Dan,

You're not the only one who's wanted to look up an old call sign or
operator. Presently, there is no complete, on-line, historical database.
Your only hope is to find an archive of old, paper callbooks. But even these
may not be much help as there entries are ordered by call sign, not by name.
Historical data from the FCC is almost impossible to come by. For further
details about this, check out the following link:

http://www.qrz.com/i/pre1987.html

I applied for and received a vanity call sign, but have always wondered
who had it before me. QRZ only goes back to 1993, so I know no one held it
during the past decade. But surely someone has during the past 90 years.
It's a 1-by-2, which is "preferred." It would be astounding if it turned out
that I'm the only holder ever.

-Dave, K3WQ

"Daniel J. Morlan" wrote in message
om...
Is there a database anywhere in the world that has all of the names
and addresses of every licensed ham there ever was? My grandfather,
John W. Tolson (or Wilson J. Tolson, probably more accurately. He
used his middle name) was a ham from the early to mid 50's, possibly
until his death in 1983. He was probably first licensed in Hawaii,
then California, then Utah.

I know his son and grandsons are licensees, but I'm a lot more curious
about his license specifically, and possibly the length of time some
of these four-letter callsigners have had their callsigns. Is there
such a database available to the public? I'd sure love to get my
grandfather's old callsign. At least to know what it was.

73, KG6TKA

Daniel