the Novice quartet

 I noticed there are scans of old Callbooks on archive.org now, here is a peek from the Winter 1972 issue:  

WN9KZY to WN9LAB, 4 Novices

I am at the top, WN9KZY, Johnny Loftus was WN9KZZ, Terry (Tamar) Moore was WN9LAA and Sam Sansone was WN9LAB.  

The four of us had taken an informal license class during the summer of 1972 given by WB9JHW, Morrie.  We learned the three cornered hat curriculum of Ham Radio:  the theory of radio, the regulations and finally the Morse code.  We were all connected by the radio club at Nicolet High School in Glendale, WI.  Here is a page on my site of the Glen Gates Gang, our field day group, Mr. Gates was a physics teacher and the advisor to the radio club at Nicolet.    

http://wb9kzy.com/ggg.htm

Finally one evening we all went over to the Bolton residence in Fox Point where Todd (WB9HJG) and his Dad, (Bill, WB9HGH) gave us the Novice exam.  Todd did most of the actual work (he recorded W1AW that evening at 5 WPM so it was a realistic code test) but his Dad was the adult (over 21) formally in control of the test.  And we all passed !

The next summer we had another class on theory/code/regs for the Tech/General licenses from Bob (W9MO) and Morrie (WB9JHW).  Eventually the four of us separately passed the Tech or above tests down at the old Federal building on Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee.
 

Now it's almost 50 years later and I don't think any of us are all that active in radio.  Bob (W9MO) seems to have dropped his license.  Todd and his Dad both passed away a few years ago.   Sam (WB9LAB) passed away in the late 20th century in an airplane accident with his wife.  I can't find John in the callsign database.  Terry is still licensed.  I am as well and if the spring ever actually arrives I do hope to get some antennas skyward and back on the air !

Best Regards,
Chuck, WB9KZY
http://wb9kzy.com/ham.htm