The old FCC issued cb call signs

[Crazy-Hunter]

KAUN2857. Crazy Hunter

 

[Woody-202]

I got my Tech license 2 years ago. It was not hard just took learning. KM6YDW. I got a CB License for 5 dollars back in the day. KBNT1164 or my on air 164 Northern Cal.

Ironic. Back in the day you paid $5 for a CB license (go farther back and they were $20), and now, a ham license will cost you $35. What did Congress have in mind when they started charging $$$ for a ham license? was it to try to discourage new additions to the existing ranks of ham radio, hoping it (ham radio) dissipate the number of hams on the airwaves, allowing them to make a case for selling blocks of frequencies where activity had declined? Or maybe they figured that having a GMRS or ham license should cost the same? I'd be happy paying $35 if they pass the bill that was proposed this week, diluting an HOA's power over any ham that wants an outdoor antenna.

 

[DelR]

KCF9455 Freebird

 

[Tucker442]

Does anyone know of a data base that still has the old callsigns that the FCC used to give out, just wondering if they were still around or if they threw them away when they went to no license?

I’ve heard a couple people checked into it and seems there seems to be no record whatsoever. I can’t believe that, but that’s what I was told.

 

[Tucker442]

Ironic. Back in the day you paid $5 for a CB license (go farther back and they were $20), and now, a ham license will cost you $35. What did Congress have in mind when they started charging $$$ for a ham license? was it to try to discourage new additions to the existing ranks of ham radio, hoping it (ham radio) dissipate the number of hams on the airwaves, allowing them to make a case for selling blocks of frequencies where activity had declined? Or maybe they figured that having a GMRS or ham license should cost the same? I'd be happy paying $35 if they pass the bill that was proposed this week, diluting an HOA's power over any ham that wants an outdoor antenna.

I paid $20 in 1973 KSU 6347 I live in New Jersey, so I don’t know if that anything to do with location as Ham Radio call signs to today

 

[Keto]

I keep meaning to see if my mother knows where mine would be from when I was a kid. Personal laminate something like that or save it some other way maybe.
I remember I saw a list of local guys their names and their handles it must have been 10 pages long don't remember they listed official call signs or not.
Probably from when that guy by the handle of mandolin had CB breaks there would be a at least 200 or more.

 

[DelR]

I keep meaning to see if my mother knows where mine would be from when I was a kid. Personal laminate something like that or save it some other way maybe.
I remember I saw a list of local guys their names and their handles it must have been 10 pages long don't remember they listed official call signs or not.
Probably from when that guy by the handle of mandolin had CB breaks there would be a at least 200 or more.

Yea I had a card file box. Come across it back some 17yrs back while doing some cleaning after my mom passed. Didn't think enough of it to keep it. That was from the mid to late 70s. I still remember my dads camper shell had the KCF 9455 on the back glass and a 108" steel whip on the bumper. Those were the days...

 

[Keto]

Yea I had a card file box. Come across it back some 17yrs back while doing some cleaning after my mom passed. Didn't think enough of it to keep it. That was from the mid to late 70s. I still remember my dads camper shell had the KCF 9455 on the back glass and a 108" steel whip on the bumper. Those were the days...

Nothing brings back memories like seeing a 108" whip.

 

[Woody-202]

I paid $20 in 1973 KSU 6347 I live in New Jersey, so I don’t know if that anything to do with location as Ham Radio call signs to today

Yeah, that's what my Dad paid ($20) in '68. I was too young to get my own, but it was for my use, and God help me if I got him in trouble over something illegal, like talking skip. I think the only time he used a CB (Midland 13-857b) was when my family ('cept me) moved from Connecticut to Texas in '74. I think they (FCC) said that they wanted parity in licenses, GMRS has been growing and a license was $70, while ham radio was free, so Gmer's got a huge cut in the cost of a license, and hams got the short end of the stick so both licenses cost $35 ea now. Or maybe they did it to try and kill off new members wanting to take a ride in "Hamland"...

The FCC issued licenses for hams and the number in the license referred to the region they lived in. If they moved to another region I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong) they were required to have a new license for region they moved to. New England is a 1 and Texas (and a few others states) is a 5). From the the beginning to around the late 60's it worked okay, but as the U.S. became more mobile, and relocations became common, at some point they ended the requirement. If you've ever bought an HF Yaesu rig, you know it comes with a map of the U.S. with the region codes. But if I'm talking to someone in with a 6 in their call sign, there's no guaranty that the other station is really in 6-land or not. They could be in 3-land for all I know, and vanity call signs only have only amplified the confusion of who lives where. I got my license here in Texas and don't plan on going anywhere else. Man...I sure got long winded on this, sorry 'bout that, I should have quit at "Hamland"...the over-the-air amusement park for many...

 

[DelR]

Yeah, that's what my Dad paid ($20) in '68. I was too young to get my own, but it was for my use, and God help me if I got him in trouble over something illegal, like talking skip. I think the only time he used a CB (Midland 13-857b) was when my family ('cept me) moved from Connecticut to Texas in '74. I think they (FCC) said that they wanted parity in licenses, GMRS has been growing and a license was $70, while ham radio was free, so Gmer's got a huge cut in the cost of a license, and hams got the short end of the stick so both licenses cost $35 ea now. Or maybe they did it to try and kill off new members wanting to take a ride in "Hamland"...

The FCC issued licenses for hams and the number in the license referred to the region they lived in. If they moved to another region I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong) they were required to have a new license for region they moved to. New England is a 1 and Texas (and a few others states) is a 5). From the the beginning to around the late 60's it worked okay, but as the U.S. became more mobile, and relocations became common, at some point they ended the requirement. If you've ever bought an HF Yaesu rig, you know it comes with a map of the U.S. with the region codes. But if I'm talking to someone in with a 6 in their call sign, there's no guaranty that the other station is really in 6-land or not. They could be in 3-land for all I know, and vanity call signs only have only amplified the confusion of who lives where. I got my license here in Texas and don't plan on going anywhere else. Man...I sure got long winded on this, sorry 'bout that, I should have quit at "Hamland"...the over-the-air amusement park for many...

Good reading..