On Wed, 3 Jul 2013, Brenda Dyer wrote:



"Michael Black" wrote in message
news:alpine.LNX.2.02.1307021228560.22267@darkstar. example.org...

I'm sure by your CB handle I've been licensed longer than you, since June
of 1872, and the test was a lot harder here in Canada since it wasn't
aimed at the beginner.

Michael


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Please, share your secret for such longevity. You must have learned code
directly from Samuel F.B. Morse.


Sorry about that. It had to be 1972, since until April of that year, you
had to be fifteen or older to get a ham license in Canada. I've never
been able to find out if that rule had been there from the beginning or
had been added at some later point.

When I first read about amateur radio, I'm not sure if it was in Jack &
Jill magazine or a magazine for scouting here in Canada, I can't remember
whether I was 8 or 9. But right from that point it was something I
wanted, but I knew right at that point that I had some years to wait.
Then in December of 1971, I'd been a member of the ARRL since April of
that year, I read in the paper that the rule about age was being removed.
It turned out to come into effect only in April. In May I took the test,
failed at receiving code, then took the code test again (we didn't have to
take the whole test over) in June, and passed. So if I wasn't the
youngest ham at the time, I had to be among the youngest, not much time
for someone younger to take the test.

Michael