While we were waiting for my license, my Dad ordered me a Knight Kit T-60 which we built. I still was waiting for my license which took I think about 3 months to arrive and suddenly I was WN5JSG. In those days we were "Rock Bound" and could only use Crystal Control. Since I amd most young Novices only had a few crystals we worked "split". We would call CQ then tune up and down the Novice band listening for another station to call us his frequency.

How exciting that was!!! The thrill of hearing some guy taping out your callsign was pure pleasure. (Just an aside here, although I grew up to be a young adult in the 1960's, I never experimented with drugs, perhaps the reason was that I received such a rush while making contacts that I never was tempted)

My older brother scrapped up the money somehow and bought my some QSL cards for my birthday and I don't think that I ever thanked him enough. He also used to climb the big willow tree in the back yard and adjust my long wire for me.

In the last few years, I have turned to QRP building and operating to try and get back some of that early thrill and I believe that it has worked. Since 1964, Ham Radio has always been a part of my life. When everything else changed, Ham Radio was a stable thing. I thank my Elmers, my father, mother and my two brothers.

John Shidler, NS5Z
Bossier City, Louisiana