Licensed as a novice WN7AEB in 1962. My test was administered by Sgt. Bowen who ran the MARS station, while I was in the Air Force and stationed at Stead AFB, about five miles north of Reno, NV. Got married in 1963 and let my license expire that year. Novice licenses were good for one year and not renewable. Finally got around to getting my Conditional (General by mail) in 1969. My test was administered by Art Sowle, W7CX(sk). His office was next to the police dispatch room. Art was the 'captain' of the City of Reno Communications Department. The code test was administered from a reel to reel recording. Art used standard text, with the letters intermixed with numbers, ie. 'work' was 'wo4rk'. I sweat bullets taking the test, 'knowing' I'd blown it. He picked up the paper looked it over and said, "Good!.you passed." Suppressing the strongest urge to jump up and strangle him, he handed me the written. Four months later I got an envelope from a QSL card manufacturer. I saw 'WA7LNT' above my name. A few seconds later it registered. I think I touched the sidewalk three (maybe four) times from the mailbox to the front door. My license arrived about a week later.

I moved to California in 1973 and had to change my area designator. I was issued WA6BOY. I didn't know whether I was cursed or blessed. I kept that call even after getting my Extra in 1988. I decided to go back to being a '7' in 2000 and was lucky enough to get W7AMX. Its got a great CW 'swing'.

I like to build stuff, tube and solid state. I like crystal sets, and especially taking disimiliar metals and a high impedance earphone and cobbling up detectors for 'non-believers'. I've enjoyed the look on their face when they hear what comes from these contraptions!.hi!