nofars.net

WACKY WING DING REWIND

By Billy Williams, N4UF

CERTIFICATE NUMBERS

During the 1957-1960 period, record keeping was not very good. At least three versions of early WWD certificates existed.

Apparently, whenever a different WWD administrator took over, the certificate appearance changed to some degree and a new sequence of WWD certificate numbers began with #1.

Some WWD recipients had multiple certificates with different numbers.  But this didn't matter since numbers were not required to be given out to newcomers in order for them to qualify for their own certificate.  Aspirants just worked seven Jacksonville stations and listed callsigns along with time, date, mode, etc. of each contact on their application.

About the same time, another local ham group, the Jacksonville Amateur Radio Society (JARS) introduced their award similar to the Wacky Wing Ding  but without a humorous angle. JARS had a reputation for being a much more serious group than the new Wacky Wing Ding Society.  

It is unsure which certificate came first.  More about that long-lost award in a future column.  Anyone remember the name of the JARS Award?  The first correct answer received via n4uf@nofars.net wins a prize.  Light up the search engines.

WWD certificate numbers had very little significance until the current series of WWD certificates picturing the Jacksonville skyline began in 1975.  No certificates apparently were issued at all between 1963 and 1975.  Before 1975, there was no WWD certificate net and aspirants made their qualifying contacts during regular communications. Possibly, there were some impromptu nets to promote certificate qualification and the Wacky Wing Ding Society held regular nets, usually on 15 meters, to discuss club matters.

When I first joined NOFARS in 1964, mention of WWD, the certificate or organization, was rare at meetings or on the air. WWD apparently faded fast.  

I became NOFARS president in January 1975 and one of my primary projects was to revive the dormant WWD program. Because of the duplication and confusion surrounding previously-issued WWD numbers, I started with the W4IZ club call as WWD #1.  Subsequent numbers from #2 up earned by checking into the Monday night WWD net on 28.690 MHz.

There was a ten-week or so qualification period in early 1975.  Those checking into WWD net sessions during that qualification period got the lowest numbers based on how many times they checked in. More check-ins by an operator led to a lower number for the first batch of certificates.

Numbers 1 to 100 were set aside for locals; out-of-town WWD numbers started with 101 and up.  I didn't expect to issue over 100 local certificates. And probably activity would fade away after two or three years, anyway. 

But was I wrong!  When the original 100 local WWD numbers ran out, I skipped up to #1001 for local qualifiers. Today, we are nearing WWD #1500 under the supervision of current WWD Certificate Manager John Purvis, KA4REY.

Attracted by the rise in popularity of Ten-Ten and its awards, several hundred hams worldwide have qualified for WWD certificates. Over the years, members like Gaylord, WH2AAT; Bob, KB4WEC; Wayne, WB4YTJ and a dozen or so other stalwarts have kept the WWD  program going.

WACKY WING DING REWINDS

1975: FIRST WWD NET

The Wacky Wing Ding certificate originated in 1957. The certificate was earned by contacting seven Jacksonville stations. Later qualification was modified to contacting seven WWD certificate holders. By the early 1960s, the WWD certificate program was inactive and it would be 15 years before it was restarted. NOFARS archives do not make any reference to a WWD net before 1975 though there were WWD frequencies where members congregated.

The first regular WWD net was on Monday, January 6, 1975. No certificate numbers had yet been assigned. A fresh sequence of certificate numbers was assigned after a ten-week qualification period.  #1 was reserved for W4IZ, NOFARS club station. Certificate numbers were based on the number of times an operator checked in during the first ten WWD Net sessions.

Net Started at 7:50pm on 28.690 MHz. Net Control: Billy, WA4UFW (N4UF)
Check ins: Skip, WB4DAD; Bob, WB4BYJ; Pete, WB4IAH; Walt, K4IEJ; Ken, W4BWX; Jeff, WB4SCA.

Net concluded at 8:45pm.

FEBRUARY 1975

We go waaaayyyyyyback over forty years to only the fifth WWD Net ever held.  No numbers had yet been issued since the first ones were based on the number of check-ins over the first ten weeks.

Monday, February 3, 1975  Net Started: 8:10PM  Net Ended: 10:00PM  28.690 MHz  NCS: WA4UFW
Check-ins:  WB4DAD, WB4SCA, K4IEJ, WA4GAB, WB4LEQ, WB4MWQ, WA4VZF, WA4EYU, WB5FII (Houston TX), WA5JDU (TX); WB4SCA
Spotty ten meter opening to Texas during this early WWD Net.

NOVEMBER 1977

Monday, November 14, 1977 on 28.690 MHz  Net Control: N4UF   Start: 8PM  End: 9:30PM

A spotty ten meter band opening westward brought in two operators from Texas, otherwise all local operators for this session of the NOFARS Wacky Wing Ding Net. 

