[Elecraft] Finally made first contact with K1

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Kevin, N8IQ, wrote:
...I actually was more interested in what hams *commonly do* when they live
in a district different from where they were originally licensed. I
understand you don't have to add the "/" + number but it feels strange to me
not to add the "/4". The Operating Manual says "It's routine" not to hear
the identifier. To me, if I send CQ de N8IQ, the station responding would
understandably think I was in the 8th district and might be disappointed (if
they were working towards WAS, etc...) if they find that I'm really in
4-land. I guess in regards to a CQ transmission, the use of the identifier
would be helpful....

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I appreciate stations identifying the proper district. I was one of those
who grumbled about the FCC no longer requiring the call sign to match the
district of the QTH so, when I moved from California to Oregon, I let go of
AC6Y and asked the FCC for a new call. AC6Y had been my call since I asked
for a 2X1 format when they are first released in the 1970's. I had never
paid for a "vanity" call so I took a deep breath and told the FCC to simply
spit a "7" call out of their system. AC7AC was the result. Guess I was fated
for "AC" in my call. 

My point is that I've been lucky with call signs. If I ended up back in
California or somewhere else outside of the "7" zone, I'll likely ask for a
new call that fit the region. It just seems the thing to do <G>. 

Among those who keep the "wrong" call, there seem to be few who bother to
identify the correct call district. I guess the need isn't there with
on-line call sign databases like www.grz.com where one can look up a call in
a few seconds. 

Ron AC7AC