(formerly KN6GLB, 1954) I was sixteen when I was granted KN6GLB in 1954. By then, the novice license had been available for three years and commercial interests were starting to capitalize on this new market. Faust Gonset, in particular, brought the perfect match, the Gonset Communicator for 2 meters. At…

(formerly WN9FNX, 1954) In 1953 while “fixing TV’s” and putting up TV antennas, I was in High School and was introduced to Amateur Radio by W9QVE (SK). I was very excited, read the license manuals, learned CW on a paper tape practice machine and got my Novice License 6 months…

(formerly WN0ZAQ, 1954) Des Moines, IA When I was 11, a family friend, John Moffet, WØSVD, let me sit in front of his up-to-date Collins lineup: 75A3 and 32V3 and listen to the magic of ham radio. He told me of a local ham, Duane Farris, WØEHH, who was a…

(formerly WN4EZB, 1954) I am Carl Yaffey, K8NU. I was licensed in 1954 as WN4EZB in Norfolk, VA. I had to take my test in front of an FCC examiner, as did everyone in those days. What a scary thing for a 12-year-old! But I made it through and started…

(ex-WN4RNL, 1954) I was licensed in 1954 as both a Novice and a Tech, since then you could take both exams in one session and privileges were separate.  (W1APS/WN1APS)  I got on the air for the first time with a ham a couple of blocks away, an fine old timer.…

(ex-WN4FXO, 1954) My elmer was Frederick Calvert, W4CMV back in the mid 1950's. He was an amazing operator...He could work 45 wpm, work with his stamp collection and talk to you at the same time. He spent many years as a radio operator in the U. S. Navy during World…

(Log Page, 1954)

(formerly KN6ERV, 1954) My Novice days were certainly great fun for a 15 year old kid.  I was amongst a group of high school hams or would be hams. The code part of my ticket was hard won since I "learned" the code as a Boy Scout for a Merit…

(formerly KN2HHR, 1954) I operated on Long Island, NY, as KN2HHR, a homebrew 40 meter CW 6AG&/6L6 rig from March 15, 1954, until that summer when I upgraded after three trips to the FCC Field Office in lower Manhattan.

(formerly WN9EUM, 1954) I had the good fortune of attending a high school where one of the teachers was an active ham.  My elmer,  and that of many others over the years,  was Brother Leo Schultz SM - W9SWB  (The old "Short Wave Bug").  We had a small radio club, …