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Survey Question

Question

How long have you had your amateur radio license?

Results (353 answers)

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Survey Comments

A long time ago and still fun

Licensed 3-30-1971
Posted by WA2AAR on 2022-02-18

A Long long time

Licensed in 1954.
Posted by K2JHU on 2022-02-17

Newcomer

Reading the comments I realize being licensed since 1998 means I'm still just getting my feet wet.
Posted by K1FBI on 2022-02-16

Started in high school

I was 17 when I passed my novice exam.
That was 44 years ago.
It was big fun way back then, and it still is!

Posted by N8AUC on 2022-02-14

Since High School

Started with a Novice license in 1968, upgraded to Advanced about 11 months later. Upgraded to Extra in 1979.
I've been inactive a couple times in there, mostly when job or family intervened.
Ham Radio was what pushed me over the brink into a career in electronics.
Posted by K7NG on 2022-02-14

uptick in new hams

The numbers show an increase (more than double) in new hams with under 5 years, as opposed to those with 5-10. Sadly I think the reason for this is that we've been through a covid lockdown and people need to connect with other people.
Posted by KD2HCU on 2022-02-13

Scouting Cracked the Door

In 1955, while a senior Cub Scout (Webelos), a winter camp had an AM radio with short wave bands. I heard 'regular' people talking with each other. One of the Scout leaders said "...those are ham radio operators, regular guys with an interest in radio.."

I found a similar radio at home and became an SWL. My grandmother heard of my interest and recalled that my second cousin was a ham (W8ENX). He soon shipped me the Radio Amateurs Handbook, 1950 edition, that I devoured.

The exam passed, a fresh ticket on the wall, I was on the air in 1957 and have been, pretty much continuously, since then. This still is the best hobby in the world and I am heartened seeing more folks taking up the hobby in many jurisdictions.
Posted by VE1YY on 2022-02-13

60 Years

Stared out as KN1VKW n Jan 1962 age 15, a few months later passed General and became K1VKW. In 1964 started college and while I lived at home, studying took all my time. In 1968 went in the Air Force and was not active, got back active in 1974 and been active continuously since 1974 as K4JPN. It is sad to see the majority who respond to this survey are old timers like me.
Posted by K4JPN on 2022-02-12

Happy


I’ve been seeing lots of posts on social media with lots of hams proclaiming their upgrades to higher classes. I’m very happy to see new hams breathing life into this hobby/service. Keep it going!! Tell your friends!! We need new hams on the bands..
Posted by N2ZD on 2022-02-12

42 Years and still counting

I started out as a SWL in 1970. Had an old Hallicrafters receiver. I had quite the collection of SW Radio pennants! Then (I know) did the CB thing. Met some nice people and had some fun, BUT when I was listening to my receiver I heard hams on ssb and CW talking around the world. I knew I was missing something. Bought a 33 1/3 Ameco morse code vinyl record and started to study Morse. Took the test for Novice (KA2MIM), Then General and then Advanced (KC2TR). That was in 1979-80. Changed my call to KU2US (Vanity Call) and have been active ever since. I am not suprised most of the hams are older with years of experience! Back in the day we did not have cell phones, internet, tablets or computers. If we wanted to talk to someone in England? You either made an expensive long distance phone call, OR used Ham radio! Not so today! VOIP anyone?
Posted by KU2US on 2022-02-11

FINALLY ELIGIBLE TO JOIN THE QCWA!

I've waited since October 16th, 1996 to be eligible for QCWA (Quarter Century Wireless Association) membership and it seems like the time flew by! The time sure goes by so quickly! I passed the Novice & Technician exams and 5 words per minute code exam at the first test session I attended, then passed the 13 words per minute code exam and written General Class exam 3 months later. After 3 more months I passed both the Advanced and Extra Class exams as well as the 20 words per minute code exam so I went from non-ham to Amateur Extra in only 9 months. At the first test session 2 of the VEs, AE4GA, Bill Edwards, and AE4II, Gail Edwards, encouraged me to keep studying while I was already in the studying habit. I took their advice which I believe to be the reason I went to Extra Class in only 6 more months. A funny story they once told me was Gail said the 2 eyes she has printed on her QSL card are not her eyes, but are the eyes of Lucille Ball. Gail said Bill told her that her eyes were too far apart, about the right width to fit an axe handle between! HaHaHaHa! I laughed like crazy when they told me that! "Very 73 de Cliff, KU4GW"
Posted by KU4GW on 2022-02-11

Wish I Had Discovered Amateur Radio Sooner

I wish I had discovered amateur radio when I was in my teens. The joy it has given me the past 10 years is amazing.
Posted by KR5QA on 2022-02-11

Tower service

Trying to locate a directory of tower service for Ham's.
Posted by W3BFC on 2022-02-11

Concerning

The 0-10 year numbers are concerning. Need more growth to sustain Amateur Radio for the future if these numbers are any indication.
Posted by K4GTE on 2022-02-10

Joined QCWA after 25 years, quit at 26 years

I joined on the basis of some recent petitions to the FCC they had filed, thinking they were an active bunch of "veteran" amateurs. Then after a year of stale nostalgia and ads for QCWA cruises and VFW conventions, I quit. Sorry, but I will never be an "old" ham, even after 47 years of being licensed.
Posted by N3EG on 2022-02-09

50 years later...

