The AM Forum

I posted a note on the forum about a callsign I was curious about in another thread.  The callsign was WB2KCR.  My post was if anyone knew this AM'er.  I'm assuming this person was an AM'er because I have a schematic of an AM rig with his callsign penciled on it. 

This got me to thinking about the history of callsigns in general.  Some of us have callsigns that go back years and some of us have old looking in callsigns that are not old because of the vanity callsign system. I fall into the vanity call category 

I'm curious to know and I'm sure there are others that might be intrigued by the history of others callsigns and callsigns one has held over the years just as I.

I know there are some AM'ers here that have had a license for over 20 or 30 years and there are some who are newbies too.  What's the history of your callsign or callsigns you've had?  Let us know whether you've been licensed for 1000 years or 1 month.

I'll start off.  I was first licensed as KA1IHQ back in 1982.  I hated the call I was assigned and as soon as I upgraded to Technician I had the call changed to N1EBA.  I wasn't sure which one was better but when I was first licensed I always wished to have a "W" callsign.  When vanity licensing took place I debated with myself whether to change my "N" call or keep it.  It took several years to come to the final decision which is what I have now, W1RKW.  N1EBA was great for CW but on phone it was a PITA.  KA1IHQ was a PITA on CW but never knew on phone as I didn't have phone privileges then.

I've often wondered who held my current call but never really researched the history of the call.  I often wonder at times. I did a quick search on the I'net but couldn't turn up anything.  I don't have any old callbooks to find who held this previous to me. Maybe someone can send some info.

What's your callsign history?

PS. You don't necessarily have to be an AM'er to answer this question

I wish I had a call sign like K1KW (also great for a license plate on a classic car), but you have to wait a long time for those guys to die before the call sign becomes available.

My call, "AB1GX" means "Newbie".

Well, it is certain that we can't take our callsigns with us when we head to that great hamshack in the sky.

This is an interesting topic of discussion, and I think it is a worthwhile exercise to do a little research and find out a little about the history of our calls.  We might also do well to have a little respect and appreciation for those who came to ham radio before us, and those who might have previously held our callsigns.

I have been a ham for 48 yrs or so, but I certainly am not old enough to be the original holder of a W9 by 2 call!

I started out as a 14 yr old Novice in 1959 with the call KN9UBF, then upon upgrading to General class....became K9UBF.  I held that call until 1977, when I became the original holder of N9GT.  After 22 years and a overall shift in my interests to classic and vintage radio and AM, I thought it would be appropriate to obtain the "W" prefix so I applied for W9GT when it became available in 1999.

I have attempted to do a little research in old callbooks and other sources about the history of W9GT.  I learned that the call was probably first issued in the 'teens as '9GT.  It then became W9GT during the twenties.  The gentleman that held the call from the late twenties through the early 40's was in Chicago and then moved to the Upper peninsula of Michigan, which at that time was in the ninth call area.  After that...the call was dormant for many years and was reissued in about '77 to another gentleman in Illinois who was a somewhat prominent 160M operator as well as a DXer.  Apparently that fellow did not renew his license in the mid ninties and subsequently became a silent key.  The call was again dormant until it was issued to me in 1999. 

I certainly appreciate the privilege of holding a classic two letter "W" call sign with a long history.....perhaps after I'm gone it will again be passed on to another operator.  I just hope that I can show respect for the previous holders of W9GT by continuing the tradition of ham radio at its greatest!

73,  Jack, W9GT

I've been a licensed radio amateur since 1970, receiving my Novice call WN2OGS in March of that year at the age of 16, while a Junior in high school. In May of 1970, I upgraded to General Class and became WA2OGS, and in January of 1972, I received my Advanced Class license as well as my First Class Radiotelephone Operators License. Later, I obtained my Amateur Extra Class license.

I selected the call W2XR for historical reasons. It was first assigned back in 1929 to an experimental station operated by the late John V.L. Hogan for purposes ultimately of transmitting facsimile images and high-fidelity audio in the AM broadcast band. Hogan was a well-known electrical engineer who had worked closely with Lee de Forest and Major Edwin H. Armstrong in advancing the radio art, and W2XR became the first station on the AM broadcast band to transmit true wide-band high-fidelity audio. In 1936, W2XR became commercial broadcast station WQXR, the Radio Station of the New York Times, and WQXR was and is still reknowned for it's superb technical quality. At that time, the call W2XR was removed from circulation, and was not reissued until the late 1970s, when the "X" series of call sign suffixes first became available to the amateur service. For more information on the history of the original W2XR, you can Google W2XR; I believe that you will find this to be interesting reading

The previous holder of the call, the late John Seaver, was probably the first amateur holder of the call since it had been reissued sometime in the late 1970s. John had passed away back in July of 2002, and it seems the call was forgotten about after his passing. I petitioned the Commission to cancel the license based upon his death, which they did, and then the call became immediately available. I applied for the call W2XR in August of 2006, and fortunately for me, there were no other applications, and I became the new holder of W2XR on Sept, 1, 2006.

73,

Bruce

And Bruce, you now know what the back of John's head looked like back in the late 70's.

Hi Pete,

Yes, I have that photo of John Seaver here; you had sent it to me a number of months ago. I recall that you had worked with him at Bell Labs back in the 1970s.

Thanks, anyway!

