[QCWA] Re: QCWA Digest, Vol 7, Issue 10

[Ray Andrews]

> >
> > There is also a W1EKZ and a K1EKZ listed as well.....  that means the
> > Novice licenses were separate from the others in sequence.
> >
In the early 1960's, the FCC was issuing WA prefixes in all call areas.  So, 
WN1EKZ would have become WA1EKZ after an upgrade.  I was 1st licensed as a 
Novice with the call WV2MBR in April of 1960.  The FCC started issuing WV 
prefixes for Novice calls that would become WA's after upgrade.  They were 
afraid that they might accidentally duplicate a call sign with an existing 
WN-prefix Novice.  They only did this for the 2nd & 6th call areas, however. 
The WV prefix caused too much confusion, so the FCC went back to WN as the 
prefix for Novices with the next call area to go to the WA prefix.  I 
believe that was the 4th call area.

> > >
> > > we've narrowed it down to somewhere between 1961 and 1964 that my
> > > friend was first licensed as a novice. I have the 67 call book, but
> > > he's not in there. How long were novice licenses good for back then?
> > >
In 1960, the Novice license was good for 1 year, was non-renewable, and if 
you had ever held one before, you could not hold one again.  I believe that 
it was with the "incentive licensing" changes, circa 1968, the the term of 
the Novice license was extended to 2 years.

> > >
> > > Did the FCC assign "WN1"'s back then to all 1-area novices?
> > >
Yes, see comments above.

73,

Ray Andrews, K9DUR
Chapter #204