I write a monthly column that I send for free to amateur radio club newsletter editors. As a result, I get a lot of club newsletters every month. I copied the Gil illustration below from the Elmira Radio Club (Elmira, ON) newsletter. I thought you’d like to see it.
I don’t know exactly when this cartoon was first published, but apparently hams have been misusing “73” since before I got into the game!
By the way, I’m guessing that BCL is short for “broadcast listener,” and a BC457 is a military transmitter of WW II vintage. Transmitters like this were readily available after the war at surplus shops and helped many hams get on the air when we were allowed to start transmitting again. According to RigPix, a BC457 cost $5.95 in 1948.
Too bad no one clued The Old Man in on his incorrect usage of 73’s….
http://ke9v.net/img/1aw2.jpg
Obviously, he was wrong, too!
Are we certain he preceded us? ;-)
I checked with the penultimate authority, Grammar Girl. She says it’s common for mnemonic constructions to have multiple conjugations. Kinda like the apostrophe. It began as a substitute for the letter ‘e’ and that alone. But usage … kinda like 73 … alters the grammatical syntax. So I say, 73s: Ine to each of you!
Regarding 73’s – or 73s; it’s like saying regardses/regards’s/regards s. This kind of common usage/misuse of language is present in English spoken in the United States more than it is with other languages. There are all sorts of words being mangled so I am not that surprised when it happens in ham radio. If you are working CW you are not going to add an apostrophe and or an S to 73, so why do it when writing?
I cringe a little every time I hear some one speaking about refining their procedure to a target audience or objective and they say they are, “honing in on”, that subject. The original expression is to, “home in on”, as in a missile’s homing/guidance system – meaning becoming more focused or accurately attempting to achieve accurate results. Honing is the process of sharpening an edge or point. These two words are often confused by people, many who work in media. They are not synonyms, but that doesn’t stop people from committing the error. I think the same mechanism is at work with 73, it’s a bad habit that has become accepted by many.
Regarding all that has been said on this subject, I wish all of you 73s/73’s/regardses/regards’s/regards s – whatever.
73
W8SFC~Steve
The original expression of, “homing in on”, probably originated with references to pre radio messaging, where notes on paper were carried by the noble Homing, or Carrier Pigeon. I am adding this as I forgot to mention it before submitting the previous reply.
73,
Steve~W8SFC
It easy, if the “73” is intended for one person, it is 73!
For two or more people it is 73s…Easy Peasy!
73s
K5ARN
Hi Arne!
Hence, my slogan (above): 73s, one to each of you!
PS Arne. If we rigidly try to enforce the perceived rule that the code of 73 can only mean, “best regards,” then I guess the next time someone goes to shake your hand, you should not reciprocate but acknowledge that the other person has no visible weapon. After all, that’s the original (and unchangeable) meaning of the extended open palm.
We as a hobby have hardening of the categories on some things…