One of those things
that doesn’t make sense to me.
I am about ready to sit down and fill out the log sheet for the certificate for working K6JSS Golden Jubilee Stations. As I mentioned before, I’ve worked 47 of the 50.
Anyway, I am looking at the WAS map that the QRP-ARCI so graciously provided along with the log sheet. And I’m noticing something I don’t think I’ve ever really payed attention to before in all my 30+ years in the hobby. I’d bet good money that someone else noticed this before and that I’m just really slow on the uptake.
We start in the North East – Call section 1. Next we come down to New York and New Jersey – Call section 2. Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland – the Middle Atlantic states – Call section 3. The great South East – Call section 4. Now on to the Central Southern states – Call section 5. Out West to California – Call section 6. Up to the great North West and other Western states – Call section 7.
Sense the pattern? We started in the North East and we’re working around the perimeter of the country (more or less) in a clockwise pattern (more or less) – in numerical order.
So now, after the great North West, we move over to the Central Northern and Central states – Call section 0 ????? What happened? Why do sections 0, 9 and 8 seem to be backwards? We were working our way, nicely around the country in a nice numerical order and all of a sudden – chaos!
I’m sure there’s an excellent explanation. Any Amateur Radio history buffs out there that can enlighten me?
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!
Larry Makoski, W2LJ, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Jersey, USA. Contact him at [email protected].










