[South Florida DX Association] Origin of the Name "HAM" for Amateur Radio Operators

[Bill]

I found this on the RF Cafe site. The age old question continues. This 
is yet another theory...
Bill W2CQ


"Origin of the Name "HAM" for Amateur Radio Operators
If you search the Web for the origin of the term "HAM" for radio 
amateurs, you will find two or three accounts that are evidently most 
believed. However, this version seems to be the most credible. It was 
provided to me by a very active and accomplished HAM, Mr. Cornell D., 
who is not given to propagating bad information. I tried unsuccessfully 
to locate an original version of the "Florida Skip Magazine" from 1959. 
If anyone has a copy that can provide a scan of the article, it would be 
a great service to all HAMs if you could send it to me for posting. 
Thanks. All copyrights acknowledged, but unknown"


Why radio amateurs are called "HAMS"
(from Florida Skip Magazine - 1959)

Have you ever wondered why radio amateurs are called "HAMS?" Well, it 
goes like this: The word "HAM" as applied to 1908 was the station CALL 
of the first amateur wireless stations operated by some amateurs of the 
Harvard Radio Club. They were ALBERT S. HYMAN, BOB ALMY and POOGIE MURRAY.

At first they called their station "HYMAN-ALMY-MURRAY". Tapping out such 
a long name in code soon became tiresome and called for a revision. They 
changed it to "HY-AL-MU," using the first two letters of each of their 
names. Early in 1901 some confusion resulted between signals from 
amateur wireless station "HYALMU" and a Mexican ship named "HYALMO." 
They then decided to use only the first letter of each name, and the 
station CALL became "HAM."

In the early pioneer days of unregulated radio amateur operators picked 
their own frequency and call-letters. Then, as now, some amateurs had 
better signals than commercial stations. The resulting interference came 
to the attention of congressional committees in Washington and Congress 
gave much time to proposed legislation designed to critically limit 
amateur radio activity. In 1911 ALBERT HYMAN chose the controversial 
WIRELESS REGULATION BILL as the topic for his Thesis at Harvard. His 
instructor insisted that a copy be sent to Senator DAVID I. WALSH, a 
member of one of the committees hearing the Bill. The Senator was so 
impressed with the thesis is that he asked HYMAN to appear before the 
committee. ALBERT HYMAN took the stand and described how the little 
station was built and almost cried when he told the crowded committee 
room that if the BILL went through that they would have to close down 
the station because they could not afford the license fees and all the 
other requirements which the BILL imposed on amateur stations.

Congressional debate began on the WIRELESS REGULATION BILL and little 
station "HAM" became the symbol for all the little amateur stations in 
the country crying to be saved from the menace and greed of the big 
commercial stations who didn't want them around. The BILL finally got to 
the floor of Congress and every speaker talked about the "...poor little 
station HAM." That's how it all started. You will find the whole story 
in the Congressional Record.

Nation-wide publicity associated station ""HAM" with amateur radio 
operators. From that day to this, and probably until the end of time in 
radio an amateur is a "HAM."