onion on a vanity call

[ad5fd]

greetings all

i am still new to this forum, and am still trying to establish an am presence.

i started out back in late 70s listening to some great am stations on 40 and 80m that inspired me to finally get my license in 90s after MANY tries.

whitch brings me to callsigns.  i see the call of one am'er is about to expire<coming up to the 2 year grace period limit>.  i am considering applying for the call n ext month.  the call is of john, w5meu, of san antonio.  i never met the om however do have a swl card from 1981 from him.

what do y'all think?  would it be agreeable to apply for it, or let someone else who was more active on am or knew him better, to get it?  i want input cause i dont wanna offend anyone if i do even tho i dont have a great am station yet or kew the man.  i think it would be kinda neat and a nod to radio of old...

[w3jn]

Why *not* you?  If you like the callsign and have some sentimental attachment to it, go for it.

And welcome to the AM forum!  Great bunch of guys, lotsa knowledge here, grab a beer, light up a seegar, and pull up a seat.

73 John

[Pete, WA2CWA]

And welcome to the AM forum!  Great bunch of guys, lotsa knowledge here, grab a beer, light up a seegar, and pull up a seat.
73 John

Can't do that in any bar in NJ after the 4/15, unless it's in an AC casino.

[Jim, W5JO]

Tom as an Extra Class licensee you qualify for the call.  I cannot think of anyone who is more deserving to hold the call especially since you have an emotional tie.  You should be especially welcomed in the AM QSOs by those who knew John and respected him.

I assume you know how to apply directly using the FCC website.  That will cost only the price of a vanity call sign which is slightly over 20 dollars.  I worked John many years back and had great respect for him,  I encourage you to apply.

73  Jim
W5JO

[Bill, KD0HG]

Welcome.
I used to check in with John, W5MEU, Ozona Bob, W5PYT, Sulphur John, WD5EHS and other  TX-area miscreants frequently on 3880 when I first got back on AM.  To a man, they wre terriffic individuals.. Class acts, all.
You'd be following in a real gentleman's footsteps.

-Bill

[ad5fd]

oh yes i remember hearing  ozona bob!   i also used to listen to spam net on 7160 way back when floyd wa5twf ran it

[WA3VJB]

Add me to those in favor.
Since you know the "story" behind the call, you can tell it when someone asks you if you knew who had it first.
Nice living memorial IMHO.

We've got one in our area, Bill  WC3K, who passed a way a while ago too.
Prominent on 40m and as a writer for ER.

Someone among us should snap up those calls too.

Several of us have noticed Tony has landed Joe's old call.
I haven't worked him yet, but the idea is proving to be a winner.

QRZ.com profile for W2WAS


I discovered Amateur Radio as a young boy in the early '70s while listening to the AMers on 75 meters with my grandfather's Zenith shortwave receiver.

One of those AMers was Joe Lambias (the original W2WAS) of Westbury, NY. I would listen to Joe and the other AMers for hours and hours. Joe became my role model. My interest in AM continues to this day. I am thankful for the opportunity to obtain Joe's old callsign.

I was originally licensed as KA2FFS on April 15, 1979. My primary interests in Amateur Radio are ragchewing, DXing, and contesting.

I am a member of the Frankford Radio Club, and also an ARRL Life Member.

I am married to MaryAnn, my wonderful (and tolerant!) wife. We have a set of twins named Jennifer and Brian.

73, Tony

[Steve - WB3HUZ]

I hereby offer WB3HUZ to the highest bidder.

[W3SLK]

Steve said:

I hereby offer WB3HUZ to the highest bidder.

A most desirable call to have too! Welcome back from..... well, you know where you been.

[W3LSN]

I have a similar dilemma. Although I've had WA2AJM for over 30-years I always thought it was a crappy call. I don't know how many times on phone people thought I was a bootlogger "WA2HAM" or some such.  Lately I've given thought to purchasing a vanity call, but I've not done so because of the perceived stigma of using a "dead man's call," and the fact that I've grown used to WA2AJM and can't think of anything better. The one thing that is pushing me toward changing is the fact that I've lived in 3-land for 15-years and have a 2-land call. It's probably time to change. Since the call is unassigned, it's probably better to keep it within the AM community rather than let it get lost elsewhere.

I suppose there are plenty of options for me if I follow the memorial callsign route. W2JTP formerly held by the late AM-er Byron Kretzman comes to mind. I always liked Larry W3CIC 's callsign. My Elmer was the late W2SUE which is a memorable call. Hey, I don't live far from Baltimore so perhaps WA3UAN can live again!

73, Jim
WA2AJM/3 (for now)

[W5MEU]

i know its been since 2006 since this was started, but.....greetings folks, as a very long time friend of John (W5MEU), and having spent many years with "ozona bob" (W5PYT), a family friend since 1963 it is my pleasure to bring W5MEU back to the airwaves, unfortunately the "610" c-model i got from John got burned in a shop fire several years ago, so the call is on the air nightly on slop-bucket, and from a ricebox on 75 mtr A.M. but i am working to get plate modulated carrier back with W5MEU back on 3880, i spent many night with john, he was always a world of knowledge, he was educated in almost everything, but i always had fun in his "little shop" going through parts and talking about UFO's with him, and so many hours on the phone working on equipment from my QTH in Odessa, Tx. but anyway, MEU is back on the air!!!!! 3.916, 7.195 on sideband and on occasion at a 500 watt carrier on 3880.....73's guys!

[W3GMS]

Congrats Ken on getting John's old call.  You have the history with him so glad you were able to obtain it. 

BC-610's are out there, so keep on looking and you will find one when your least expecting it.

73,
Joe-W3GMS

[W3RSW]

Yep, go for it!
And welcome to fone.net.

Don't forget to give careful consideration to other call picks on you application in case your first choice doesn't make it.

When I moved to WVa after many years absence I had several call possibilities .
--Stuff all vanity call choosers face.

Keep the old Wa3ypi ( yipee ! )
Change to an 8 if w8ypi or wa8ypi were available.
Found my initials were available under a 1x3, 3 land call but not for an 8 land.
Etc.

Well since moving only 90 miles south of Pittsburgh, the closest metro area, and keeping loyalties to all my "3" land friends, I decided to go with
W3rsw
Which btw is a good CW call, ..just rolls off the key like a drum roll.
A 3 keys rhythmically keys better than an 8 too.

So choose carefully all your picks. Hope you get your first choice.