73,

Bruce

Here's what Doug, K2JJ sent me regarding my call;  I have a few old callbooks here and did a little research on your call. I saw your posting on the AM Forum. From 1948 to 1995 W1RKW was held by a fellow named Harold Valois who lived in both Beacon Falls and Seymour CT. during this time period.  The government did not start issuing W prefixes until 1928 so previously there could have been a 1RKW. I don't have any books previous to 1948 except a few that go back to the teens and twenties nor anything post 1995 so he could have held it longer. Well that accounts for 47 years of W1RKW anyway. 

Thanks for the lookup Doug
Bob

Wonder if there are still any original holders of W prefix 1 X 2's still around?  It had to be no later than the early 30's when the FCC stopped issuing them.  Many callsigns issued even in the early 20's were  already 1X3's.  I'm not sure any 1X2's were issued as late as 1930.

I can recall when there were still quite a few original holders of 1X2's on the air.  After WW2, the FCC began to re-issue the calls, but only to hams who could document that they once held an original 1 X 2.  In some districts they ran out of the W prefix, so began to issue 1X2's with K prefix.  You could not request a particular call, but had to accept whatever random assignment the FCC gave you.

And thus the slippery slope begins:

Sometime in the late 60's or early 70's, as more and more original holders went SK, the FCC decided to re-issue 1X2's to any Extra class  licensees who could document having a 25 year tenure (as I recall) as a licensed ham. Payment of a one-time $20 fee was required.  The idea was to maintain the 1X2 as an indicator of a licensee with many years of experience and above average expertise.  Still no choice of any specific 1X2.

But soon licensees who couldn't qualify (sound familiar?) began to petition the FCC to eliminate the 25-year  clause.  Eventually, the FCC granted the request, and in addition, agreed to assign a specific requested callsign if available.  By then the FCC had stopped collecting the $20 fee.  The callsign was available upon request to anyone with an Extra class licence.  And you didn't have to give up your original callsign.  You could order your 1X2 as a secondary station  licence, at a different mailing address.  Many licensees used their parents' or in-laws' address as their "secondary"  location.

But when the present callsign system was adopted in the mid-70's, the FCC eliminated the secondary station licence.  Those with two or more callsigns had to give up all but one, and choose which one would be renewed as their permanent call.  The FCC began to randomly re-issue the remaining 1X2's as part of the standard block of calls assigned to the Extra class format.  When all the 1X2's were used up, they reverted to the 2X1 format, and then to the alpha-alpha 2X2 format.

Eventually, the vanity callsign system went into effect, as we have it today.

With each change, the 1X2 took on less and less of a special significance, until to-day it is practically meaningless.

First licensed in '68 as WN8NQN.
Didn't upgrade and it expired. I was out chasing girls and playing football in high school at the time.
Second licensed in '73 as WN8BIL.
The 2X3 WD series was first issued in 1974 so when I upgraded to general
that's when I got this call so I'm the original WD8BIL.
Yes.... the original WD8 Bud In Lorain!
 

Got a friend here in Lansing who is W8EGI....got his ticket in 1929 or so...still active at 84 ...
I looked into my own call...W8TOW was a gent from Detroit...a Mason...for real...practice
his trade by working on a BIG Catholic Cathedral in Detroit...lots of stories about him...
too bad I never been able to find more info....
73 steve
8tow (2nd)

Had the same call sign since i was licensed in 1958. WA2AAE is a good call for CW, but unfortunately I don't operate that mode very often. Never considered a vanity call.

73, Harvey

I think I got my first call in 82. KA3LMJ. I was in the last batch of exams to be taken at the Baltimore FCC office. They never had exams there again. I dunno exactly when i got N3DRB, except I loved it right away because it rhymed, it had a good beat, and you could dance to it. I'll never change it.

Got my ticket in the 70s, WB1GFH. When vanity appeared, I wrote to the guy who owned W1GFH. He was a big contester from RI, and he planned to trade it in for one of those strange 2 letter calls (like A1AA). So when he bailed out, I took W1GFH.

As I posted earlier, if this guy (Harold Valois) was still alive today, he would be 107.

I have several DOS and early Windows databases that allows me to look back into early call sign listings.

WN1GFZ till '67 then WA1GFZ......it ain't pretty

WN1KPD in Novemebr 1968


WA1KPD since 1969..... Took the test in the Boston Customs house (now a Marriott vacation hotel)
(http://www.janeholtzkay.com/Articles/images/lost_boston_cover.jpg)


I took the general /advanced on a warm October day and the windows were open while they drove foundation piles right next door. The original design was a Greek temple, with columns on all sides, and a domed roof. Before land reclamation was done in the mid-1800s, Boston's waterfront extended to this building. The Custom House was built at the end of the City docks to allow inspection of cargo. The tower was built as an addition to this existing base between 1913 and 1915 Boston at that time had a 125 ft height restriction but since the Custom House was federally owned it was not subject to these restrictions Until the 1960s Boston would not allow a building taller then the Customs house to be built.


I considered W1CHN or W1KPD from time to time, but by now a WA1 call is pretty authentic so I think I will keep it into my buzzardly days.

For extra points does any 1 lander remember what floor the exams were on? I think it was the 8th.

I obtained my first call, KA2FFS, on April 15th, 1979 at the tender age of 14.

I held the call for about 19 years and decided to apply for an "Advanced" call.  The FCC issued me KG2MY.  UGH!  I hated it, but I lived with it.

