1951: Bill Weinhardt, W9PPG






1966: Brian Wood, W0DZ

1961: Richard Pumphrey, WN9DDV

1962, Walt Beverly, W4GV

1961: Rick Roznoy, K1OF

1962, Steve Meyers, W0AZ

1951: Bill Weinhardt, W9PPG

1955: Paul Johnston, W9PJ

1964: Michael Betz, WB8ZFQ.

1967: Pete Malvasi, W2PM

1962: Terry Schieler, W0FM

1969: John Kosmak, W3IK

1953: Dan Girand, W5ARB

1975: David Collingham, K3LP

1961: Jim Cain, K1TN

1957: Bill Tippett, W4ZV

1961: Bob Lightner, W4GJ

1956: Bernie Huth, W4BGH

1952: Dick Bender, W3SYY

1951: Dale Bredon, W6BGK

1963: "Sig" Signer, NV7E

1958: Jeff Lackey, K8CQ

1953: Dan Bathker, K6BLG

1961: Rick Tavan, N6XI

1956: Bill Penhallegon, W4STX

1958: John Miller, K6MM

1959/1993: Tom Carter, KC2GEP

1966: Kelly Klaas, K7SU

1976: Mary Moore, WX4MM

1970: David Kazan, AD8Y

1957: Paula Keiser, K8PK

1971: Charles Ahlgren, WB6IYM

1952: Tom Webb, W4YOK

1964: License Manual - Chapter 2, Novice

1964: Advertisements

1970: Jim Zimmerman, N6KZ

1987: Matt Cassarino, WV1K

More - Mike Branca, W3IRZ (sk)

1953: Bill Bell, KN2CZZ

1952: Ron D' Eau Claire, AC7AC

History - 1950s: The Beginning

History - 1960s: Mid-Peak

History - 1970s: Late Peak

(sample story) My Elmer

1954: Novice Logbook (Dick Zalewski, W7ZR)

1961: Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA

1953: George Marko, K2DWL

1964: How to Become a Radio Amateur

1967: ARRL Handbook

1963: Learning the Radiotelegraph Code

1955: Jack Burks, K4CNW

1979: Ann Santos, WA1S

1952: Ron Baker, WA6AZN

Welcome to the Novice Historical Society Home Page!

1952/1955: The CQ Twins (Clint, W9AV & Quent, W6RI)

1956: Mike Branca, W3IRZ

1959: Don Minkoff, NK6A

History - 1980s: Early-Decline

1990-2000: The End

1976, Rick Palm, K1CE

1978: Larry Makoski, W2LJ

1961: Gary Yantis, W0TM

1955: Al Cammarata, W3AWU

1951: Bob McDonald, W4DYF

1951: Charlie Curle, AD4F

1953: Kenny Cassidy, WN2WNC

1951: Jim Franklin, K4TMJ

1953: Rick Faust, N2RF

1973: Greg Harris, WB9MII

1957: Mickey LeBoeuf, K5ML

1957: Jim Cadien, KC7ZMV

1976: Tom Fagan, K7DF

1953: Fred Jensen, K6DGW

1957: Tony Rogozinski, W4OI

1961, Novice Roundup Award (Art Mouton, K5FNQ)

1956: Woody Pope, ex-KN5GCM

1967: Larry Rybacki, WA2ARA

1955: Gene Schonrock, W6EAJ

1955: Dave Germeyer, W3BJG

1983: Harry Weiss, KA3NZR

1970: Paul Huff, N8XMS

1976: John Yasuda, WB6PTC

1953: Alvin Burgland, W6WJ

1966: Neil Friedman, N3DF

1976: Lyle Heide, WB9VTM

1968: Leigh Klotz, Sr., N5LK

1956: Ken Barber, W2DTC

1977: Keith Darwin, N1AS

1959: Tom Wilson, K7FA

1956: Wayne Beck, K5MB

1984: Paul Conant, WQ5X

1970: Ward Silver, N0AX

1982: Christopher Horne, W4CXH

1953: Paul Signorelli, W0RW

1954: Ray Cadmus, W0PFO

1957: Norm Goodkin, K6YXH

1959: Glen Zook, K9STH

1970: Ken Brown, N6KB

1962: Fred Merkel, AK7D

1972: Rob Atkinson, K5UJ

1955: David Quagiana, K2MTW

1952: Sam Whitley, K5SW

1967: Frequency Chart

1983: William Wilson, AB0VG

1953: Jim Brown, W5ZIT

1958: Al Burnham, K6RIM

1952: Gary Borri, K9DBR

1961: Bill Husted, KQ4YA

1955: Dan Schobert, W9MFG

1976: Charles Bibb, K5ZK

1979: Bill Brown, KA6KBC

1965: Ken Widelitz, K6LA / VY2TT

1975: Tim Madden, KI4TG

1972: Steve Ewald, WV1X

1969: Mike "Jug" Jogoleff, WA6MBZ

1964: Phil Salas, AD5X

1954: John Johnston, W3BE

1968: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU

1975: Last of the Distinct Novice Callsigns (Cliff Cheng, AC6C; ex-WN6JPA)

