Jean Shepherd on Getting His Class A Amateur Radio License

Not very long ago I mentioned Jean Shepherd (original assignee of W9QWN and later K2ORS call signs) as being one of my favorite old-time radio broadcasters (1960s-1970s). Jean was famous for recounting stories of his own life and for reporting news of the time in a way that could hold you in rapt attention from beginning to end. His humor, wit, and command of the English language was acknowledged by his contemporaries. If you listen to enough of his broadcasts you will notice the frequent mention of electronics and his experiences as a licensed amateur radio operator beginning at a tender young age. Just recently I listened to him recount his first day in high school when a SNAFU in the computer-generated (must have been a UNIVAC) class schedule mistakenly had him reporting to the girls' swimming pool for gym class, and, to make a long story short, he spent nearly two weeks sitting outside the boys' pool room while awaiting an official class change, whereupon he would read his copy of QST magazine to pass the time.

While looking through a list of archived broadcasts during his time at radio station WOR in New York City, I discovered an episode where Jean described the time he, as a teenager, took and passed the Class A amateur radio test and got his ticket, thereby earning him the highest levels of privilege as a transmitter of signals (anyone, even the unwashed license-less layman, can listen on any frequency). In typical Jean Shepherd fashion, he provides a surprise and very amusing turn of events in the story which you will be wise to remember when/if you ever find yourself overly pleased with your own accomplishments and thinking very highly of yourself. You could listen to it as a simple MP3 audio file, but if by instead watching the two-part YouTube videos below you'll be treated to a host of cool vintage radio gear at the same time. The video's editor clipped the story out of a full broadcast to omit irrelevant content.

In the "Code School" broadcast below, you'll hear where "Shep" was able to copy Morse Code at more than 50 words per minute (wpm) at his peak!

Jean was the consummate storyteller capable of recounting in detail his experiences in the U.S. Army, during his youth, and throughout life when faced with many unique circumstances. His biggest career break came following a Christmas 1962 broadcast of "Duel in the Snow, or Red Ryder Nails the Cleveland Street Kid," a story which came from his book "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash," and became the basis of the hit movie "A Christmas Story."

This page was updated on 2/15/2019 to fix all the broken audio links.

Jean Shepherd: Bahn Frei Was Shep's Radio Show Intro Music

Jean Shepherd: How Radio Works - September 8, 1970

Jean Shepherd: The Origins of Electricity - July 5, 1966

Posted February 15, 2019   (original 5/1/2014)