Route 66 On the Air!
12-20 September 2009
Westside Amateur Radio Club
 of Los Angeles

Memorabilia

Route 66 History
US Highway 66, established in 1926, was the first major improved highway to link the west coast with the nation’s heartland. Through stories, songs, and TV shows, the highway came to symbolize the spirit of freedom of the open road, inspiring many to see America. However, the demise of Route 66 began in the 1950s as the US began building its interstate highway system, and the highway was officially decommissioned in 1986. Nonetheless, small portions of Highway 66 still exist in towns and rural areas in several states.

Ham Radio Special Event

The first occurrence of Route 66 On the Air took place in the fall of 2000, generating more than 14,000 QSOs in the process. Read all about the history of the special event from the May 2001, QST article "Get Your QSOs on Route 66" (Requires Adobe PDF)

Music from Route 66
Route 66 has been popularized in numerous versions of the popular song from the original Bobby Troup version to the later hit by Nat King Cole.

"Get Your Kicks On Route 66" by Bobby Troup

If you ever plan to motor west
Travel my way, take the highway that's the best
Get your kicks on Route 66.
It winds from Chicago to L.A.
More than 2,000 miles all the way
Get your kicks on Route 66. 
You go through St. Louie, Joplin, Missouri
And Oklahoma City looks mighty pretty.
You'll see Amarillo, Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona, don't forget Winona
Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino.
Won't you get hip to this timely tip
When you make that California trip
Get your kicks on Route 66.