Are you an official Shortwave Monitor?
There is a very long and proud tradition of being certified as a Short Wave Monitor. This privilage was awarded to qualified SWLs who met all the basic equipment and operational requirements and demonstrated their ability to monitor, log, and report (via QSL format) international shortwave stations. In the beginning, confirmation QSL cards were required to qualify for certification. Subsequently, endorsements were available for the certificates.
Visit this excellent Web site:
www.qsl.net/wb1gfh/swl.html
No. 1: It was almost a half-century ago when I first received the certificate to the left. I was 14 years old (1959) and studying for my Novice ham license. My shack was the attic of our home. It contained an old Arvin shortwave radio along with various other repaired, modified, or otherwise customized, bare-chassis radios. My antennas were various end fed wires which ran from the second floor window out to any, and all, back yard trees, in every direction of the compass. Surprisingly, Dad was very supportive of my hobby!
This cert was framed and displayed with pride on the operating room wall.
No. 2: This cert is an upgraded, redesigned replacement version of the first. It went into a frame and on the wall, too.
No. 3: No longer "Shortwave" - now we were upgraded to "All-Band."

Ah, the pride of placing this on the wall along side the others.
No. 4: The ultimate honor.
Later in the certification program,
vanity call signs became available. This certificate joined the previous three, on the shack wall, to express my passion and involvement in this fascinating hobby.
Read the history of Popular Electronics magazine certificate program and how it helped to promote this great hobby, at the link above.
(Thanks to Kneitel, Read, Bennett, Farrell, Greenwald, et al.)
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