Call Sign out of area

[AC4BB]

is there such a thing as an "improper" call district?

It would be nice like it was years ago to have a requirement that you have proper numeral representing the call district you actually live in YES.! It's like California,people that have 4 district calls,

[W5TBC]

This is a little bit off-topic, but it does go a bit with "Call sign out of area."
I was looking through my collection of old QSL Cards and found one from WPE2OKV in Pleasantville, NJ.
This was back in 1970, so possibly the person and the call have long since disappeared.
Can't find it cross-referenceing on qrz.com.
I'm wondering if this was a special call....I am thinking maybe "Petroleum Exposition" or some special event in Pleasantville for the WPE call ?
Seems to be a contact I made on the County Hunters Net on 20M.
Anyone have any ideas ?

73,
Bob,
W5TBC

[N2EY]

It would be nice like it was years ago to have a requirement that you have proper numeral representing the call district you actually live in YES.! It's like California,people that have 4 district calls,

The requirement that your call match your district ended well over 30 years ago. I forget the exact date, but it was gone before 1979.

In those days, a ham who moved across district boundaries a lot would be changing callsigns with each move. Lots of hams didn't like that - particularly when they had a call they really liked in one district that was unavailable in another.

Remember too that some call districts are enormous geographically - like 4, 7 and 0.


73 de Jim, N2EY

[WA7PRC]

This is a little bit off-topic, but it does go a bit with "Call sign out of area."
I was looking through my collection of old QSL Cards and found one from WPE2OKV in Pleasantville, NJ.
This was back in 1970, so possibly the person and the call have long since disappeared.
Can't find it cross-referenceing on qrz.com.
I'm wondering if this was a special call....I am thinking maybe "Petroleum Exposition" or some special event in Pleasantville for the WPE call ?
Seems to be a contact I made on the County Hunters Net on 20M.
Anyone have any ideas ?

73,
Bob,
W5TBC

That is a callsign that used to be issued to a SWL by Popular Electronics and Electronics World magazines (long-since defunct).
Reference: http://www.qsl.net/wb1gfh/swl.html

[W5TBC]

Thanks for the reply. It really wasn't "Petroleum Exposition" but really "Popular Electronics". LOL. It was probably perfectly innocent, but I think call letters issued by anyone other than the FCC is a bit questionable.

[KC2SIZ]

I like my call just fine. It's the one and only call I've had so it has some sentimental value. I would change it in a heartbeat though if I moved to a new call area. If I'm working DX stations i want them to know roughly where I am just from my callsign. For me, that trumps everything else.

[W5TBC]

It would be nice like it was years ago to have a requirement that you have proper numeral representing the call district you actually live in YES.! It's like California,people that have 4 district calls,

I have been under the impression that all of California was in the 6th District.( Such as W6, K6, etc. prefix). Has this been changed ?

[W5TBC]

I like my call just fine. It's the one and only call I've had so it has some sentimental value. I would change it in a heartbeat though if I moved to a new call area. If I'm working DX stations i want them to know roughly where I am just from my callsign. For me, that trumps everything else.

Them's my sentiments, too. While I was a student at Texas A&M I was a member of the Memorial Student Center Amateur Radio Group. I don't think anyone is very anxious to get another call for W5AC.

[ND6M]

It would be nice like it was years ago to have a requirement that you have proper numeral representing the call district you actually live in YES.! It's like California,people that have 4 district calls,

dang,............. I must be bass akwards. I have a 6 call that I first got in San Diego where I lived for 30 years. I also presently live in district 4,....... 6 months of the year,..............

should I change calls EVERY 6 months?......................NOT!

bottom line: some of us DO have more than one legal address

[W5TBC]

I have been under the impression that all of California was in the 6th District.( Such as W6, K6, etc. prefix). Has this been changed ?

Sorry about that. I mis-interpreted that as meaning that California had 4 distinct call districts instead of having calls within the state with the District 4 prefix. (Such as W4's, K4's etc.) Just about any area now may even have calls from all the districts. (Just try the using the name of a county on the county search option on qrz.com) Hams move from one district to another but they are allowed keep their original calls and districts in the process. Caifornia is no exception.

I do make a few goofs on this forum. "WPE" Prefix - ( The "WPE" for "Petroleum Exposition" instead of "Popular Electronics" ) for example.