Seven years later, I decided enough was enough, and I applied for W2WAS.  I wanted the call since I was always a big fan of the original W2WAS, Joe Lambias.

Yup I also did the customs house under the watchful eyes of Sarno.
I did get my second phone in S.F. while visiting friends

It was one of the upper floors. High enough to be scary. The windows were huge old casement style with no screens - nothing between you and oblivion -  and were thrown WIDE open in winter due to the old steam-radiator heat on that floor.

It was one of the upper floors. High enough to be scary. The windows were huge old casement style with no screens - nothing between you and oblivion -  and were thrown WIDE open in winter due to the old steam-radiator heat on that floor.
[/quote]
At my tender age, I was sure they would toss  those who did not pass the code out those windows. And yes they were open during my test

Well I held the call WA1ZUF from 1975-2006. My uncle and I took our exames at the same time and he recived WA1ZUG. My Dad, W1TAV referred to us as “ZUF” & “ZUG.”

When WA1ZUG went SK, in 2005, the novelty of having a consecutive call went away.  So 19 years after my Dad went SK, I took his call. W1TAV.

One interesting item was while going though some of my Dad’s stuff, I found the etched steel and wood block engraving he used for his QSL cards back in the 50’s. Because there was no personal information on the front of the QSL, I have used it for my own cards.  I also have his original license; he was first holder of W1TAV issued in JUNE of 1950.

Steve W1TAV

1955 Kn9ACT
1956 K9ACT
let it expire
1983 N9GHV
1983 NR9Q
2006 decided old was better than ego so I applied and got K9ACT back.

Jack K9ACT Marengo Il 

The Noon Time Forum 3875, weekdays at Noon of course, AM of course.

WN0POZ April '75  WORST frigging call EVER - phone or CW.
WB0POZ when I upgraded to Tech circa 1976-77
Upgraded to Extra circa 1980-82?  Can't remember but it was at the downtown St. Paul, MN FECES office.

W3JN 1999.  I had no idea of the significance of "JN" in the AM community.  When I first met Timmy and introducedmyself at the Timonium Hamfest I though he was gonna die laughing  ;D

I have an old QSL card from the 1950's from the original W3JN.  I'm at the lake QTH now so I don't have it handy, but it was a fellow in the Philly area.  Harry something-or-other.

I was KN3EZS for 6 months in 1958, then K3EZS in 1958.   I was determined to keep the call after getting the Extra when forced to,  but when they downgraded the call sign system I got K3ZS a few years ago.    I picked up a 1959 Callbook at a garage sale, there are many real 1X2 calls in it.    Anyone wanting a look-up, send me an email.

WN2FEH  2/63

WB2RJR my novice expired so was off the air a few months (held this for 27 years or so), took the General exam on the second floor of the Ellicott Square Building in Buffalo, N.Y.

N0JYS in Colorado (got tired of explaining why I was a WB2 in Co.)

KG0KO also in Colorado

TA1ZJ (really liked that call, made about 6000 contacts with it)

K7RKR when I moved my legal residence to Wyoming(no income tax)

WB2RJR, I really like this call for CW, where I spend 99% of my time. It sounds great on CW with a little Lake Erie swing, and I no longer give a damn if someone knows if I'm in Wy or Co.( when I'm there).

73

Marty WB2RJR

First licensed as a tech with the ungodly call of KB2VKJ, try that on CW!
Then upgraded to Extra and earned KG2IC.

When I moved to Portland, Maine in January of 2001, I replaced the KG2IC call with a suitable old buzzard "W1" call to reflect the call district.
To honor my elmer, Dick Haungs W2UJR, now a silent key, I took the "UJR" suffix.
In fact the Amplitude Modulation Society of Buffalo - AMSOB - now holds the W2UJR call as the formal club callsign.

I'm still a strong believer that your callsign should reflect your call district.

One thing what would be interesting, perhaps its already been done and I don't know about it, is a method to look up the history of your call.
Something like QRZ but working backwards, so you can see who were the previous holders.
I'm always digging up old call books at the hamfests, but much before the 1940s is in pretty sorry shape.


73 Bruce W1UJR

(http://www.w1ujr.net/images/UJR_NewCard_0j6.jpg)

Kinda boring but....
When I got out of the Navy as a Radioman in 1971 I became WN1QWT
Then when I passed the General a year later at the Customs House in Boston I got WA1QWT. ALso took a 2nd Phone test there.
Well as my memory began failing when the vanity calls came along I dropped the A.
One less character to remember.
So now I am just a W1QWT (It ain't dark yet---but it's getting there)
I also shortened my name from Bob to Q so I could remember it.
Now if I only knew where I was.

Q

Novice:  WB1GYC
Lapse:  Off da ayah
KA1VPX 2nd Novice
W1XAW: Treat for upgrading to extra.  I actually upgraded slightly after so I was W1XAW as a general for a bit.

W1XAW was an experimental call at Tufts College in the late 20's.  I have volunteered for the Tufts (now a University) and won a 2 volume history at one of our events where I saw a reference to W1XAW.  I had some misgivings about being a fake old buzzard but KA1VPX is a bit long for CW work and I was very active at W1KN as a grad student so I  decided to adopt the clubs old secondary call in tribute.  I think all of the experimental calls had the X. I don't know why it was not W1XKN and I have often wondered if there was some tie to W1AW. I'm not a member of the league so it would be funny if I had a call connected to them. 

