1982 - NEW QTH AND UPGRADE TO EXTRA CLASS

The first half of 1982 was taken up with weekly skeds with two friends of mine: N1BCM (since passed away) & N1AIS (now N1PM). We used to meet on 28.780 at 11:00 pm EST and have a nice three-way roundtable chat. I also continued collecting 10X numbers.

You may recall that I had re-applied for a N1BCV replacement license plate, due to the other one getting stolen in 1981. On April 16, 1982 I received the plate, with blue letters on a black background (pictured left). One side note: since the plate theft, the '72 Impala that the plate was on also got stolen a short time later. I bought my Dad's 1974 Oldsmobile Cutlass, and this is the car the replacement plate went on.

On June 10, 1982, our family moved from Rumford RI to East Providence RI, and I immediately ordered a Western Electronics 3-band fiberglass vertical antenna. My new station is pictured left.

On July 6, 1982, I visited ARRL headquarters station W1AW with some friends and operated there (pictured left).

On July 7, 1982 I received a new General Class license with my new address on it.  On July 12, 1982 I made my first contact from the new location, working N4GNE/m in Richmond VA. Ironically, it is the same exact QSL design as my first Novice contact! I was using a direct-fed 67-foot longwire antenna. Oh, the TVI it caused! On July 13, 1982, I had an antenna company put up the Western Electronics vertical antenna on my roof (I am afraid of heights!).​

On August 5, 1982 I bought a Hammarlund HQ-110 receiver, (pictured left), which packed quite a wallop when you touched the case. 

​On October 20, 1982, I took the Advanced & Extra class written exam, as well as the Extra class 20 WPM code, and passed. I was now an Extra class operator! I was now N1BCV/BS (pictured left).

On October 25, 1982, Richard Bash, KL7IHP, issued me a Worked All Licenses award. This was sort of a tongue-in-cheek thing, issued to those who used the Bash Study Guide to pass the exams. This guide was controversial in that it involved memorizing the exact answers to the exams.

On October 31, 1982, I was issued Radio Monitor callsign WDX1RI for use as a SWL operator.

In early November 1982, I received my N1BCV Extra Class License (pictured left). I did not apply immediately for an upgrade in callsign, instead waiting until the 2X1 series was in the "KN1" area. Then, I applied, and sent in my application at what I hoped was just the right time, hoping for one of those "KN1" calls. It had a nice ring to it; sort of a tribute to the old KN1 Novice class callsigns. I applied for an Extra class certificate from the FCC. It was a valid license, issued October 29, 1982.

On December 10, 1982, I was issued my own CB license with the callsign KBUO-8092 (pictured below). I figured it was time for my own CB license, even though I almost now never used a CB. 

The year ended with me waiting to find out if I indeed would get a KN1 series 2X1 callsign.