By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor

This week, Surfin’ searches the FCC database and finds more musical hams. 

New FCC Database Search Tool

Mike Staines, WM1KE, asked me to check out his new FCC Database Search tool, so I did.

Mike says his online application “is a little different than your run-of-the-mill FCC database search.” It can search by call sign, ZIP code, within a specified radius of a ZIP code or by county parish and territory.

Call sign searching permits you to reveal simple details (name, address and such, like the other databases), or everything that the FCC knows about the licensee (which can be a lot).

ZIP code searching can format its output to appear in envelope addressing format or a CSV format (suitable for pasting into an Excel spreadsheet). You can also map the results of all searches in your browser using Google Maps.

I gave Mike’s application a workout. It works as advertised and does so quickly. While exercising the tool, I made a cool discovery: The son of one of my best childhood friends is now a ham!

More Musical Hams

Last time, I mentioned Joe Walsh, WB6ACU, Arthur Godfrey, K4LIB (SK), and Patty Loveless, formerly KD4WUJ, as musical hams of note. In response, Don Peterson, VE5DP, e-mailed me about two other ham singers: Ronnie Milsap, WB4KCG, and the late Chet Atkins, WA4CZD/W4CGP.

Since this was starting to get serious, I also checked the Famous Hams and ex-Hams Web site of Gerry Jurrens, N2GJ, and Steven Glaser, W2SG, and found two other well-known ham/ex-ham singers: Lance Bass, KG4UYY, and Donny Osmond, formerly KA7EVD.

Until next time, keep on surfin’.

Editor note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, regularly searches 06716 for new hams in his neck of the woods. To contact Stan, send him e-mail or add comments to his blog.