Well, as long as we are getting into our own personal historys, I probably 
wouldn't qualify as a certified old timer by some of you on this list, but I 
got my novice ticket in the Spring of 1984, and my first call was KA5TNE.

A few months later I received my Tech before there was a no code version and 
changed my call to my current one N5HAU.

I then upgraded to General when they changed the code requirements I think 
in 2000 and have been one ever since.  I have only had HT'S, but Among them 
were the Icom 02-AT, the Icom 24-AT, the Premier 0600 I believe, and my 
current Kenwood THF6-A which I purchased from a member of this list.

I do remember the Conditional class license, but I never had it.  It had 
some serious drawbacks: one was that you received no credit for past 
elements when you upgraded and had to take the entire test again.  And two, 
you could be called on at any time to retake the test if the FCC felt it 
necessary to do so.  73.
Harvey