representative for EU - Klaus Lohmann, DK7XL
Klaus, DK7XL, is FlexRadio Systems’ Representative and factory authorized service point of contact for Europe. He studied electronics in the 70’s and became a ham radio operator in 1973. Klaus served 31 years in the German Air Force (Deutsche Luftwaffe). While serving in the United States he operated as WD5DQE. Klaus’s interest include shortened HF antennas and computers.
Service Manager - Ed Popp, K5BOT
First licensed in 1955 as KN5BOT he now holds an Advance class license. Ed enjoys designing and building much of his gear. His main interest is QRP and CW the preferred mode. He also enjoys restoring and operating vintage tube gear. When not operating QRP he currently uses a restored Hammerlund HQ-150 and WRL Globe Scout 65A. He also enjoys outdoor activities including camping and fishing with his grandsons, cycling, hiking and astronomy. He can usually be found on the QRP or boat anchor frequencies on weekends.
Shipping and Receiving Manager - Julie Jones
Julie is responsible for all shipping and receiving for FlexRadio Systems.
Technical Support Engineer - Dudley Hurry, WA5QPZ
Dudley is FlexRadio's technical support engineer - also know as "The Answer Man". He is the one on the other end of the telephone when you call in with support questions about your radio or PowerSDR. Dudley is also net control for the FlexRadio net held on Sunday afternoon on 14.329
Corporate Adviser - John Basilotto, W5GI
John, W5GI, has over 50 years of communications experience and is involved with every aspect of amateur radio. His list of accomplishments includes former owner of an antenna design/installation and amateur equipment repair and resale business. John is an engineer, businessman, retired soldier and part-time college professor. Before coming to work for FlexRadio Systems, John served as the President/General Manager and Chief Engineer of a local FM radio network. John has represented our hobby on commercial radio and TV and served as the 1978 General Chairman, Dayton Hamvention. His "W5GI Mystery Antenna" design is used by thousands of operators worldwide.
As of 1-July-2009, John has retired again for the fourth time to spend more time with his family, but continues his affiliation with FlexRadio Systems in the capacity of a valued corporate adviser.
Internet Systems Developer - Dale Boresz, WA8SRA
Dale, WA8SRA is a FlexRadio Systems' Volunteer Associate who develops and enhances all of our web based user interfaces and is a primary member of our Information Management team. He has been a ham since first being licensed as novice WN8SRA in 1966. He upgraded to Amateur Extra class in 1996, with 95% of his on-air operation being CW on the HF bands. He has been married for 31 years, has two children, and one five year old granddaughter. Dale is a programmer by profession, currently working within the Microsoft C#.Net platform, with previous (and preferred) experience in Java server-side programming under Linux. He is a partner in Paradigm Software Group, Inc. which focuses on the development of business software for the manufacturing sector. FlexRadio related work includes development of the FRS Support system including the Bug/Feature tracker, File Download system, internal customer support application, and the FRS website. He hosts these systems as well as SVN on his servers located at a Cleveland area secure data center.
Software Engineer - Frank Brickle, AB2KT
Dr.Frank Brickle, the lead architect of the DSP core, pursues a dual career in musical composition and technology. He has a Ph.D. in Music from
Princeton University. Along with musical work since childhood, he has been involved in signal processing and computer science since 1970, beginning his love-hate relationship with computers in 1965.
His compositions have been performed in concerts and broadcasts around the world. He was director of the 2003
George Antheil Festival, an international event devoted to the music of that great American composer, who, along with actress Hedy Lamarr, was also the patented inventor of Spread Spectrum. Currently Frank is Secretary of the Composers Guild of New Jersey.
On the technical front, he has been the developer or co-developer of applications and systems in a number of different areas in communications. He is the author of many musical and technical publications, including “Automatic Signal Classification for Software Defined Radios” in the November/December 2003 issue of QEX. Frank was first licensed as a radio amateur in 1962 as WB2GRK, fell inactive after college, and returned with a vengeance in 2001 as an unregenerate brass pounder with a new call, AB2KT. He is a member of ARRL, that organization's Software Defined Radio Working Group, AMSAT and its Eagle design team, and he is an active participant in ARES/RACES.
Information Management Administrator - Tim Ellison, W4TME
Tim, W4TME is a FlexRadio Systems' Volunteer Associate who manages our Internet based resources such as the Knowledge Base, Forums, web site and is a primary member of our Information Management team. He works closely with Dale, WA8SRA helping define the FRS web based resources. Tim was first licensed as a Novice in 1976 as WA4NPC. He upgraded to Amateur Extra in 2003 and is very active in digital and phone modes using his FLEX-5000. Tim attended Appalachian State University and the University of Tennessee earning an advanced degree in Chemistry. He has had an interesting career in information technology (IT) and management; working in such "exotic" places such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Western Europe, Latin and South America. He currently holds a position as a majority partner and Executive VP of Technology Engineering for an IT consulting company in North Carolina. When Tim is not working or operating his FLEX software defined radios, you can probably find him with his wife Cynthia and their two rambunctious Shetland Sheepdogs or planning that next great scuba diving adventure where the water is clear and sun is warm.
Software Engineer - Bob McGwier, N4HY
Dr. Robert "Cowboy Bob" McGwier has a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Brown University. His thesis, “Regular Perturbations and Nonlinear Filtering”, sprang from his interest in phase-locked loops and range-rate orbit determination. Well known as N4HY, he has been an amateur radio operator since 1964. Bob was the co-founder of the AMSAT-TAPR DSP project with Tom Clark, K3IO (previously W3IWI).
Bob is author of the DSP code in the old AEA DSP1232 and DSP2232 multimode controllers.
Timewave offered these units for sale. He was a designer and builder on the AMSAT Microsat’s and participated in the Amsat-Oscar 13 and Amsat-Oscar 40 projects. For his work on the AMSAT and TAPR projects, he was awarded the Dayton Hamvention Technical Excellence award in 1990 and the Central States VHF Society John T. Chambers Award in 2007.
He is currently working on the AMSAT Eagle project on several software-defined radio transponders, the AMSAT-DL Phase 3 Express Project where he is bringing up IPS for the on-board computer and will author the software-defined radio for low speed telecommand on the upcoming projects
AMSAT-DL. Bob is currently the AMSAT Vice President for Engineering. He is also the chairman of the ARRL Software-Defined Radio Working Group and a member of the High Speed Multimedia working group.
In addition to his many endeavors Bob finds time to be an active member of ARRL,
AMSAT, AMSAT-DL, TAPR,
PACKRATS, and the Frankford Radio Club. Bob is happy to be a volunteer software contributor to this exciting radio project. Shann McGwier, Bob's wife, is N2HPE and they have three children. He is currently employed by the
Center for Communications Research in Princeton, N.J.
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