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].

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