Licensed as Novice in 1971 after discovering that the community college I was attending had an amateur radio course. First QSO was with a Hallicrafters HT-40 and Heath HR-10 Rcvr. I can recall looking forward to more modern equipment when I upgraded. So what am I doing 50 years later?: listening to a CW QSO on my HW-16. I'll run it in the SKCC WES this month. Go figure.....
Posted by WB0FDJ on 2022-02-09

OT

Continuously licensed since June 1955. Still enjoy contesting & DXing. Grateful to still have ability to copy & send CW, altho I seem to be gravitating to RTTY lately.
Dick K6LRN
Posted by K6LRN on 2022-02-09

42 en counting

was in my 20's when I got my novice ticket, held every class up to extra. I will be 69 this week and still do something in ham radio everyday if it's just listening.
Posted by AE5SB on 2022-02-08

Old Timer?

Going continuously since 1962...
Posted by W6HB on 2022-02-07

The "New" Demographics

I enjoy bringing my trusty ol' ICOM 751A along with us to our lakeshore cottage in the summer, & making casual rag-chewing QSO's on CW with it...

The matter of exchanging one's age & seniority within the amateur comunity now seems to be as much a part of every exchange anymore, just like "...name is, QTH is, weather is". And what absolutely amazes me are the number of active Hams who are still ably manning their keys at age 80- & 90-plus...! In fact, it's a bellwether day for me whenever I might encounter somebody who might still be in their 50's...

...And I've NEVER run into any "...Spring Chickens" in their 40's, or younger --- NEVER EVER.

That all just serves to make me mourn the pending demise of a hobby that I've thoroughly enjoyed being active in, lo these past 51 years...
Posted by VE3CUI on 2022-02-07

Amateur Radio License

56 years ... preceded by some years of SWL.

Posted by VE1GA on 2022-02-07

Hobby turned into a profession.

During my early childhood, our next-door neighbor thought me how to make a crystal radio. However, this was not a RadioShack bought unit. In the early 1950's RS was nowhere near: Besides, we were so poor that we were eating from our garden, plants, and fruits, an occasional trade with neighbors for their extra sea food they caught or fished.
Our mother immigrated to the USA and several years later we received permanent residency entry too.
I continued to play with radio in my new country.
However, neighbors complain to the superintended of the apartment, that they are seeing this wire that ran from our unit to the adjacent building. Well, our spark plug generator, lasted for several weeks.
And we managed to learn the sounds of several Morse code letters.
By now, the interest in communications continued. By now I was in high school, and we had a show and tell day. I borrowed 2 Motorola “lug-along” walkie-talkie and on one class I met a real ham radio operator. Harry, WA2MEW (now) K1HL. He was my mentor and very influential. I’ll be forever thankful for his persevering and his parents' kindness. He taught me the code and gave me the Novice exam WV2TBQ.
Time passed and now I turned 21 and I had a low number for the military registration. I know that I will be called for duty any day. Not wanting to be a foot soldier, I volunteered and join the U.S. Coast Guard. Attended 6 months radio school in Groton, CT
Completed my military obligations mid-August and hired by KNBC TV as an engineer, transferred to NBC Network, worked in the NBC News.
The rest is history: Retired by 57 lived in CA and now enjoying life in Amelia Island, FL
Thanks to our Great Country! (W4EG)

Posted by W4EG on 2022-02-07

Where are the young ladies?

Shocking, how many white (haired) old men are here - I also belong to it in the meantime: Licensed at the age of 14 (1978), now 58 years old. How fast time goes by...
Posted by DL9BDM on 2022-02-07

Yes!

29 years..... and I've enjoyed nearly EVERY minute of it!!
Posted by AF4KK on 2022-02-06

License

Had a novice when I was a mid teenager but once I discovered girl's, cars, and beer it expired.
Got it again about 15 +/- years later, been 100% active ever since.


Posted by N1FDX on 2022-02-06

Old timer with license.

Had license for over 50 yrs got off radio for many years now wanting to get back on.
Posted by N2VFV on 2022-02-06

Almost exactly 50 years...

My licence was issued almost exactly 50 years ago today. I did let it lapse for several years when we started our family and life was just too busy, but I reactivated it a few years later.

Martin (G8FXC)
Posted by G8FXC on 2022-02-06