Since subscribing to the CQ Magazine archive a few days ago I’ve already spent hours spelunking through the early days of the print publication. Lot of things leap out, like how voluminous the magazine was during the 1950’s. Certain monthly editions ran over 200 pages, some even more than that. Not that there was more content, but there were a lot more advertisements — there were a lot more manufacturers.

That seems to indicate a healthier amateur radio ecosystem though it’s difficult to make direct comparisons between then and now as the internet and online sales have changed the game considerably. For instance, hand tools. These were readily advertised in CQ Magazine decades ago. Can you imagine an advert for a set of screwdrivers and other such hand tools in the pages of 2026 QST Magazine? Radio hams were probably a good target audience then, but today these are found on Amazon, not in a radio publication. I’m not certain that makes it better as I only search for tools when I need them while the magazine adverts bring them to my mind while perusing the pages.

For the longest time CQ Magazine included tempting advertisements to “learn electronics and enjoy a successful career in radio and television repair”. It was the right audience as the years following World War II would see tens of thousands of young veterans seek to begin their non-military lives. Of course, we all know how that story ended now, but at the time it must have seemed a solid career plan without the need to attend a University.

Speaking of future careers, there is Uncle Wayne. Wayne Green, W2NSD. A snippet from the September 1951 edition mentions, “W2NSD has undertaken the job of publishing a Teletype Bulletin” thus beginning Wayne’s foray into publishing that would see him run CQ Magazine for a season until he left to launch 73 Magazine and later BYTE Magazine among others during his empire.

The development of the DXCC program was a common thread during all the days of CQ Magazine, most of it well known if not from publication then by folk lore. I turned up enough tidbits worth researching further that I began making notes. For instance, here’s one I didn’t know — the DXCC CW award was only created in 1975 and the first recipient (#001) was Bob Locher, W9KNI, still an active operator and on top of the Honor Roll.

The manufacturers thinned out, the repair-shop career dried up, and Wayne moved on to build empires elsewhere — but DXCC just kept going, chased by the same kind of restless curiosity that’s had me spelunking the archives all week.

Amateur radio has enjoyed a long, fascinating, and successful run in the tech world, and the complete story has yet to be written.