Best,

Ed

While it no longer has imposed meaning, I suspect many who acknowledge the historical significance still actually try to not get callsigns indicating a license greater than they have.

Like many keep the call zone number indicating their home even though now they don't seem to have that imposed on them either.

HISTORY:
1983   KA2TUE   novice
2002   KB3IPE   technician
2005   K3TUE   general
2007   ?3??   extra (still studying)

FCC offices in the custom house were at 1600. In 1961 the office was headed up by Nathan Hallenstein who was a ham himself.His #1 "Goombah" was Jerry Sarno.He was not a ham. His claim to fame was being an ex-narcotics cop in Boston. He did not like me and I liked him less. Long story.  JOE

I was at the customs house taking a test one day and Jerry was tearing this JN a new AH over TVI. he almost threw the poor guy out the window behind his desk when the poor kid told him that he had moved his dipole to the other side of the yard.

Probably not an easy thing to do. Prior to 1990, probably most of the FCC archived data is either on punched cards or magnetic tape. Not sure if you could even get your hands on any of this stuff. I don't believe the original Call Book Company (closed their doors several years ago) used computerized data until late 70's or early 80's. Prior to that, it was type-set printing. Computerized data on CD's started appearing on the market in 1991. It's possible you might be able to extract this data or pull down from the FCC all the data they presently have in their database. So, going backward, for each year, you could scan, using an OCR reader, each page in a printed call book, and enter all that data in a database. You would go back as far in years as you feel is necessary. You would also have to merge all this data with the extracted CD data or current FCC data. You would then have to verify each line, delete duplicate entries (call, name, address, etc. didn't change from one year to the next). and in the end, you probably would wind up with a reasonable representation of a call sign history database. Lots of work with probably minimal appeal to the ham masses. Time and cost would also be a consideration.

My personal callsign history:

WN2AJM (1975) I think Novices still carried one year non-renewable tickets back then.
WA2AJM (1976) As was common practice, the FCC issued me WA2AJM when I upgraded to General the following year. My exam was conducted at the FCC field office in the Federal building at Houston & Varick Sts in NYC.

You can see that my call carries no special signficance except that it was issued to me before the mid-70's callsign plan after which call groups were established to generally reflect license class. I've always thought that AJM was tedious to tap out on CW and it doesn't roll off my tongue very well either. Lately I've given thought to changing it, but others insist that it carries an increasingly "buzzardly" like quality with each passing year.  I may stick with 'AJM only because of the thought of owning a "dead man's call" just doesn't sit right with me. 

The FCC only began to issue WA and WB, prefixes in the 50's, so I led myself to believe that I had a first issue callsign that was not recycled. For quite a number of years no new 1x3 callsigns were issued to licensees at all. If you think about it, we are the first ham generation to actively see old calls of previous generations recycled into general use.  As luck would have it, I since discovered that WA2AJM was issued to someone in NJ in the mid-50's who lost it a few years later when he moved out west. The call sat dormant until the mid-70's when it was reissued to me.

73, Jim
WA2AJM

1963   kn3zrf, novice

1964   k3zrf, general

1968   k3zrf, advanced

2007   k3zrf, still here, same call.

When I took the General, the windows were open, you could see 8 16 stories down to a concrete sidewalk, and the FCC examiners were in full hazing mode. I recall one of them barking angrily at the small group of quaking applicants, "IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE MATERIAL YOU HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING HERE".

Those were the days...

N4MC who has the domain vanityhq is compiling data about your call sign history.  Many people have already entered their information.  You may do so at http://vanityhq.com/

In the left pane on the upper left is the call sign lookup.  If you put in my call, you will see the history of my different calls.  You may enter your information if you choose.

I was at the customs house once when the windows were open. Wide and close to the floor. Sometimes you know it is time to shut up and keep a low profile.
I took my second class phone in S.F. Ca. another cool place

Jim,
how did you manage a WA2A call in '75 ? Was it a reissue.
The 2s were ahead of the 1s when I got my novice.
I thought the 2s were WB2s by early 70s

Just like Frank Bad and Badder...

1973  WN2UID  - which drew lots of IUD jokes from local hams but I was too young to know what an IUD was!

1975  WB2UID - after two hellish trips to the federal building in Syracuse NY

2005  WU2D

Mike

August 6, 1966 - WB2YPE (General)
December 1967 - Passed Advanced; August 1968 - received Advanced
Expired 1972 or so, renewed in third district - WA3WDR
1990 or so - Extra

IUD is the recipical of an IED

October 1954    -- Novice       KN2JVM      age: 15
May 1955         -- Technician  K2JVM        age: 15
August 1955     --  General      K2JVM        age: 15
July 1964         --  Germany     DL5EN        age: 24
August 1964     --  Army MARS AE1ENE       age: 24
December 1968 --  Advanced   K2JVM         age: 29
April 2000         --  Extra         K2JVM         age: 60
May 2002          -- Vanity        K2VH          age: 62

I am the original holder of both K2JVM and K2VH.  I had K2VH researched, and  no one else has ever held that call.  Lots of my AM gear is used, but not my calls.

BTW, both my General and my Advanced exams were taken at the FCC Field Office at 328 Post Office Building, Buffalo, NY.  Scary place, and scary RIs.  Had to draw schematics too.  The Extra was much less scary -- taken at the Newark, NY Hamfest, and yes, code still at 20 wpm.

