[CQ-Contest] Call sign history - Heritage...

[Eric NO3M]

http://w0is.com/oldcallsigns/oldcalls.html

There are also many callbooks found with this search:

https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22callbook%22

dating back as far as 1914 and up to the 90s.

I used those online callbooks to research the history of a recently 
acquired club call, W8CDX.  It was first issued as 8CDX sometime between 
June 1921 and June 1922 to a station in Pittsburgh, PA, and re-assigned 
to another individual between 1924-25 in Uniontown, PA, who had it 
changed to W8CDX by 1928.  The call lapsed but was re-assigned in 1930, 
held by that individual until 1946.  Where it gets interesting is WN8CDX 
was issued 1955, but lapsed with no record in '57 or '58, however, the 
same individual apparently upgraded and got W8CDX in '59 and held the 
call until 1998 (SK).  I thought Novice calls at the time had to be 
upgraded within a year, or the call was "lost".  There was also another 
individual assigned WN8CDX in 1962, later upgraded and assigned WA8CDX.

It's also interesting to pull up the callbooks from the 20s and see who 
was active in your local area in those early days when "CW" sets were 
replacing spark.  One station (8WY) that was only a few miles from my 
QTH can be seen in several photos online:

http://www.telegraph-office.com/pages/wireless_gallery.html
http://www.telegraph-office.com/pages/images/8WY_Station_earlier.JPG
http://www.telegraph-office.com/pages/images/8WY_Station_early.JPG
http://www.telegraph-office.com/pages/images/8WY_Station_with_tube_rig.JPG
http://www.telegraph-office.com/pages/images/four_tube_CW_AM_circa_1920.JPG

The "20W" transmitter appears to be a self-excited outfit with four 
parallel UV202s.  I don't see a fifth tube for an oscillator (ie. 
MOPA).  I've always had a notion to replicate that rig, but UV202s (or 
Cunningham 302s) are hard to come by.

The history of our hobby is quite awesome....

73 Eric NO3M (W8CDX trustee)


On 01/08/2017 05:09 PM, Joe wrote:
> Speaking of "Heritage"
> Is there any way to  see if anyone had a call before you do?
>
> Joe WB9SBD
> Sig
> The Original Rolling Ball Clock
> Idle Tyme
> Idle-Tyme.com
> http://www.idle-tyme.com
> On 1/8/2017 11:38 AM, Mark Steven Williams wrote: