Larry Rybacki, WA2ARA
(Formerly WN2ARA, 1967, WB2ARA)

I received my novice call WN2ARA license in the mail on 5/1/1967. The timing wasn't the greatest because it was my first day back to school after convalescing at home for the entire month of April from leg surgery. I would have loved to be on the air while just lying around at home for that month !

Anyway, I knew that I would be a novice for a very short time, and being a high school student short of funds, I didn't want to order QSL cards so that when I upgraded I would have to cross out the "N" and write an "A" or a "B" above it - it would look tacky. So I homebrewed 4 styles of novice cards. When I upgraded to General two months later. the FCC sent me the call license WB2ARA, so I ordered cards for that call. Wouldn't you know it, a month passed when I received a replacement license WA2ARA from the FCC explaining that they had made an error; a fella in New Jersey already had WB2ARA. So guess what ? I ended up having to cross out the "B" on my brand new QSL cards and had to write an "A" above it. Just what I was trying to avoid in the first place. Well anyway, I preferred the WA prefix, the call works so well on CW with an automatic key - every character begins with a "dit" and you just move the paddles back and forth - real smooth.

73 for now,

Larry