And, as a side note of interest, at the test sessions for my General (1955), Advanced (1968), and Extra (2000) most people there were approximately my age.  That should tell us something.

K2 Vanity Herb

Whoa! 32 years at Advanced? There's hope for me yet!! :D

1983 - Novice     KA1KAQ
1984 - Tech       KA1KAQ
1985 - General    KA1KAQ
1986 - Advanced KA1KAQ

Self-imposed 1 year waiting period between upgrades to learn the ropes. Hopefully I'll be able to scarf up an appropriate 4 Land call when the time comes.

Several interesting comments have been made regarding the FCC "in person" testing at various locations.  The FCC came here to Fort Wayne (from Chicago) to the Post Office/Federal Bldg to give exams four times a year.  I recall taking the General test in 1960 (I was 15)and being very intimidated by the manner of the examiner.  It was a no nonsense, very serious environment with a very stern-looking bald fellow with little wire-rimmed glasses giving the tests.  He almost looked disappointed when he called me up after the code test and told me that I got 100%.  Wow!  I almost jumped out through the ceiling!  The theory exam seemed simple after that......but yes, we had to draw schematics and the whole shebang.  I took the Advanced in 1968 ? or so, along with my Commercial ticket exam, and took the Extra in 1977.  Both occasions were similar situations, but I remember the Extra was proctored by a older lady who was apparently a local Civil Service Employee drafted by the FCC for the task.  The Extra 20 WPM test was given under especially difficult conditions in that a small cassette recorder-player with lousy quality was utilized and it echoed through the room.  The lady had to grade the code-test, then again called me up for the written portion and told me that I scored 100%.... whoopie!!  That sure doesn't mean much these days, but I was proud of the accomplishment back then.  Taking those tests was sort of a right-of-passage.  We all seemed to really value the accomplishment after making it through a very stressful experience.

Tripping down old buzzard lane.............

73,  Jack, W9GT

I remember the first time I fired up my 6V6 rig on 3725 into a light bulb. I kept checking outside for the FCC. I was 14 and there was a real fear back then.

Yeah, Frank.  We used to say, "The RI's gonna pull up to your house in the BLACK MORIAH and get ya'."

WA9OZC, WB8FZZ (station license at my grandpa's Michigan farm) and WR9AMI.
Did I mention WPE9GPI?

The FCC gave me the option of keeping the WR9 repeater call OR my WA9 call when the repeater calls went away. Maybe I should have done that for the prefix hunters.

I'm keeping my 2x2 call beginning with K, I don't want an "A" call.

ha, frank you make me laugh. same thing, b4 I got my novice I had a HB
6aq5, popping a whopping dozen watts into a wire to test it. looked out
the window for vans, maybe 15yrs old (?)

wn1knx novice 1968
wa1knx adv     1970
wa1knx extra   1977

Yes! FCC office in Boston's Custom Tower had a crappy mono cassette player too, the kind with piano key buttons. From dents seen in the speaker grille, it looked like they kicked it around the office between exams. Sounded horrible, loaded with tape hiss.

At the time I took my Advanced test (~1968), they used an Instructograph with punched paper tape and some sort of tube oscillator.

I'll never forget the moment that the examiner looked up and said "You just made it".

Bill

Wow,--"self imposed" waiting period, something very unusual Todd. You are/ were old fashion after all.

         If I recall correctlly my history was,
         Dec 59- Novice  KN1MVP
         March 60-Conditional K1MVP
         July 63 - General, FCC field examiner came to Burlington hamfest. K1MVP
         Oct 68- W0MUC(still general) Colorado
         Oct 71-W1GWD back in Vt.(before vanity callsign era)
         Summer 72-Advanced at Albany New York, FCC field office- W1GWD
         March 89- Extra W1GWD(VEC 20 wpm)
         JULY 2001-Got back original call(K1MVP) under vanity callsign program.

                                              73, K1MVP

          P.S, 2nd class radiotelephone(summer 68) at Boston customhouse.
         

I started as WB2TZC in early seventies, N2ARJ around 79, N2IFY until I lost my license for having a Pirate Shortwave Station, then retested/reapplied in 94 and got KF2VM.  JAMIE

1991 - KA1ZGC - Novice - Age 19
1991 - KA1ZGC - Tech - Age 19
1992 - KA1ZGC - General - Age 20
1994 - KA1ZGC - Advanced - Age 22

Now, for the edification of the "you ain't a real ham if you didn't take your exam in an FCC office" crowd (and you know who you are):

My Advanced exam was probably the most interesting of them all. I was sitting in the shack flipping the 2 meter CB through some of the local repeaters when I hear N1BCF get on a little-known seldom-used repeater in Augusta, ME to announce that she was giving an exam at her house in half an hour.

I immediately grabbed the mic and called back: "Grab a 4(A), Phyllis. I can just make your place in a half hour. KA1ZGC."

The tone of her voice made it quite clear that she was less than pleased that anyone heard her at all, but she gave me some quick directions and told me I damn well better be there in 30 minutes, not 31.

So I piled into my Chevy Celibacy and practically flew to her place, in about 28 minutes.

She set myself and another guy up on a rickety, wobbly card table, gave him his Novice and Tech written exams, and gave me my Advanced.

For those of you who never knew Phyllis: she was an old Army nurse. Y'know, the kind that comes off more like a tank captain or Gunner First Class, perhaps a drill sargeant. Someone who could easily kick the crap out of anyone who gave her any excuse to.

