Not exactly the same, but...
In March 1959 at age 13, I passed my Novice exam and was issued a WV6 call.
In May 1959 I passed my Technician exam and was issued a WA6 call (using the
same last three letters from my Novice call). In December 1959 I passed my
General exam at the FCC Los Angeles office and my WA6 call was endorsed
on-the-spot to General class by the Engineer-in-Charge of the FCC LA office.
In fact, since I brought my Technician license with me to the FCC exam, he
typed the word G E N E R A L below the Technician class line and personally
signed it. Who knew the government (FCC) in those days could be so
efficient and accommodating and helpful to a 14 year-old youngster.
And I didn't have to sign "/LA" at the end of my call.
73,
Steve AA6AA
-----Original Message-----
From: CQ-Contest <cq-contest-bounces+aa6aa=yahoo.com@contesting.com> On
Behalf Of John Geiger via CQ-Contest
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2025 9:04 AM
To: nss@mwt.net
Cc: jimk8mr@aol.com; CQ-Contest Reflector <cq-contest@contesting.com>;
artboyars@gmail.com
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] A bit of nostalgia
Took my General at the FCC Office in downtown Chicago as well, and got to
sign /CG also but no pileups for me as it was common by them. Do you know
when they started the instant upgrade?
73 John AF5CC
Sent from Proton Mail Android
-------- Original Message --------
On 9/17/25 9:55 AM, Joe wrote:
> This is a little off subject, but still similar. Hearing a Strange Call on
the bands.
>
> Remember in dem olden days when you were not at home you had to sign
portable whatever?
> How about Field Day! everyone was portable Nine, stroke nine or on cw /9.
>
> Or just any day if I went to Minnesota I'd sign WN9SBD/0 Canada
> WN9SBD/VE (don't remember if had to do VE or VE3 whatever.)
>
> And DX was the same way, if I was in Ecuador I'd be WN9SBD/HC Speaking
> of that when did that change? Whiskey November Nine Sierra Bravo Delta
> portable hotel charlie That makes sence to me still more than HC/WN9SBD,
but thats a different story.
>
> Back to strange calls.....
>
> I was a Novice, and drove to the federal building in Chicago to try for my
General. I passed it with no problems.
> But there was something UN-Expected. The examiner at the beginning of the
session made an announcement.
>
> "You all that may pass today will be the first of a new program that we
are starting today. You all will be the first in a program called INSTANT
UP-GRADE. This will allow you to as soon as you pass your exam, you will be
able to use your new privileges right away. You won't have to wait for the
new license to arrive from the FCC. You will still use your existing
callsign. But at any time you exceed your old privileges and are using your
new ones you must add /CG to the end of your call. So if I went to 20 meters
CW I'd sign with WN9SBD/CG. /CG stood for Chicago.
>
> As soon as I got home hello 20 meters here I come! I'm a CW man so of
course CW was the Mode.
>
> CQ CQ CQ CQ DE WN9SBD/CG WN9SBD/CG
>
> OMG! Like 10 people are calling me! This 20 meters Kicks BUTT!
>
> I'm working them as fast as I can, but the pile is getting worse. People
are tailending, they are trying to sneak their calls inbetween exchanges. It
gets to the point that each QSO is taking like 5 minutes to do because
people never stop calling. I eventually after about a half hour stop. I lean
back in my chair and think what was that all about?
>
> About a Hour later I try it again and same thing happened! This is
confusing but Boy is it also FUN! I again stop after a hour or so. Then the
lightbulb lit above my head, whats different? the /CG is whats different
Today is when that started.
>
> Hmmmm do people think I am in wherever /CG is? I try to look up where /CG
is and it's NOWHERE! I now know it is a possible prefix for Canada. But back
then, it wasn't listed anywhere that it could be Canada and thats probably
why the FCC thought it was also OK to Use.
>
> So people must think I'm some super rare new DX in wherever CG is! That's
what must be happening!
> OK Now, Thinking back Not Cool, BUT I was a High School Teenager OK? And
you know what those creatures are like.
>
> So hmmmm? a BIG lightbulb pops up, So everyone thinks I'm rare DX. huh?
OK, Cool, OK Mean kid lets go with this!
> And Run with it.
>
> CQ CQ CQ DE WN9SBD/CG WN9SBD/CG
> K8MR
> K8MR 59
> K8MR SAYS 59
> TU QRZ
> AF5CC
> AF5CC 59
> AF9CC SAYS 59
> TU QRZ
> I RAN IT LIKE A RARE DX-EXPEDITION! never once giving a hint of where I
really am. Nasty Teen age Boy!
> This was Almost 50 years ago now! but still remember it as if it was
yesterday.
>
> I was on whenever possible doing this. Yeah Not Illegal, but thinking back
Not Nice either!
> Thinking of how many guys may have spent hours trying to work some
teenager in Schaumburg, IL.
>
> This Crazyness lasted for almost a MONTH! After two weeks it started to
slow down.
> But still was crazy! And was finally gone after a month or so. When the
word spread about that instant UP-Grade thing.
> I bet I made over 5000 contacts that month!
>
> Strange things happen when there is a call that shows up that makes no
sense, YA GOT TO WORK IT! and then after working it try to figure where it
is he he he.
>
> Joe
> WN9SBD WN9SBD/CG WB9SBD
>
> On 9/16/2025 10:38 AM, John Geiger via CQ-Contest wrote:
>
>> Interesting stories. I remember shortly after upgrading to general I was
working one of the CAM-AM contests (remember those) and worked AH6BK on 40m.
He sent his section, I asked for a repeat. He sent it again, I wondered why
he was laughing at me (HI HI). Then I realized that he actually was in
Hawaii! As someone who had just left the novice 40m band, didn't realize
what sorts of DX were possible on 40m. They were never in the 7100-7150
range.
>>
>> Worked KH6IJ on 2m FM once when in Hawaii. Truly a gentleman!
>>
>> 73 John AF5CC
>>
>> Sent with Proton Mail secure email.
>>
>> On Tuesday, September 16th, 2025 at 10:06 AM, jimk8mr--- via
>> CQ-Contest
>> [<cq-contest@contesting.com>](mailto:cq-contest@contesting.com)
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I too often heard that K5BIJ call on the air.
>>> I also heard and called that K7HFX guy from CZ - was that Central
Arizona?
>>>
>>> 73 - Jim K8MR
>>>
>>> On Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at 08:48:19 AM EDT, Art Boyars
>>> artboyars@gmail.com
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> Writing up my 3830scores report for Sprint CW, I reminded myself of
>>> this story.
>>>
>>> In the mid-1960s, in a CW CD Party, on 40M I was called by "K5BIJ".
>>> I sent him my report, but it took Katashe several tries for me to
>>> get his call correctly. I was astounded. Back then I didn't know it
>>> was possible to work Hawaii on 40M from Maryland.
>>>
>>> My antenna was a dipole. Pretty sure rcvr was my RME-4350 (maybe the "A"
>>> version), and that I had already upgraded the xmtr from the BC-459
>>> to a second-hand Viking Ranger.
>>>
>>> 73, Art K3KU
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>>> CQ-Contest@contesting.com
>>>
>>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>> CQ-Contest@contesting.com
>>
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
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