I received the callsign W4SV when the first vanity "gate" opened up for Extra class operators in Nov. 1996. W4SV was my first choice on the application, although I filled out the full list of 25 callsigns. I wanted to make sure that I got some kind of preferred 1x2 callsign, fearing that most would be quickly issued with the new vanity program.

With the help of Jim Walsh, W7LVN (SK), who was then General Manager of the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA), I learned that W4SV belonged to Paul L. McGinty of Boynton Beach, FL from 1934 - 1988. I really appreciate Jim's willingness to search through their old callbooks for me, even though I was not a QCWA member at that time (I wasn't yet eligible to join). I have since become a Life Member of the QCWA. It is my understanding that the current QCWA General Manager does not have time to look up general requests for callsign information (except with applications for membership). However, Steve/W3HF may can help if you are trying to research an old callsign.

I tried for awhile to learn more about Paul McGinty or to find one of his QSL cards, but I had no luck... until now. Surfing the web again for "old QSL cards" led me to the website of Bob Green, W8JYZ. Bob has about 15,000 old QSL cards indexed for easy searching. To my amazement, there was this card from W4SV sent to FP8AB for a QSO on July 7, 1958! It was also interesting to me because that QSO took place exactly one year and one day after I was born! Cool! Bob graciously scans cards from his collection at people's request, but he also will send you the real card for a small donation and SASE. The money he raises goes toward acquiring more old QSL cards so he can help more people. I'm very grateful for Bob's work to preserve this heritage of amateur radio, and I hope that you will visit his page at http://www.w8jyz.com. And I hope that you might consider donating old QSL card collections to him too.

Strangely enough, I also found on the web a picture of the FP8AB QSL card from the same year! The W4SV card is addressed on the reverse side to Tom Hughes, K2JGG... so it seems that he was the operator that Paul McGinty actually spoke with. Thanks to the K8CX Ham Gallery for that information.

I've now renewed W4SV once, but I'm too old to expect to keep the call as long as Paul McGinty. Yet I hope that the next person who is wanting my callsign will find this web page, and while they are patiently awaiting my demise, that they will be glad to learn a little about me, and a little about the history of W4SV.

Here are some of my QSL cards, past and present (click for larger view):

73,
Stan Vandiver
Hanna, IN