Before she even started going through my exam, she gave me the hairy eyeball and asked "You DID study for this exam, right?"

"Of course I did, Phyllis. You think I'd be dumb enough to waste your time on an exam I knew I'd fail?". Truth be told, I hadn't looked at the book in months.

She grumbled something under her breath, and started going through the exam. Every time she found an incorrect answer, she'd repeat the question (with a slightly hairier eyeball each time), and I would repeat my answer.

At the end, as she carved out the CSCE, she paused, pointed at me and said "Just ONE MORE wrong answer, and you would have FAILED!".

After she and the other VEs signed the CSCE, she handed it to me, smiled (which she didn't do very often) and said "Congratulations".

I thanked her, her smile vanished, she pointed at me again and barked "But NEXT TIME, you'd better do a WHOLE LOT BETTER than this!".

All I could do was chuckle. "You got it, Phyllis."

She handed the other guy his CSCEs (he passed his no-code tech), congratulated both of us again, and told us to get the hell out so she could go to bed.

Stopped at McDonald's in Augusta just before closing time and asked them what they had that was still hot. They sold me two cheeseburgers, which I inhaled on the way home, and exhaled for about two days afterwards.

So I'll see your FCC exam, and raise you one old Army nurse and a healthy case of food poisoning!  ;D

Just kidding, but that's one exam I will certainly NEVER forget!

--Thom
Killer Agony One Zipper Got Caught

I was originally issued "KA3NIO" when I received my novice ticket, and then decided to shed the Novice 2X3 call when I upgraded to a (old) Technician. I wanted one of the new N calls so people would'nt think I was still a novice, and was issued N3IBX at the time of the Technician upgrade.

I kind of wish I retained the original KA3NIO, and could still get it it a vanity call. I decided to keep the "N3IBX", since that's the call people know me as. Changing a callsign can be confusing, and besides, I had QSL cards printed up. If I reverted back to my old callsign or a vanity call, I wouldn't be able to use them.

Mod-U-Later,
                 Joe Cro N3IBX ex: KA3NIO

History:

1996 - Sequentially assigned Tech N1XZB (ick!), if I finished my test a little earlier, I'd be N1XYZ!
2004 - Vanity - W1EUJ. Same call as another ham (back in the 50's) that ran my school's radio club. Still a Tech.
2006 - Upgraded to Extra after deciding it was enough! Had my QSL cards printed.

BTW, folks who are going to the NEAR-FEST and would like to upgrade, there is a nearby VE session:

Goto : The Deerfield Fire Department at 4 Old Center Road South  Deerfield NH.
About 1 mile north of the Deerfield Fairgrounds on Rte. 43
Go N on Rte. 43 to the sharp curve at the curve, you take the left and then you will see the station

I'll be one of the VEs, hope to see you there.


David Goncalves
W1EUJ

 "If I reverted back to my old callsign or a vanity call, I wouldn't be able to use them. "

Get it as a club call and u can use 'em both...

_________  "The Vortex Society"_______________

KA1ZGC wrote:
"So I'll see your FCC exam, and raise you one old Army nurse and a healthy case of food poisoning!  Just kidding, but that's one exam I will certainly NEVER forget!
--Thom
Killer Agony One Zipper Got Caught"

Thom,

That's a really great story.  I enjoyed it immensely.  Just for laughs and giggles I looked up ol N1BCF, and according to QRZ.com, she's still living at age 82 (born in 1925) and will have her license till Oct. 23, 2007.  Of course nowadays, someone can die and the ham world may not know about it for almost ten years.  Do you know if she's still living?  I would think it would be neat to contact her if she is--just to smile at her, and maybe get her to smile back.  And maybe give her a copy of your great write-up here on the AM Forum.

I thought your story was (K2) Very Hilarious!

Started in 1966 with WN1HZK. Took my Gereral & Advanced at the Custom House, Boston,  with Dean, WA1HSD when I was in High School after that. Kept the WA1HZK all these years. Nothing special, it's just that I have had it so long I'm used to it and plan to keep it. They can pry it from my cold dead hands, etc. or until I get so buzzardly that I forget to renew it. I'll probably go out as a mindless boot, just as I started!

Keith,
Way back then we all wanted to drop the A and be like the big guys.

Found this picture of a WWII WAC sergeant that transferred to the Red Cross.
Lordy.
My grandma is the one that says, "Mary", at the table to the right.
November, 1943.

How about some Canadian call-sign stories?

I got my first call (which I still hold) in 1969. VE2BAQ. This was it's second issuance, as it had belonged to Harold Goldstein, also of Montreal.  I guess he gave it up when he got his 2-letter call (or maybe he went SK?).

In 1989  I  moved to Ontario and applied for a VE3 call. Got  VE3RDZ.  At the same time, I applied for my two-letter calls, one for Quebec, and another for Ontario.

In Canada, one may have as many 3-letter calls as one can afford, but only  one 2-letter call per district.    I got VA3ES. The "VA" prefix was just starting then, and since I wanted my initials, they gave me a "VA" call.  (VE3ES  was already taken.)

I also received VE2SS (sloppy seconds), for Quebec.

Call signs are owned for life here.  Since about 1990 or so, the Certificate is  combined with the station license.  A new license costs $60.     

So, my progession is:
1969:   VE2BAQ
1990:   VE3RDZ
1990:   VA3ES
1990:   VE2SS

I only just learned by way of Tim that she passed on a month or so ago.

