"Keyboard In The Noise" wrote in message
news:4FHxc.1778$tI2.910@fed1read07...
Come on Dee -- if a W8 came on the air back then -- I knew the general
district and certainly knew he/she wasn't in California
was my point. Helpful for chasing WAS

Now a W1 comes on a California repeater and turns out he/she has had
residence in CA for 10 years.

And the DX stations have no idea who is where over here (;-(



In this day and age with the majority of hams having internet access, they
can look it up easily.

Also keep in mind that these days in the US we are all out of sequentially
assigned 1x3, 1x2 and 2x1 calls. Any General or Tech who moved out of the
area would either have to settle for a 2x3 call or PAY for a vanity call if
they could find one not taken. Similarly Extras would have to settle for
2x2s beginning with A or PAY for a vanity call. And it wouldn't be too many
years before these 2x2 calls are gone.

I was licensed in Ohio in 1992. Got my 8 call there. Then I moved to
Illinois, then South Dakota, and then finally to Michigan. If I had been
required to change, I'd have had 4 calls in 10 years ending with an 8 call
different than what I have now. That would have been quite a nuisance.

However, the solution is simple. Simply sign /x instead of requiring call
sign changes. If you think this is truly an important issue, petition the
FCC to make it a requirement instead of voluntary.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE