1975: Tim Madden, KI4TG






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

  


1975: Tim Madden, KI4TG


Tim Madden, KI4TG, (ex-WN2CGX, 1975; KB4JRP, 1984)

I was a very distracted eighth-grader that sat in the back of the school room reading books about Tom Swift and Hardee Boys.   My math teacher just let me sit back there, reading and day dreaming out the window.   Out the window was a military transmitter site with lots of towers and antennas.   It was alright with her, since I never disrupted the class and she had her hands full with some trouble makers up in the front.   One day a new student joined our class, having moved from Culpepper, VA.

Doug's soft southern accent must have made him sound to our teacher as a country bumpkin that could never do math, so she put him in the back row with me and ignored us both for several days. Eventually the teacher saw us sharing Tom Swift books and marched down the aisle with a pair of Math Workbooks.  "Do every problem in these books and turn them in when you are done!"

Doug and I took to the challenge.  We discovered that the back of the book had the answer to every third question.  It was our plan to split out the even and the odd questions.  We would compare with the answers and share when we had them right.  Our parents got wise to use doing homework over the phone, so we were again challenged to find a way to collaborate.  Enter the Lafayette 150 in 1 project kits.  Doug had an electronics trainer kit that included simple radio circuits.  I convinced my parents that I needed the same.  We used portable short-wave receivers and outside antennas to hear each other's kits.  Soon enough we had built better transmitters and were sending CW across town.  Morse Code was taught to us as Boy Scouts. We had tried a hardwired telegraph made from unwinding a door bell transformer, but that was too fragile to make it down the block from one house to another.

One of the scout leaders cleaned out his basement and produced for us the 1945 Amateur Radio Handbook.  Being some 30 years old at the time, it was our only view into the world of Amateur Radio.  I built the 6V6/6V6/6L6transmitter strip with a crystal, oscillator, buffer, and power amplifier.  It used a 5Y3GT rectifier.  The power supply was a transformer from an old black and white television, assembled with the tube socket and other parts in a Bud chassis box.  I still have it today.  The transmitter was built bread board style on a wooden shelf from a set of encyclopedias.  It was a real hazard.  It got the attention of Amateur Radio Operators in town.

My Novice Story starts out with a very dedicated High School teacher, Dr. Jim Lawlor, WA2GYB, now KB2NZ, that took on a dozen or so students in an after school Amateur Radio class at Ocean Township High School, NJ.  We used the drafting room in our school and studied code, theory, and regulations.  We took the code test as small group practice sessions.  After copying what was being sent, Jim would take our papers and look them over.  Sometimes that meant getting a rapid fire set of the characters we were stumbling over.  Other times it was returned with, "OK, you pass."  As we passed code, we took the written in groups. 

Since the applications were sent in batches, we got sets of consecutive callsigns.  I remember one group getting WN2BZN, and WN2BZO.  I got WN2CGX and Bruce got WN2CGY.  Later, my callsign got changed to WB2CGX.  Contacts from home were made using a Globe Scout transmitter and a Globe Deluxe VFO.  The receiver was a Hammerlund HQ-145.  These old beasts needed several hours to settle down once they were turned on, so I built a power latching circuit into an AM Clock Radio.   This turned all the rigs on at 2:00PM so that they were warmed up when I got home from school.

The WN2BZ- guys built Heathkit CW rigs.  They had lots of trouble getting them working, but with help from Jim and each other we got them all on the air.  

I did not have Heathkit, but several of the others in my group did build them.  Tom Reu, WN2BZN built one in his basement.  There were several typical new builder errors that took us some time to iron out.  The basement had a very low ceiling and we literally knocked heads from time to time.  One day we realized that the filter capacitor bleeder resistors were connected to the wrong terminals.  This was only after we each got shocked and immediately banged our heads on the ceiling!

Tom's basement QTH served us very well.  It was a corner that originally started out as a coal bin.  Cleaned up and painted this room held a built in "L" shaped table with bright lighting.  We had two office chairs and plenty of room to spread out the parts of the kit and look at the schematics.

Jim eventually took Tom's rig and got it working in fine shape over one weekend.  Tom used a multi-band vertical out near the back fence with a long run of buried coax.

Ron had inverted vee antennas from 80 and 40 meters.   Tom had a Hustler 6BTV.   Bruce had a used Eico with matching transmitter and receiver.

Back when, Novice licenses could not be renewed.   When that changed, our local group had started making pledges not to renew, but to upgrade.   I suspect that most of the young novices are no longer active.   My license lapsed when I was away at college.

Years later I took a renewed interest in radio.   I retook Novice from Bill, KC4VQ, while working with him at Collins.  Armed with the new KB4JRP callsign, I set up a shack in Florida with a Yaesu FT-101ZD.  Working code every day after work lead to lots of QSLs and enough speed to upgrade to Advanced at the next Hamfest.  That was the first VE exam session held Melbourne. 

I have kept the KI4TG callsign from that upgrade ever since.  So I have had Novice, twice, and under three callsigns.   Novice has gone away.  Then I had Advanced.   Advanced has gone away.   Now I have Extra.  I hope that can stick around, but I constantly cringe at the people who call us Extra-Lite without the 20wpm code.  I am a member of that gap that has Extra with 13wpm code!

 

73, Tim KI4TG

 

 

© 2008, Cliff Cheng, Ph.D., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.