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 Previous: Amateur Radio Resources at the Ready for Rita |  Next: Amateur Radio Continues Hurricane Rita Response |
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
September 23, 2005
This week, a visit to the better half of Amateur Radio is in order and a ham radio mystery causes some disorder.
Pam and Curt, KG4YQO and WA4KSO respectively, suggested that I write about the distaff side of the Amateur Radio world. They suggested that I look at some YL (female) oriented Amateur Radio Web sites.
Although, I did not tell my wife that I was going to check out YL Web sites, I followed Pam and Curt's suggestion to the letter, those letters being YLISSB for the Young Ladies International Single Sideband System.
 The YLISSB Web site is the home of the Young Ladies International Single Sideband System, a worldwide network for men and women alike. |
V. Mayree Tallman, K4ICA, the wife of a doctor, as well as a ham radio operator, founded the System. She recognized the need for emergency communications in all parts of the world. Mayree decided to start an Amateur Radio system with the primary purpose of handling emergencies everywhere in the world. As a result, the YLISSB was born on February 9, 1963.
The System originally was for women only, but men liked what they heard and they petitioned for membership. The rules were changed to allow men to join and today, the System is now approaching 16,000 members and is active on 14.332 MHz daily at 1300Z and 2200Z (1200Z and 2100Z during DST).
Besides their on-the-air network, YLISSB also has an awards program, sponsors an annual QSO party, runs a QSL bureau, and holds an annual convention. Read all about it at their comprehensive Web site.
Bill Cullen: Mystery Ham
Reader John Hagle, N2JH, wrote asking about radio and television game show personality, Bill Cullen. John said that he recalls when Cullen was on the panel of "I've Got A Secret," he once disqualified himself since he had his own ham radio experiences that would make it unfair for him to use to solve the guest's secret.
I checked the Famous Hams and Ex-Hams Web site, but Cullen was a no-show. I also Googled "Bill Cullen," which turned up his biography that even listed his hobbies, but there was no mention of Amateur Radio.
So was Bill Cullen as a ham or not? Does anyone out there in ham radio land have a clue to this mystery?
Until next week, keep on surfin'.
Editor' note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, tries to avoid using acronyms in his writing, but sometimes it is unavoidable and SOP must be KO'd. QSL? To contact Stan, send e-mail to wa1lou@arrl.net or visit his Web site where you can leave him a note.
| Previous: Amateur Radio Resources at the Ready for Rita | Next: Amateur Radio Continues Hurricane Rita Response |
