Featured Story
-
Steve Jensen, W6RHM
(ex-WN6RHM, 1952) I still remember the trip down to 301 Spring Street in Los Angeles to take the exam and the paper tape morse code sending machine. I also had to send as I recall and I was so nervous that they gave me a couple of minutes to collect…Read more...
Submit Your Own Novice Story
Please share with your fellow hams a story of your Novice year(s). The story should mainly focus on your Novice period. A story can be a photo or a few lines of text to a full blown story of several pages.
Latest Comments
- John Shidler, NS5Z
John thats a great story. I didn't realize you were so much older than me LOL.. glad to call you my Ham Pal. Where have the years gone.. we are old fat and gray now, but still tearing up the airwaves.... More...
17.04.13 07:53
Mid-1950s 
1956
1956
1956
(formerly KN6RAH, 1956) Originally licensed at age fourteen on March 7, 1956 as KN6RAH in San Diego, CA. My ‘Elmer’ back then, Howard French, K6EDA. Howard was a former U.S. Navy man and was happy to greet a very enthusiastic fourteen year-old SWL. I looked him up in my Callbook…
(formerly KN4HQK, 1956) The mystique of shortwave led me into ham radio. It began with reading the Hardy Boys series novel, "The Shortwave Mystery;" earning a "Radio" merit badge in the Boy Scouts (where I learned Morse); and discovering my parents had an old RCA radio in the attic with-Ah!-a…
(formerly KN0DON, 1956) As best I can recall, my initial interest in ham radio came from listening to an old console GE radio which included a Short Wave Band. This covered 160 Meters to about 15 kHz. (You remember those things, don't you?) This was probably in about 1952 or…
(formerly, KN4KCS, 1956) I was first licensed as KN4KCS , Memphis Tennessee, back in July of 1956. My first rig was a converted AN/ARC-5 T-22 (40 meter) transmitter, which ran about 50 watts or so. I built the power supply and converted the rig myself and learned an awful lot…
(formerly KN4LNE, 1956) I started in the early 50's as a SWL and in 1954 my folks got me a Hallicrafters S85 receiver which was a dream after using a table model RCA broadcast radio with a mystery third knob. When I had that 3rd knob turned, the fascinating world…
(formerly WL7DDW, 1956) In 1956 I was WL7DDW in Ketchikan, Alaska. I got my Novice license courtesy of the US Coast Guard operators in KTN. One of the tiny TV shops in town went out of business and his wife had an auction. For ten dollars I got a Heathkit…
(formerly KN6VRU, 1956) I received my Novice license, KN6VRU effective December 28, 1956, after taking the test at 301 Spring St., Los Angeles. I remember studying a long time for the license, and also practicing code a lot! I assembled a Heathkit DX-35 transmitter, and had purchased a used Hallicrafters…
(formerly KN5ELI, 1956) I got my novice license at age 11 in 1956 as KN5ELI. My dad was W5CFN and my younger brother Ron, age 8, was KN5ELJ and we lived in Hobart, Oklahoma. In those days, the novice was only good for one year and was non-renewable. We novices…
(formerly KN5HYB, 1956, K5HYB) I was introduced to Amateur Radio in 1956 while in the 9th grade of Jr. High School when I was visiting a friend from school. We went flying through his house and when we passed through the back room , I stopped dead in my tracks…
(formerly WN3HGK) Please visit Ken Barber, W2DTC, formerly WN3HGK's personal ham page.
(formerly KN5GCM, 1956) This QSL card is the only thing I have left from my Novice days in 1956. I was in college in Austin Texas when I got my license. There was a ham there who helped me and gave me my test but I don't recall either his…
(formerly WN3HCI, 1956; W3HCI, 1957) Editor's Note: Mike didn't send in a story. Instead, he supplied a wealth of photos of typical Novice equipment of the era. Some is commercially built, some is home brew, and some is converted military surplus. Enjoy!
(formerly KN9CTD, 1956; K9CTD, 1956; K3BXP, 1957) When I went on active duty in the Army in 1955, I was 24 years old. I had been in ROTC while in college and had a commission as a Second Lieutenant. Jefferson Proving Ground near Madison, Indiana was my first post. The…
(formerly KN8BVB) I was intrigued by the description of a crystal radio in my Cub Scout book. The idea that a radio could be made out of those simple parts stuck in my head, and years later I asked my high school science teacher how a radio signal could pass…
Copyright © 2013 Novice Historical Society | All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy
Scroll To Top