1987: Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV

1966: Tom Morgan, AF4HL

1954: Dan Smith, K6PRK

1954: Novice Callsign History License (Dan, K6PRK's License)

1975: First of the Non-distinct Novice Callsigns (Cliff Cheng, AC6C; ex-WA6JPA)

1957: Doug Millar, K6JEY

1954: Dick Zalewski, W7ZR

1962: Steve Pink, KF1Y

1975: Cliff Cheng, AC6C

1966: Tom Napier, AI4QV

1965: Novice Code Test (Ken Widelitz, K6LA / VY2TT)

1954: Bob Brown, W4YFJ

1977: Russ Roberts, KH6JRM

1958: Jeff Wolf, K6JW

1964: John Shidler, NS5Z

1972: Rick Andersen, KE3IJ

1977: Barry Whittemore, WB1EDI

1967: Grover Cordell, WB5FSP

1959: Val Erwin, W5PUT

1953: Bob Rolfness, W7AVK

1953: Paul Danzer, N1ii

1969: Dennis Kidder, W6DQ

1971: Jonathan Kramer, W6JLK

1959: Chas Shinn, W7MAP/5

1961: Mark Nelson, AJ2K

1978: Alice King, AI4K

1965: Gary Pearce, KN4AQ

1988: James Kern, KB2FCV

1958: Jay Slough, K4ZLE

1954: L.B. Cebik, W4RNL (sk)

1997: Novice Question Pool.

1952: Steve Jensen, W6RHM

1989: Michael Tracy, KC1SX

1979: Matt Tinker, AA8P

1965: Dan Gaylord, W7IDG

1956: Chuck Counselman, W1HIS

1976: Scott McMullen, W5ESE

1961: Joe Park, WB6AGR

1955: Jack Schmidling, K9ACT

1969: Bill Continelli, W2XOY

1962: Bob Roske, N0UF

1963: Glenn Kurzenknabe, K3SWZ

1969: Phyllis Webb, WN4IIF

1956: Dan Cron, W6SBE

1954: Carl Yaffey, K8NU

1967: Ted White, N8TW

1982: Penny Cron, W6SBE

1961, Kent Gardner, WA7AHY

1970: Brad Bradfield, W5CGH

1976: Steve Melachrinos, W3HF

1994: Brian Lamb, KE4QZB

1958: Operating an Amateur Radio Station

1965: AL LaPeter, W2AS

1961: Rick Swain, KK8o

1956: Keith Synder, KE7IOW

1951: Elmer Harger, N7EL

1987: Lou Giovannetti, KB2DHG

1966: Dave Fuseler, NJ4F

1976: Marcel Livesay, N5VU

1965: Bob Jameson, N3LNP

1951: Byron Engen, W4EBA

1956: Cam Harriot, KI6WK

1965: FCC Exam Schedule

1962: Joe Trombino, W2KJ

1956: Ray Colbert, W5XE

1964: Geoff Allsup, W1OH

1977: Tom Herold, N9BUL

1951: Hank Greeb, N8XX

1959: Dean Straw, N6BV

1970: Alan Applegate, K0BG

1957: Richard Cohen, K6DBR

1971: Ronald Erickson, K0IC

1965: Jan Perkins, N6AW

1953: Charlie Lofgren, W6JJZ

1960: Art Mouton, K5FNQ

1955: Dan Marks, ex-K6IQF

1958: Mike Chernus, K6PZN

1960: Bob Silverman, WA6MRK

1951: Richard Schachter, W6HHI

1953: Joe Montgomery, W1DWJ

1958: Richard Dillman, W6AWO

1968: Bob Dunn, K5IQ

1988: Jamie Markowitz, AA6TH

1952: Jim Leighty, W6UJX

1955: Matt Wheaton, W1EMM

1957: Dick Newsome, W0HXL

1956: Slim Copeland, K4KCS

1959, 1993: Tom Carter, KC2GEP

1968: Bill Byrnes, AB9BD

1971: Jeff Angus, WA6FWI

1956: Dean Norris, K7NO

1972: Dennis Drew, W7RVR

1958: Stan Miln, K6RMR

1958: George Ison, K4ZMI

1978: Fred Soper, KC8FS

1956: John Fuller, K4HQK

1961: Riley Hollingswworth, K4ZDH

  


1951: Bill Weinhardt, W9PPG


Bill Weinhardt, W9PPG (formerly WN9PPG, 1951)

In the spring of 1951, I was 12 years old and had been trying to get ready to take the General Class amateur Radio Examination (Back then it was called Class B). Somewhere at about 10-11wpm, I had met my code stumbling block. Then I learned that during the summer of 1951 a new beginner license was to be issued. To be called the Novice Class license, it was to offer crystal-controlled CW privileges at 75 watts on 80 and 11 meters and phone on a portion of 2 meters.

