diff --git a/Configuration.cpp b/Configuration.cpp
index dc08907..3571262 100644
--- a/Configuration.cpp
+++ b/Configuration.cpp
@@ -634,6 +634,7 @@ private:
   bool transmit_directed_;
   bool autoreply_off_at_startup_;
   bool heartbeat_anywhere_;
+  bool heartbeat_qso_pause_;
   bool relay_disabled_;
   bool monitor_off_at_startup_;
   bool monitor_last_used_;
@@ -767,6 +768,7 @@ void Configuration::set_spot_to_reporting_networks (bool spot)
 bool Configuration::transmit_directed() const { return m_->transmit_directed_; }
 bool Configuration::autoreply_off_at_startup () const {return m_->autoreply_off_at_startup_;}
 bool Configuration::heartbeat_anywhere() const { return m_->heartbeat_anywhere_;}
+bool Configuration::heartbeat_qso_pause() const { return m_->heartbeat_qso_pause_;}
 bool Configuration::relay_off() const { return m_->relay_disabled_; }
 bool Configuration::monitor_off_at_startup () const {return m_->monitor_off_at_startup_;}
 bool Configuration::monitor_last_used () const {return m_->rig_is_dummy_ || m_->monitor_last_used_;}
@@ -1398,6 +1400,7 @@ void Configuration::impl::initialize_models ()
   ui_->transmit_directed_check_box->setChecked(transmit_directed_);
   ui_->autoreply_off_check_box->setChecked (autoreply_off_at_startup_);
   ui_->heartbeat_anywhere_check_box->setChecked(heartbeat_anywhere_);
+  ui_->heartbeat_qso_pause_check_box->setChecked(heartbeat_qso_pause_);
   ui_->relay_disabled_check_box->setChecked(relay_disabled_);
   ui_->monitor_off_check_box->setChecked (monitor_off_at_startup_);
   ui_->monitor_last_used_check_box->setChecked (monitor_last_used_);
@@ -1663,6 +1666,7 @@ void Configuration::impl::read_settings ()
   transmit_directed_ = settings_->value ("TransmitDirected", true).toBool();
   autoreply_off_at_startup_ = settings_->value ("AutoreplyOFF", false).toBool ();
   heartbeat_anywhere_ = settings_->value("BeaconAnywhere", false).toBool();
+  heartbeat_qso_pause_ = settings_->value("HeartbeatQSOPause", true).toBool();
   relay_disabled_ = settings_->value ("RelayOFF", false).toBool ();
   monitor_off_at_startup_ = settings_->value ("MonitorOFF", false).toBool ();
   monitor_last_used_ = settings_->value ("MonitorLastUsed", false).toBool ();
@@ -1834,6 +1838,7 @@ void Configuration::impl::write_settings ()
   settings_->setValue ("TransmitDirected", transmit_directed_);
   settings_->setValue ("AutoreplyOFF", autoreply_off_at_startup_);
   settings_->setValue ("BeaconAnywhere", heartbeat_anywhere_);
+  settings_->setValue ("HeartbeatQSOPause", heartbeat_qso_pause_);
   settings_->setValue ("RelayOFF", relay_disabled_);
   settings_->setValue ("MonitorOFF", monitor_off_at_startup_);
   settings_->setValue ("MonitorLastUsed", monitor_last_used_);
@@ -2375,6 +2380,7 @@ void Configuration::impl::accept ()
   transmit_directed_ = ui_->transmit_directed_check_box->isChecked();
   autoreply_off_at_startup_ = ui_->autoreply_off_check_box->isChecked ();
   heartbeat_anywhere_ = ui_->heartbeat_anywhere_check_box->isChecked();
+  heartbeat_qso_pause_ = ui_->heartbeat_qso_pause_check_box->isChecked();
   relay_disabled_ = ui_->relay_disabled_check_box->isChecked();
   monitor_off_at_startup_ = ui_->monitor_off_check_box->isChecked ();
   monitor_last_used_ = ui_->monitor_last_used_check_box->isChecked ();
diff --git a/Configuration.hpp b/Configuration.hpp
index 3a14ee4..a4a6050 100644
--- a/Configuration.hpp
+++ b/Configuration.hpp
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ public:
   bool transmit_directed() const;
   bool autoreply_off_at_startup () const;
   bool heartbeat_anywhere() const;
+  bool heartbeat_qso_pause() const;
   bool relay_off() const;
   bool monitor_off_at_startup () const;
   bool monitor_last_used () const;
diff --git a/Configuration.ui b/Configuration.ui
index 86f33c4..fc103f4 100644
--- a/Configuration.ui
+++ b/Configuration.ui
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
        <item>
         <widget class="QTabWidget" name="tabWidget_2">
          <property name="currentIndex">
-          <number>0</number>
+          <number>1</number>
          </property>
          <widget class="QWidget" name="stationTab">
           <attribute name="title">
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@
                 <x>0</x>
                 <y>0</y>
                 <width>724</width>
-                <height>617</height>
+                <height>646</height>
                </rect>
               </property>
               <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="verticalLayout_26">
@@ -380,6 +380,13 @@
                     </property>
                    </widget>
                   </item>
+                  <item>
+                   <widget class="QCheckBox" name="heartbeat_qso_pause_check_box">
+                    <property name="text">
+                     <string>Pause heartbeat transmissions while in a QSO (i.e., callsign is selected)</string>
+                    </property>
+                   </widget>
+                  </item>
                   <item>
                    <widget class="QCheckBox" name="spellcheck_check_box">
                     <property name="text">
diff --git a/mainwindow.cpp b/mainwindow.cpp
index 3771be7..9234008 100644
--- a/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -7084,6 +7084,8 @@ void MainWindow::sendHeartbeatAck(QString to, int snr, QString extra){
 
