1963: Glenn Kurzenknabe, K3SWZ






1966: Brian Wood, W0DZ

1961: Richard Pumphrey, WN9DDV

1962, Walt Beverly, W4GV

1961: Rick Roznoy, K1OF

1962, Steve Meyers, W0AZ

1951: Bill Weinhardt, W9PPG

1955: Paul Johnston, W9PJ

1964: Michael Betz, WB8ZFQ.

1967: Pete Malvasi, W2PM

1962: Terry Schieler, W0FM

1969: John Kosmak, W3IK

1953: Dan Girand, W5ARB

1975: David Collingham, K3LP

1961: Jim Cain, K1TN

1957: Bill Tippett, W4ZV

1961: Bob Lightner, W4GJ

1956: Bernie Huth, W4BGH

1952: Dick Bender, W3SYY

1951: Dale Bredon, W6BGK

1963: "Sig" Signer, NV7E

1958: Jeff Lackey, K8CQ

1953: Dan Bathker, K6BLG

1961: Rick Tavan, N6XI

1956: Bill Penhallegon, W4STX

1958: John Miller, K6MM

1959/1993: Tom Carter, KC2GEP

1966: Kelly Klaas, K7SU

1976: Mary Moore, WX4MM

1970: David Kazan, AD8Y

1957: Paula Keiser, K8PK

1971: Charles Ahlgren, WB6IYM

1952: Tom Webb, W4YOK

1964: License Manual - Chapter 2, Novice

1964: Advertisements

1970: Jim Zimmerman, N6KZ

1987: Matt Cassarino, WV1K

More - Mike Branca, W3IRZ (sk)

1953: Bill Bell, KN2CZZ

1952: Ron D' Eau Claire, AC7AC

History - 1950s: The Beginning

History - 1960s: Mid-Peak

History - 1970s: Late Peak

(sample story) My Elmer

1954: Novice Logbook (Dick Zalewski, W7ZR)

1961: Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA

1953: George Marko, K2DWL

1964: How to Become a Radio Amateur

1967: ARRL Handbook

1963: Learning the Radiotelegraph Code

1955: Jack Burks, K4CNW

1979: Ann Santos, WA1S

1952: Ron Baker, WA6AZN

Welcome to the Novice Historical Society Home Page!

1952/1955: The CQ Twins (Clint, W9AV & Quent, W6RI)

1956: Mike Branca, W3IRZ

1959: Don Minkoff, NK6A

History - 1980s: Early-Decline

1990-2000: The End

1976, Rick Palm, K1CE

1978: Larry Makoski, W2LJ

1961: Gary Yantis, W0TM

1955: Al Cammarata, W3AWU

1951: Bob McDonald, W4DYF

1951: Charlie Curle, AD4F

1953: Kenny Cassidy, WN2WNC

1951: Jim Franklin, K4TMJ

1953: Rick Faust, N2RF

1973: Greg Harris, WB9MII

1957: Mickey LeBoeuf, K5ML

1957: Jim Cadien, KC7ZMV

1976: Tom Fagan, K7DF

1953: Fred Jensen, K6DGW

1957: Tony Rogozinski, W4OI

1961, Novice Roundup Award (Art Mouton, K5FNQ)

1956: Woody Pope, ex-KN5GCM

1967: Larry Rybacki, WA2ARA

1955: Gene Schonrock, W6EAJ

1955: Dave Germeyer, W3BJG

1983: Harry Weiss, KA3NZR

1970: Paul Huff, N8XMS

1976: John Yasuda, WB6PTC

1953: Alvin Burgland, W6WJ

1966: Neil Friedman, N3DF

1976: Lyle Heide, WB9VTM

1968: Leigh Klotz, Sr., N5LK

1956: Ken Barber, W2DTC

1977: Keith Darwin, N1AS

1959: Tom Wilson, K7FA

1956: Wayne Beck, K5MB

1984: Paul Conant, WQ5X

1970: Ward Silver, N0AX

1982: Christopher Horne, W4CXH

1953: Paul Signorelli, W0RW

1954: Ray Cadmus, W0PFO

1957: Norm Goodkin, K6YXH

1959: Glen Zook, K9STH

1970: Ken Brown, N6KB

1962: Fred Merkel, AK7D

1972: Rob Atkinson, K5UJ

1955: David Quagiana, K2MTW

1952: Sam Whitley, K5SW

1967: Frequency Chart

1983: William Wilson, AB0VG

1953: Jim Brown, W5ZIT

1958: Al Burnham, K6RIM

1952: Gary Borri, K9DBR

1961: Bill Husted, KQ4YA

1955: Dan Schobert, W9MFG

1976: Charles Bibb, K5ZK

1979: Bill Brown, KA6KBC

1965: Ken Widelitz, K6LA / VY2TT

1975: Tim Madden, KI4TG

1972: Steve Ewald, WV1X

1969: Mike "Jug" Jogoleff, WA6MBZ

1964: Phil Salas, AD5X

1954: John Johnston, W3BE

1968: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU

1975: Last of the Distinct Novice Callsigns (Cliff Cheng, AC6C; ex-WN6JPA)

