Richard Bender, W3SYY
(formerly WN3SYY, 1952)

During the year 1951 I studied and practiced code for the General Class license. I studied the code from a set of 78rpm records and thought I had mastered 15 wpm.  In December of '51 my father drove me to Pittsburgh PA (2 hours away) to take the General Exam offered twice a year there. 

The examiner was from the FCC Buffalo NY office.  The exams were given in the basement of the city building. The room had concrete walls and pillars (ideal for code testing!!!).  With shaking hands I tried to copy the 13 wpm code test in the  room  of echos.  Later the examiner called me up to his desk and told me I did not make it.

Of course I was very disappointed  and began to leave the room.  As I was leaving He called me back and said I could take the 5 wpm code test for the new Novice License.  I never heard of it but agreed to take the test.  I passed it with flying colors and continued on with the sending test and  the written test.  I received my new license and call (WN3SYY) early in January 1952. 

I didn't have a chance to get on the air as I was called to active duty (US Navy) for the Korean War a few months later.  While in the service I did get on the air, and also became a Technician Licensee dropping the "N" in my call.  I have retained the same call since then. 

Richard M. Bender  W3SYY  (WN3SYY)