 void MainWindow::on_hbMacroButton_toggled(bool checked){
     if(checked){
+        clearCallsignSelected();
+
         if(m_hbInterval){
             m_nextHeartbeat = nextTransmitCycle().addSecs(m_hbInterval * 60);
 
@@ -7123,6 +7125,8 @@ void MainWindow::sendCQ(bool repeat){
 
 void MainWindow::on_cqMacroButton_toggled(bool checked){
     if(checked){
+        clearCallsignSelected();
+
         if(m_cqInterval){
             m_nextCQ = nextTransmitCycle().addSecs(m_cqInterval * 60);
 
@@ -7930,8 +7934,28 @@ void MainWindow::on_tableWidgetRXAll_selectionChanged(const QItemSelection &/*se
 
     auto placeholderText = QString("Type your outgoing messages here.");
     auto selectedCall = callsignSelected();
-    if(!selectedCall.isEmpty()){
+    if(selectedCall.isEmpty()){
+        // try to restore hb
+        if(m_hbPaused){
+            ui->hbMacroButton->setChecked(true);
+            m_hbPaused = false;
+        }
+    } else {
         placeholderText = QString("Type your outgoing directed message to %1 here.").arg(selectedCall);
+
+        // TODO: jsherer - move this to a generic "callsign changed" signal
+        if(m_config.heartbeat_qso_pause()){
+            // don't hb if we select a callsign... (but we should keep track so if we deselect, we restore our hb)
+            if(ui->hbMacroButton->isChecked()){
+                ui->hbMacroButton->setChecked(false);
+                m_hbPaused = true;
+            }
+
+            // don't cq if we select a callsign... (and it will not be restored otherwise)
+            if(ui->cqMacroButton->isChecked()){
+                ui->cqMacroButton->setChecked(false);
+            }
+        }
     }
     ui->extFreeTextMsgEdit->setPlaceholderText(placeholderText);
 
diff --git a/mainwindow.h b/mainwindow.h
index 88f7b05..747f76e 100644
--- a/mainwindow.h
+++ b/mainwindow.h
@@ -859,6 +859,8 @@ private:
   bool m_hbHidden;
   int m_hbInterval;
   int m_cqInterval;
+  bool m_hbPaused;
+  bool m_cqPaused;
   QDateTime m_nextHeartbeat;
   QDateTime m_nextCQ;
   QDateTime m_dateTimeQSOOn;