I actually took several exams from her over the years, my earliest being one of my first attempts at my Novice back in the mid eighties. I was a serious slacker about learning my code until the no-code tech came out in '91, then out of a renewed sense of purpose I mastered it and finally got my Novice.

From about 1986 to 1991, I took and failed countless code tests, but kept passing the Novice and Tech written tests, with only ever a pair of CSCEs to show for it. Many of them had Phyllis's signature on them, so her Sarge routine was one I knew well because I deserved it for so many years.

Phyllis never really faded into the past for me, she was at the last Windsor, ME hamfest I attended. I was actually suprised to hear she was gone, as I always pictured her pounding the crap out of The Grim Reaper for disturbing her sleep.

Guess we can't all live forever.

--Thom
Kraft Advertisement One Zesty Grated Cheese

Sorry to hear of Phyllis's passing, Thom.  She must have been a real character.  Sometimes curmudgeons can be fun!  I'm sure that I. A. Rockman, who gave me my General exam at the main Post Office Building on Swan Street in downtown Buffalo, has been gone for years.  He was really scary!  We referred to him as "Rocky," but not to his face. ;D

vH

I have to bring this one back to the top after reading the Customhouse thread.

After being a Novice - WN2ZDY - for 11 months, Mom finally decided to let her 14 yr old HS freshman son go to New York City with a few seniors for his General test.  Little did she know he might just as well have gone alone months earlier.   In Dec 1975 I became WA2ZDY.  In Nov 76 I failed the Advanced and in Nov 77 I passed the Extra and 2nd class telegraph with radar and aircraft endorsements.

I met a female Extra my own age (18) in Dec 79 who had a newfangled 2x1 call.  By then one could no longer choose a call.  To amuse the YL though, I applied and sequentially got KE2P.  yuck.   Kept that until changing to AB5IQ (again sequentially) in 1992.   In 1996 with the vanity program I got W5ATX.

Soon enough it became apparent I would never return to Texas so I applied for and got WA2ZDY back in Feb 03.

A few years ago I got an email from a brother ham who filled me in on this call.  Sadly I lost the email and forgot the details.   But I'm the third WA2ZDY, the others having been in 1958 and 1964.

It's good to have my "own" call back.

I guess lower letter call sign availabilty depended on the ham population of a given call area.

Should have been licensed a lot earlier but with help of Fairmont, WV club (MARA) and kind elmering of W8JM, my first call in 1970 was WN8FRZ. What fun! Built up a 6V6 xtal rig and with a used HQ 110AC had a ball and worked a good part of the country on 80 and 40.

Took the gen. and adv. at same time later in year at Fed. bldg. in Pittsburgh, then became WB8FRZ. 
Moved to northern Pa. in '74 and became WA3YPI.  "Yippie"  So just by moving to a lesser pop. area dropped from a "B" to an "A."

Hey, if I'd've moved a few years earlier maybe I'd've gotten a true 1x3. Anyway, should have kept that call or just dropped the "A."  - But changed it to W3RSW in '90's.  Moved back to WV in '95 and thinking about getting an 8 call.  "Just don't get no respect in these parts." 

And, Yeah, have to agree that 1x2's have lost a lot of their luster.  The neo-extra syndrome I suppose.

I can hardly wait for the old hams to die, so that the younger ones can enjoy ham radio without the deprecating attitude.

So, men, eat up those sausages, drink those beers, and drive really, really fast.


David Goncalves
W1EUJ

I just want them off the highways.

No Ticket -  BOOT with a record machine (like, who didn't)
Novice - KB2IDU
Tech - N2JTD
General - N2JTD
Advanced WA2AM
Advanced W2JTD

This is about the lousiest post I have ever seen on this bulletin board.  "I can hardly wait for the old hams to die, so that the younger ones can enjoy ham radio without the deprecating attitude." 

If I ever saw a "deprecating attitude," the above quote personifies it.  That was absolutely uncalled for, and we older Hams deserve an apology.  Most of us are happy to welcome the newer folks into the hobby, myself included.  We don't always agree with FCC's policies on licensing standards, but that does not mean we deprecate those who benefit from them.  I plan to stick around for a long time, David, so don't hold your breath waiting form me to die.

73,
Herbert J. Ulrich, Jr., Ph.D.
K2VH, formerly K2JVM and other calls, including DL5EN, while in the service of our country.

The one thing about posting text is one may not be able to determine jocularity.  I think Dave was just being a smarty pants. I wouldn't read anything into it.

agree, thought it was funny :)

my dull call history

68 wn1knx novice
69 wa1knx advanced
77 wa1knx extra

Jocularity doesn't wish someone to die.  I'm not reading anything into it.  I'm taking it at face value.

vH

Another boring history:
Novice in 1976 or 1977? WB1ELA
General from the Customs House in Boston 1981
Extra in 1993
and W1IA vanity in 1995

Brent

Hi Herb,
This stuff of "hoping the OT`s die", by some newcomers was common on qrz.com during the cw ellimination "debates"--It got real "nasty",-- best thing is to ignore these comments, as all
it did was fuel the newcomer versus old timer differences.

This is the kind of stuff that does nothing to help heal our differences, but only make matters worse.

                                               73, Rene, K1MVP
                                                     

1959 WA2CWA

"Wait" isn't "hope" or is it "wish"

This thread is Callsign History; let's not drive into the ground.

