Later, I did as best as I could on a paperboy's income, which meant building my own stuff. My transmitter (which actually worked) was home brew. My receiver was an Allied Radio Knight kit. I still remember placing orders to them at 100 N. Western Ave., Chicago, and then waiting days, and days, and days for them to get there.
I, too, was a regular WWV listener to get the correct time from Fort Collins, as well as some of the other stations you mentioned.
I found, though, that my interest was building, not using the "stuff". One of my last "conversations" was with a nearby ham who was describing the mercury vapor lamp in his back yard. After a number of minutes, I gave up on trying a response and tuned away. After about a half hour, I tuned back in, and he was still talking. I figured life was too short to keep up doing that. I let my license expire after the first five year period when I would have to lie on the renewal and say I still could do 13 wpm of Morse code. I could barely repeat the alphabet. That pretty much ended my SW radio career, and I became a mechanical engineer, instead of an electrical engineer.
Sir (or Madam): You have my props and respect!