Christopher B. Fite
202 Brushy Creek Road
Taylors, SC 29687
e-mail

I have been an amateur radio operator since 1976.  I got my Novice class license in the days of distinctive callsigns.  I was orginally issued WN4OAW.  Shortly afterwards, the FCC discontinued the practice of issuing distinctive callsigns for novices and issued me WB4OAW.  I was living in Atlanta, GA at the time.  This gave me the advantage of having the FCC office nearby.  I upgraded to General and on to Advanced in August of 1977.  I moved to Beaumont, TX and received a 5th call district callsign, as was the practice of the FCC in those days.  This new call was WD5HMU.  Simply put, it was an abomination on CW, my favorite mode of operation.

As time and desire moved on, I upgraded to Amateur Extra the next year.  I received a new call from the first block of the new 2x1 callsigns:  AC5R.  Despite moving all about the country, I held on the this call for 25 years.  In 2003, I had settled in South Carolina and felt that I might change calls to get a 4th call district callsign.  The FCC had ended the requirement that a callsign reflect the geographic location of the station by call district.  I had tried the lottery for  the few 1X2 callsigns, but came up shy each time.  After much introspection, I looked in the available Vanity Callsigns and selected K4TET.  It was not hard to get.  There are many 1x3 calls available.  This one sounds good on phone and even better on CW.  In January 2004, I was issued K4TET, and AC5R was retired to the pool to become available in two years.  In June, another 1X2 callsign of interest came available and I threw my hat into the ring.  Lo and behold, I won the lottery and now have a 1X2 callsign.  I guess that I will hang on to it.

I have to agree with those who say that you become as one with your callsign.  After so many years, I felt as if I were AC5R.  I have not had too much trouble with the transition.  After all, I have two years to reclaim AC5R.

Here is the pertinent data about the station location:

Coordinates: 34° 56' 1'' N, 82° 19' 4'' W

Coordinates: 34.933851 -82.317958

County: Greenville

Grid: EM84uw

My gear is a Ten Tec 580 Delta, G5RV up about 30 feet.  I will likely get my tower up later this year and move the wire to it with my Tri-band Yagi.   There are no covenants and restrictions here.  The county defers to the FCC in all matters concerning Amateur Radio.

Antennas are a problem here because my acre lot has nothing in the way of trees.  I have the G5RV inverted from an old utility pole that was here when I moved into the 65 year old house.  It was probably used for television reception.

7/31/04