1987: Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV

1966: Tom Morgan, AF4HL

1954: Dan Smith, K6PRK

1954: Novice Callsign History License (Dan, K6PRK's License)

1975: First of the Non-distinct Novice Callsigns (Cliff Cheng, AC6C; ex-WA6JPA)

1957: Doug Millar, K6JEY

1954: Dick Zalewski, W7ZR

1962: Steve Pink, KF1Y

1975: Cliff Cheng, AC6C

1966: Tom Napier, AI4QV

1965: Novice Code Test (Ken Widelitz, K6LA / VY2TT)

1954: Bob Brown, W4YFJ

1977: Russ Roberts, KH6JRM

1958: Jeff Wolf, K6JW

1964: John Shidler, NS5Z

1972: Rick Andersen, KE3IJ

1977: Barry Whittemore, WB1EDI

1967: Grover Cordell, WB5FSP

1959: Val Erwin, W5PUT

1953: Bob Rolfness, W7AVK

1953: Paul Danzer, N1ii

1969: Dennis Kidder, W6DQ

1971: Jonathan Kramer, W6JLK

1959: Chas Shinn, W7MAP/5

1961: Mark Nelson, AJ2K

1978: Alice King, AI4K

1965: Gary Pearce, KN4AQ

1988: James Kern, KB2FCV

1958: Jay Slough, K4ZLE

1954: L.B. Cebik, W4RNL (sk)

1997: Novice Question Pool.

1952: Steve Jensen, W6RHM

1989: Michael Tracy, KC1SX

1979: Matt Tinker, AA8P

1965: Dan Gaylord, W7IDG

1956: Chuck Counselman, W1HIS

1976: Scott McMullen, W5ESE

1961: Joe Park, WB6AGR

1955: Jack Schmidling, K9ACT

1969: Bill Continelli, W2XOY

1962: Bob Roske, N0UF

1963: Glenn Kurzenknabe, K3SWZ

1969: Phyllis Webb, WN4IIF

1956: Dan Cron, W6SBE

1954: Carl Yaffey, K8NU

1967: Ted White, N8TW

1982: Penny Cron, W6SBE

1961, Kent Gardner, WA7AHY

1970: Brad Bradfield, W5CGH

1976: Steve Melachrinos, W3HF

1994: Brian Lamb, KE4QZB

1958: Operating an Amateur Radio Station

1965: AL LaPeter, W2AS

1961: Rick Swain, KK8o

1956: Keith Synder, KE7IOW

1951: Elmer Harger, N7EL

1987: Lou Giovannetti, KB2DHG

1966: Dave Fuseler, NJ4F

1976: Marcel Livesay, N5VU

1965: Bob Jameson, N3LNP

1951: Byron Engen, W4EBA

1956: Cam Harriot, KI6WK

1965: FCC Exam Schedule

1962: Joe Trombino, W2KJ

1956: Ray Colbert, W5XE

1964: Geoff Allsup, W1OH

1977: Tom Herold, N9BUL

1951: Hank Greeb, N8XX

1959: Dean Straw, N6BV

1970: Alan Applegate, K0BG

1957: Richard Cohen, K6DBR

1971: Ronald Erickson, K0IC

1965: Jan Perkins, N6AW

1953: Charlie Lofgren, W6JJZ

1960: Art Mouton, K5FNQ

1955: Dan Marks, ex-K6IQF

1958: Mike Chernus, K6PZN

1960: Bob Silverman, WA6MRK

1951: Richard Schachter, W6HHI

1953: Joe Montgomery, W1DWJ

1958: Richard Dillman, W6AWO

1968: Bob Dunn, K5IQ

1988: Jamie Markowitz, AA6TH

1952: Jim Leighty, W6UJX

1955: Matt Wheaton, W1EMM

1957: Dick Newsome, W0HXL

1956: Slim Copeland, K4KCS

1959, 1993: Tom Carter, KC2GEP

1968: Bill Byrnes, AB9BD

1971: Jeff Angus, WA6FWI

1956: Dean Norris, K7NO

1972: Dennis Drew, W7RVR

1958: Stan Miln, K6RMR

1958: George Ison, K4ZMI

1978: Fred Soper, KC8FS

1956: John Fuller, K4HQK

1961: Riley Hollingswworth, K4ZDH

  


1963: Glenn Kurzenknabe, K3SWZ


Glenn Kurzenknabe, K3SWZ (formerly KN3SWZ, 1962)

At the beginning of 10th grade (1961) I met Ed Cox who had moved to the area from Pittsburgh, PA over the summer.  We found that we both wanted to be hams, but couldn't sit still long enough to learn the code!  We were both too busy playing with old radios and taking TV sets apart.  There was a Physics and Chemistry teacher at our school, Dave Anwyll, W3HCC (SK) who had a sort of club for electronic enthusiasts and misfits.  Ed and I leaned on each other to get with the code practice and after some months we both thought we had it down well enough to take the Novice exam in early 1962. W3HCC was a Technician, so he could not give us the exam.  He got Carl Fredericks, K3RMD, who was in the Navy and stationed at the local supply depot to give us the exam.  I can remember that day like it was yesterday!  Scared to death.  Carl gave us the code test and we both passed.  Then came the written and the long wait to find out how we did.  He would not tell us how we did!  I guess we did OK as Ed became KN3SWJ (now KE3D) and I became KN3SWZ in April 1962.

I had a Hallicrafters S-38E, which was nearly worthless on the ham bands, however a local, W3HTO (SK) was selling some gear he no longer used and sold me a boat anchor WW II Navy RBO-1 receiver for $25.  It was a better receiver, but only covered the 40 Meter band, plus a bunch of Short Wave bands.  My dad and I took the Heath QF-1

Q-Multiplier that was attached to the S-38E and dumb lucked into the right place in the IF section to make it work.   That made it pretty hot or at least I thought so. 

While I was waiting for my license my parents bought me a Knight T-60 Transmitter kit to build which was a mistake.  I think the soldering iron we had was for sheet metal and I wasn't any good at soldering.  I made a mess of it and someone at Knight got it going.  My parents picked up the tab for the repair and I have no idea how much it was. 

I had two xtals in the 40 Meter band.  Two was better than one!  I had done a little reading about antennas, but didn't understand a whole lot about what I was reading.   I built a 40 Meter Dipole and fed it with 300 ohm TV twin lead.  One side connected to ground and the other connected to the center connector of the coax connector on the T-60.  (What did I know?)  

I was given a bunch of FT-243 xtals that were out of the ham bands...I had read that one could raise and lower the frequency of these by taking them apart and  removing or adding little "material" to them.  I had no idea how much was a "little"  I knew that you could lower the frequency by adding pencil lead and you could raise the frequency by removing quartz with tooth paste.    I played around a broke most all of the blanks and never did successfully move any into the ham bands...  now for the epilog ---  Little did I know that my career path would lead me to the quartz crystal and frequency standard business.  I spent over 35 years working in that field and was part owner of the former Piezo Crystal Company, one of the oldest companies in the business, as the central PA area used to be the "crystal capitol of the world"   I reflect on how little I knew at in those early days, but I was willing to give it a try and learned a lot about a lot of things by trial and error...  

I had a Heath  Sixer (no license to use it yet) and the local club was having a Transmitter Hunt  (my dad had to drive)  I built a 6 Meter Quad loop and mount for the window of the car for DFing, which was actually too big, as I found out. The problem was I only had a 6 VDC Vibrator Power Supply for the Sixer.  In order to get 6 V from a 12 V battery, I drove a nail in the battery of my dad's new Ford station wagon and obtained 6 V, however the battery failed the next week (after the transmitter hunt).  The dealer never could figure out what happened to that battery , when they replaced it under warranty --- my dad was not too happy!   I also found out that DFing is not accomplished with a Regenerative receiver and no S-Meter!    BTW -- we never did find the transmitter -- we had to open the envelope, but arrived at the site and enjoyed the fellowship that followed, even though I was just some stupid kid, the old timers were very supportive. 

Pages and pages of CQ's and no response in my logbook followed.  By chance, I ran into another young, local ham at an Armed Forces Day, Ham Radio display at the local Navy Depot.   He was John, KN3SFW (now K4NP).  He had been licensed a few weeks before me and he was making contacts!!  He rode his bike to my QTH to look things over and saw that I was not using coax.  He said he wasn't sure, but he thought that was the problem.  I talked my mother into buying 75 ft. of RG-59 for me at the local Radio and TV parts place.  We installed it and we actually made a QSO with a guy in Maryland!  It worked... 

Later I upgraded to an old Heath DX-20 that seemed to work better than the T-60??   I guess I worked about 20 states as a Novice and a VE3 for my DX contact.  Along the way my dad got interested and became KN3UKO (then K3UKO-SK).   I upgraded my license and equipment as the years went on. I have met many wonderful people through ham radio. I am very active to this day and I don't think I will ever forget my experiences as a Novice!  I have often wondered where my life would have lead were it not for ham radio and the influence it had on me.

 

73

 

Glenn Kurzenknabe, K3SWZ

New Cumberland, PA        

 

 

 

© 2008, Cliff Cheng, Ph.D., ALL RIGHTS RESEREVED.