License Archive Database?

[N4LCV]

Can someone point me to an online database where I can look up the exact date when I was first licensed? Also being able to find information when I passed the various tests would be nice also. Back in those younger days I was more interested in getting the ticket and getting on the air than I was about keeping track of the exact dates. Thanks in advance for your help.

73

N4LCV (Originally KB4HJE)

[W5DQ]

You can try www.vanityhq.com. If your an old timer, you'll probably need to post a request to Mike's N4MC VanityHQ website and ask for a lookup. Many callbook holders will look up for free if you ask. I've used it for my queries in the past.

[K9STH]

The license records before sometime in the early to mid 1980s were lost when the basement of the FCC office in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was flooded. As such, the only record of of one having a license before then is from the old Callbook Magazine. Depending on when you received you license and when the next edition of the Callbook was published, there could be anywhere from just over a month to almost 6-months before your call appeared in print. And then, there was nothing noted about any particular date of license or when any tests were taken. As such, only an estimate of when you were licensed is available.

Even today, there is no public record of just when someone took an examination. The FCC ULS only lists the date of the license grant.

I do remember the date that I took my Novice Class examination because it was my 15th birthday, 13 February 1959. I still have my original license so I also know the date of issue, which was 15 May 1959. The license arrived on 26 May 1959. That I know because my first entry in my first logbook was 26 May!

I took my General Class examination in late October 1959. However, it arrived on 12 November 1959. Again, this is noted in my logbook!

After that, I only have a vague recollection of the dates of my Advanced Class and Amateur Extra Class licenses.

I do have most of my old licenses. However, there was a period of time when one had to return their existing license when renewing. That didn't last long! However, at least one of my primary station licenses and one each of my additional station licenses had to be returned and therefore I don't have any specific dates.

One thing to note is that the FCC building in Gettysburg housed an Edsel automotive dealership before it was taken over by the FCC. It sat vacant for a number of years before being purchased by the Federal Government!

Glen, K9STH

[W3WN]

Take a look at AE7Q's site, www.ae7q.com

[WA4BRL]

I wonder whether anyone has considered scanning and running OCR on old Callbooks in order to construct a searchable callsign database? Perhaps there is not enough interest to justify the effort and expense, but it sure would be nice to have such a reference online. I understand that callbooks were available in the USA as early as 1909. I've no idea how complete that might have been or whether they were published continuously as periodicals ever since. There may have been gaps in availability, I don't know. Perhaps some callbook collector(s) can share that info.

A complete searchable online historical callsign database remains a dream. Let's hope for the possibility of its eventual achievement. I'd donate resources to such a project. Perhaps using QRZ,com as a rallying point, interested parties can organize an effort.

[W3WN]

From http://www.ae7q.com/data/CallHistory.php?CALL=N4LCV
N4LCV.jpg
N4LCV 2.jpg