A friend of my father who was also on Lafayette IN police department thought that I could soon be ready to take the examination so he began giving me extensive help with the code and the written test. Back then there was no question pool giving the exact questions and the exact group of answer choices. The license manual stated a question concept followed usually by a paragraph or two of discussion that encompassed the answer. The license was to be instituted in July of 1951 and I was ready but in those days tests for all classes of Amateur Licenses except class 'C' were administered by an FCC examiner at an FCC examination point. Class 'C' was essentially a Class 'B' license that could be administered by another ham if the applicant lived over a certain distance from an FCC examination point (I think the distance was 150 miles).

At any rate the first time that an FCC examiner was to be at the nearest examination point to Lafayette was to be in August 1951 in Indianapolis IN where they visited quarterly as I recall. As the August date approached Glen, W9ASX worked with me even more intensely increasing the one or two night a week sessions at his house to 3 or four. Finally the date arrived and my mother and father drove me early in the morning the 60 miles to the Post Office in downtown Indianapolis where the examination was to be administered.

I was very nervous as I entered the room with 25-30 others there to take the Novice exam. Soon after the examiner collected the filled out form 610's, the examiner announced that 5 minutes of code was about to be sent at a speed of 5 wpm and to pass, one solid minute's worth would have to be copied with no errors (25 correct characters in a row). At the end of 5 minutes, the papers were collected and graded while applicants waited for results. The examiner announced names of those who passed (about 2/3 of those who took the test) and we lined up to take the code-sending test. I was elated to have passed to this point but was still quite nervous as I set down before the code key to start sending a paragraph on a paper in front of me on the table. After sending a couple of words he said that I had passed and should wait until all remaining were ready to take the written examination.

I don't remember too much about taking the written examination except that they were not graded at the exam site. When you finished the test you turned it in and left but were told that if you had passed you would receive your license in the mail in several months. I suppose that the FCC probably would notify an applicant they had failed but don't know for sure.

Since I was pretty certain that I had passed the written exam, shortly after returning home, Glen started helping me to assemble a station. He helped me to convert a BC-454 (a WW2 aircraft receiver that covered the 80 meter amateur band) to AC operation by rewiring the tube filaments, building a power supply, installing a volume control, and a switch for a BFO so that it could receive CW. For my transmitter, Glen had an old Meisner 'Signal Shifter' chassis that had been already robbed of some parts for another of his projects. He had me strip the rest of it leaving the power transformer, what other power supply components remained, and the tube sockets. This then became the basis for a 6V6-2E26 crystal-controlled rig for 80-meter CW running about 25 watts input for which Glen had drawn the circuit. The parts needed that weren't among those I had stripped from the chassis came from Glen's 'junk box' and the 2E26 was a pull from the Motorola VHF-FM radios that filled the trunks of the police cars. The 6V6 had been the audio output tube from a defunct broadcast band radio that had been relegated to our basement. My antenna was an 80-meter dipole meter center-fed with open wire line. The open-wire line I made myself using for spacers the plastic curlers from my mom's home permanent stuff.

By the time my license arrived in the mail (WN9PPG) somewhere around my birthday in early October of 1951, I was ready to go. While I made many contacts with the above setup, a new Novice could not rest on their laurels for very long since the Novice license at that time was a 'drop dead' license. If you had not progressed to a higher license class in one year, your license was no longer valid and you were done. If I remember correctly, you could not even take the exam again for a new Novice license. So I soon started working with Glen on the Class 'B' license (soon to be called General class). Operating on the 80 meter Novice band helped me get my code speed up to the 13-wpm and with Glen's help I mastered the theory. In May of 1952, Dad and I took the train to Chicago and I made an appearance at the FCC office in the old Federal Office Building. I was certain I had failed the code test but after papers were graded was told to sit down and start sending. Then on to the written test. Back then one had to draw schematics for answers to some of the questions. After completing the test and turning in my papers I was unsure if I had passed or not but in July of 1952 an envelope came in the mail and I now had a new license with the 'N' no longer in my call sign.

Amateur Radio has been a great hobby for me over the past 56 years and was probably responsible for me becoming an electrical engineer and also was probably in part responsible for me becoming a Naval Officer. After my stint in the Navy it has influenced my engineering career in many ways and helped provide the impetus to obtain a 1st Class RadioTelephone License and later become licensed as a Professional Engineer. Though there have been periods in my life where I wasn't very active such as in college or on a submarine in the Pacific where COMSUBPAC didn't permit amateur operation on his boats, Amateur Radio is always something that I came back to.

Bill Weinhardt, W9PPG

 

 

(c) 2007, Cliff Cheng, Ph.D., WW6CC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED