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I can’t believe it happened! Anyone that’s married knows that this is something you just don’t do. While sitting at my desk the other night, it dawned on me what the date was. How could I forget that special day just over 45 years ago? I’ve been thinking of March 11, 1966 for so long and it just slipped by without any fanfare. I’m sure you remember your special day too. The day you went to the mailbox and found that newly issued FCC Amateur Radio License.

I’d taken the Novice test over a month prior and was wondering if my ticket would ever arrive. I’d been warned that it might take awhile and that I should continue to practice sending and copying morse code. In those days CW was the only mode of high frequency operation allowed a Novice. And on top of that, the maximum power you were allowed was 75 watts! Of course, a small segment of the 2 meter AM band was available too. No repeaters in those days. I was now ready to take to the air.

Months earlier I’d assembled my receiver from a kit, ordered from Allied Radio in Chicago. It seemed like it took for ever to complete the project, a five tube General Coverage receiver by Knight Kit, model “Star Roamer”. I think I paid $39.95. The transmitter was also built from a kit. I’d worn the pages thin of many catalogs looking for something I could afford on a very small budget. I found something that would do the trick in a Walter Ashe Radio catalog. The price was just right, $19.95 a couple of tubes, two hand wound coils for 80 & 40 meters and of course crystal controlled, the Ameco AC-1. I don’t think the power was much more than 10 watts. All I had to do was add my headphones, dipole and straight key, and I was ready to go!

I began calling CQ on one of the 6 crystal frequencies that I had (3 for 80 & 3 for 40). Logging requirements were in affect too and all transmissions had to be recorded. I had pages of CQ in the log before I actually heard a reply. One would have to scan the entire Novice band after calling CQ trying to locate someone responding on one of THEIR crystal frequency!

I know I was scared to death when I heard my call, WNØOJI. I can’t remember who my first QSO was, but I do still have most of my Novice QSL cards.

Not too long ago, I looked up those call letters of years gone by on QRZ.com and didn’t find a one of them. I operated for a few months and thanks to a part-time job, I was able to upgrade my equipment.

I bought a new Hallicrafters SX-140 receiver and a used Eico 720 transmitter. Both units were an improvement. The receiver covered the 80-10 meters ham bands only and the CW transmitter covered 80-10 with an output power of 90 watts! I still had to throttle things back to 75 watts though.

I’ve lost track of what’s happen to all of those units. But sometimes, I think I’d like to reassemble my original Novice station. I still have the headphones, key and some crystals. The Star Roamer can be purchased for about $50 on Ebay, but I don’t know that I want to spend over $300 for the ole AC-1 transmitter! They would make a nice addition to the shack.

I’ve added many completed pages to the logbook in 45 years, have had some very interesting QSO’s and most of all, met the nicest people. I’m not scared now when I call CQ, but the excitement is still there when I hear my call, especially while chasing some long sought DX station.

Don’t let your anniversary go by unnoticed; it’s a time to celebrate.

73,

Mike

NØBAV