(http://www.puzzlemaster.ca/puzzles/thumbnails/mechanical_key.gif)

 "Wait" is not "hope" or is it "wish"

 Technically that may be true Pete,--but lets be candid about the "context" in how "wait" is used
 in this sentence.
 Its like the guy who can`t "wait" for his old rich uncle to die so he can get his inheritance,--
 in other words his "grabs".(everybody knows he is hoping or wishing it to happen)

                                             73, K1MVP

Herb,

My reaction was the same.  I read that post in total disbelief at the level of inconsiderate and thoughtless disregard for "the older generation" of hams.  I presumed that it was tongue-in-cheek, however, I'm not sure if I have ever heard/seen anything said here or elsewhere that would deserve such a hateful comment.....in jest or otherwise.

Some might try to drive a wedge between the generations....but frankly, I have always encouraged younger people to get into the hobby and I don't believe that the so-called deprecating attitude toward the younger generation is practiced by many people that I know or have heard on the air.

David...if you have personally had some unfortunate experience with "older generation" hams, perhaps you need to direct your comments specifically to those individuals!

73,  Jack, W9GT (proud to be an "old-timer" licensed for 48 years)


P.S.
As an addendum to my earlier posting of call-sign history.....have also held the special call-signs of KJ9ITU 1974 ITU conf celebration, KB9SA Boy Scout Jamboree - Indiana 1975, AD9UBF - 1976 Bicentennial, and W9T - 2006 celebration of 100 years of AM radio and phone band expansion.

Well, I wasn't going to wade in here, but the protestations finally pushed me over the edge. 

I, too, was first licensed 48 years ago (KN0VDD).  While there were very supportive hams encouraging a youngster of 10 in the hobby, there were also plenty of deprecating comments and attitudes.  I imagine most of you received CW replys to your early code transmissions with a variant of "...so-LID copy, OM." 

When I returned to the hobby after a football and girl-induced divergence, My new call (KA0DBA) was welcomed with deprecating comments like "...must be a bootlegger."  Talk about a fond embrace!

So, I changed my call (N0AUB) and guess what?  No small number of hams either talked about having an "N" call filter installed or pretended they couldn't hear me.  Gotta love it.

Even though there are regulars here who do not present themselves as superior beings, this website is rife with deprecating terms.  How often do you see the word "slopbucket" in posts?  Is that a term of endearment?  How many references to good old days, implying that hams today have somehow made things not so good?  Okay, I took my tests at Customs Houses in Kansas City and Denver...from a stern FCC examiner who first required you to pass the CW receiving test, then the sending test, then the written test (yes, 5 schematics to draw, too).  So what?

I've never taken the deprecations or the deprecators seriously, but they exist.  While I've dismissed most of it as either small minds, small self-concept, or small something else, it's a part of our ham culture.   When someone calls us on it, we shouldn't get overly excited.  We should just continue to quietly set the example...treat others the way we would like to be treated.  No apologies required.   

C'mon guys, lighten up :)
   
I, for one, am proud of my history, smarts, wise and all knowing ways based on many, solid years designing, building, using a wonderful mode and most of all, listening to my elders.. heh, heh.   Ooops, looks like "I are one" now too.

We're almost down to defining what "is" is.

yours in moderation,
3RSW

Never happened to me. (BTW, how does one change between upper and lowercase letters on CW?)

Guess they just put the hyphen in between "SO" and "LID." 

Yeah, sure remember my first CW qso.  Couldn't copy a damn thing but I swear the come back that I did copy was, "nt the tiger eh rick?"

Shut down for a week before nerve returned.

There is always: QRS...............MF........ ;) ;)

I sincerely hope that some one of the "Thread Police" on this site doesn't see fit to zorch this thread because of my post.  I do not take back my thoughts on having death wished on the old timers, but I hope we can now get beyond that, and appreciate this thread for what it is -- a most interesting callsign history.  In fact, somebody ought to save it for future reference.

Yes, I too was a kid once, as I have shown by a number of pictures posted on this BB in the past year or so.  And, I was able to get along fabulously with W2OY, who really was very nice to us kids, lids, and space cadets.  Also, I had a great time  as a novice on cw, and never encountered any negative attitudes.  And when I got on phone, the old timers helped me to bring my modulation up from 10% to about 80%.  Maybe David will post here yet, and admit that he went a bit off the deep end with his comment about not being able to wait for the old timers to die.  That would be helpful and decent.

73,
K2VHerb

If Dave was being serious well shame on him. I'm not a newbie ham nor a OT either so I didn't take it as offensive.  I guess anyone could go either way.  That's a given.  I do prefer boxers rather than briefs.

Update on my call sign history:
1958 WV2CWA
1959 WA2CWA


"Thread Police": That could be considered a deprecating phrase or term along with "slopbucket", "ricebox", "Extra lite", "codeless and clueless", etc.

There are no thread police here. We have members, guests, moderators, and administrators. ;D

And, I prefer briefs. :P

TMI !  TMI !
my underdrawer proclivities are best kept "holy."  :)

Amazing number of smilies creeping back in this thread.
And yeah, Frank,  I should'a thought of QRS MF.. but way back then about the worst you could call a guy was an sob; MF hadn't quite made general lexicon yet or at least not in my innocent little vocab. ... as opposed to the WWII (the big one) returning vets; I was just a pw little jn.