ABOUT EVERYDAY HAM

Three Hams. Full Spectrum.

Everyday Ham is a show about amateur radio the way most hams actually experience it -- with curiosity, opinions, bad ideas that sometimes work, and a lot of enthusiasm. We cover the full breadth of the hobby: from gear and antennas to digital modes, field operations, licensing, contesting, and whatever we've been obsessing over that week.

We're not experts with a curriculum. We're three friends who love radio and like talking about it.

Everyday Ham started where most ham radio friendships do -- at a club meeting. James, Jim, and Rory all found each other through the South Lyon Area Amateur Radio Club (SLAARC, N8SL) in Michigan, and what started as shack talk turned into a show.

James, Jim, and Rory at HamCation 2026 -- Orlando, FL

Meet the Hosts

  • Jim Davis (N8JRD), co-host of the Everyday Ham Podcast, stands next to a black poodle by a large fountain. Wearing sunglasses and a backpack, Jim enjoys a sunny day with his dog.

    Jim Davis

    N8JRD

    Jim has a voice made for radio and the logbook to match. He brings deep knowledge of HF operating, sharp humor, and the kind of unhurried confidence that only comes from years behind the mic and the key. He also has a poodle, and somehow it always comes up.

  • Rory Locke (W8KNX), co-host of the Everyday Ham Podcast, takes a selfie in front of a forested waterfall. Wearing sunglasses and a beard, Rory smiles with the natural landscape behind him.

    Rory Locke

    W8KNX

    Rory has been licensed since his teenage years -- the longest of the three -- and carries that experience with the calm of someone who's seen it all and doesn't need to say much about it. He's the youngest of the group with the oldest soul: direct, deeply knowledgeable, and the kind of operator who doesn't just know the answer, he knew it before you asked. We call him the old man and he's earned it.

  • James Mills (K8JKU), co-host of the Everyday Ham Podcast, smiles on a snowy forest trail. He’s wearing a black beanie, dark puffer jacket, and backpack, surrounded by wintry trees.

    James Mills

    K8JKU

    James holds his Extra class license but didn't come from a traditional technical background -- he came from curiosity. He's the newest ham of the three and leans into it, learning from Jim and Rory while bringing his own enthusiasm for the social side of the hobby, content creation, and figuring things out in public.