Jim,

I think-from what I read-that an amateur operator license entitled you to operate in the War Emergency Radio Service (WERS), primarily VHF, during the war.

Neil N3DF

The Amateur Extra license has always been within the reach of motivated high school (and some younger) students.

Jim,

Yes, passing the General written could be an enormous deal if you were one of the many who received the Technician ticket fraudulently through the help of a friend who administered the test to you.

Neil N3DF

In the 1950s and 1960s, you could request a (randomly-assigned) W or K 1x2 call if you had been continuously licensed since before World War I.  So an N call is the only 1x2 that is proof positive that you are an Amateur Extra licensee because otherwise you might merely be a 110-year old  old timer.

Neither call.  Only an N 1x2 is any good at all.

In the mid-1960's, my call was WA2VOR.  I often traveled between my parents' home in New York and college in North Carolina (Duke).  FCC regulations required that I send letters to the Engineer in Charge in Raleigh notifying him of the periods when I would be operating portable from North Carolina.

In the "old days" calls were systematically assigned by the FCC (except for a brief period in the late 1970s.  There were no "vanity calls."  For decades, if you moved to a different call district, you had to obtain a call that matched the district.  Some still bemoan that they can't tell what part of the country an amateur is located in from the station's call sign.  

By the way, I believe that at least at some times the FCC would allow you to have a counterpart call (WA1ABC--WA2ABC) if it happened to be available.

Neil N3DF

I wish you good luck, Richard.  QRP operation can certainly be fun and a full-size G5RV antenna is a reasonable choice on 40.  However, you will find that operating with 5 watts and a so-so receiver at the bottom of the propagation cycle and--most importantly--with only a rank beginner's cw operating skills, consistent QSOs will be a real challenge.  

Neil N3DF

N2EY--

1.  While the FCC did drop the retest upon moving close to an FCC exam point rule, it did not drop the retest if you wanted to upgrade requirement until the merger of the Conditional class into the General class.  Conditionals almost uniformly were strongly opposed to the incentive licensing proposals because a substantial number had been "leniently" issued by the examining "friend" and those licensees had no likely upgrade path.  

2.  The big advantage of going to the FCC office and failing the General 13 wpm code test but getting 25 consecutive characters correct was that you could then take the tech/general written and obtain an "FCC office" technician, which meant all you had to do was retake the code test to upgrade.  Mail order Techs had to retake the written as well as take the 13 wpm test to upgrade.

3.  I was in the NYC suburbs.  However, nationwide the percentage of hams who achieved Extra was tiny until inventive licensing shaped up as a reality.  Of course, new Advanceds had not been issued since the early 50s.  

Neil N3DF

N2EY,

1.  While the exam material was the same, "mail-order" Technicians and Conditionals did have to re-take the examination if they wanted to upgrade to General Class.

2.  It was more than a few Conditionals and Generals who saw no reason to upgrade.  In the large town amateur radio club of which I was a member while in high school, you were considered downright peculiar if you studied for the Extra when no additional priviliges accrued.  The few who did so had been around 25 years (or close to it) and wanted the 1x2 call.

Neil N3DF

N2EY:

[Posted a reply last night that seems to have disappeared].

I don't know the origin of "Slim."  Hugh Cassidy used it constantly for decades in his West Coast DX Bulletin, but I suspect he borrowed a term already in use.

Neil N3DF

Operation by some stations beyond license privileges or without a license has been a constant over my 40+ years in ham radio.  It reduced somewhat when the Callbook began including license classes but never went away.  Same with 'slim' DX stations.

Neil N3DF

My view--from about 12 wpm on up, normal spacing is the clearest and easiest to read.  Don't worry about increasing your speed.  If you make a few QSOs each day, your CW abilities will increase without much conscious effort and you will enjoy your time on the air.  

Neil N3DF

N2EY--

I took the Extra in 1971 for same reasons as you, plus one more:  I figured that if I was going to be a lifetime ham, I might as well go through that lifetime at the highest grade for my own personal satisfaction and that I might as well meet that requirement sooner rather than later.

Neil N3DF

N2EY,

Not the same as a license class upgrade, but from 1972-1980 the FCC allowed credit for the 20 wpm Amateur Extra code test to those who had been licensed in the 1920s or 1930s as an Amateur Extra First Class and had continuously held the successor licenses (Class A and Advanced).  

Neil N3DF