Check-ins: WA4GAB (WWD#5); WB4RIS (81); WA4GYJ (47); N4VU (58); WD4ITK (74); WD4KFY (85); W4DRM (45); K4KUU (31); WA4DOL (64); WD4JWR (86); W2KGI (41); WB4QBM (83);  K4YTB (79); W4SZ (19); WD4BII (89); WD4BIW (78); WA4TKW (75); WD4ETG (80); WB4QVK (66); WA5JDU (226); WB5ZMX.

DECEMBER 1977

Monday, Dec. 5, 1977  28.690 MHz. USB  Start: 7:55PM  End:  9:00PM  Net Control: N4UF

Check Ins:  N4VU, WD4KFY, WD4ETG, WA4GAB, W4SZ, WA4QCX, W2KGI/4, WA4GYJ, WA4TUB, K4KUU, WD4BII, W0MKP/4, K4DDY, WD4BIW, WD4DYV, WD4FJC, W4CTW

All local check-ins.

Monday, December 19, 1977  Net Started: 7:48pm  Ended: 9:10pm  NCS: N4UF  Freq: 28.690 MHz.

Check-ins: W4DRM, WD4KFY, W2KGI/4, K4DSH, WB0MPH (Kansas City), WB5ZOI (Okla City), K4KUU, W6ECI/0 (Mo); WA4GYJ, WB4QBM, WD4ETG, WA4ONA, WD4ITK, WD4FJC, WD4JWR

This session it was Missouri and Oklahoma coming through on ten meters.

APRIL 1978

Monday, April 17, 1978 on 28.690 MHz  Net Control: N4UF  Start 7:58PM  End: 10:38PM

Poor ten meter propagation--all local operators on this session of the NOFARS Wacky Wing Ding Net.

Check-ins:  W4DRM (WWD #45); W2KGI (41); WA4GYJ (47); WD4ITK (74);  WD4BIW (78); WA4WPQ (53); WD4ETG (80); W4SZ (19); K4KUU (31); K4BSX (1002); WD4OCI (1001); WA4QBW (100); W4MET (98); K4YNK (84); WA4IKJ (1003); WD4JWR (86); WD4MDM (1010); K4YTB (79); WA4NKA; WB4QVK (66); WD4IYR (1021); WD4AGA (97); WB4WYX (70)

MAY 1978

Monday, May 1, 1978  28.690 MHz. USB    Start: 7:50PM   End: 10:34PM   Net Control: N4UF

Check Ins: Bob, WD4BIW; Carl, WA4WPQ; Bob, WA4GYJ; Perry, W4DRM; Bob, W2KGI/4; Maxine, K4KUU; Linda, WD4OCI; John, N4VU; Tex, W4MET; Harold, WA4VZF; J.M., W4GRQ; Ed, WB4QVK; Wayne, WB4YTJ; Steve, WD4ITK

WWD NET REWIND:  Monday, May 15, 1978   28.390 MHz.  NCS: N4UF  Start: 7:53PM   End: 10:11PM

Check Ins:  K4KUU, WA4QBW, W4SZ, W2KGI/4, K4BSX, WD4ETG, W4ZTW, WA4WPQ, WD6BGG (Oakland CA), WD4BIW, WD4AGA, WB4MWQ, W7KFA (Bullhead City AZ), W4MET, WB7TWM (Tucson AZ), WB4YTJ, K4YTB, WB6OZT (CA), WB4QVK, K4YNK, WB4RUT, W4PTT, WB4UKX
Spotty ten meter propagation to Arizona and California during this session of the WWD net.

SUMMER 1979

1979 was a year when bands were hot. A net log from Monday, August 26th indicates 30 check-ins to the WWD net on 28.690 MHz. Apparently, ten meters was not open that night as only local stations were recorded in the log.

The net started at 2000 (8pm EDT) and concluded at 2216 (10:16pm EDT). These were the check ins:

N4UF Billy WWD #2 (Net Control); W4IZ WWD #1; WD4MDM Pat WWD #1010; WD4ETG Bob WWD # 80; WA4WPQ Carl WWD #53; WD4LSE Bob WWD #1019; WA4EYU Charlie WWD #6; WB4BMB J.H. WWD #1007; WD4AIP Eric; WA4GYJ Bob WWD #47; WD4ITK Steve WWD #74; WD4IYR Dave WWD #1021; K4KUU Maxine WWD #31; KA4GVK Win WWD #1018; WB1ELI/4 Dick WWD #1028; KA4FYC Bill WWD #1020; WD4KGV Don WWD #1016; W4JL Jim WWD #29; WD4JWR Fred WWD #86; KN4Y Ed WWD #66; W4MET Tex WWD #98; W4DRM Perry WWD #45; W4PTT Pete WWD #50; KA4FPO Curtis WWD #1027; KF4S Gary WWD #1015; W2KGI/4 Bob WWD #41; N4BFX Tom WWD #1022; WD4KKF Margie; WD4OCJ Joe WWD #1023; WD4IGP Jack WWD #1017.

In 1979, there was no two meter WWD net. Novices did not have ten meter privileges. The current WWD frequency 28.390 MHz. was CW only then.