we had full reporting for all VFR flights
1962 puts you ahead of me who only began flying in 1965, but I can assure that full reporting was not a mandatory requirement in my day. Short flights were regularly done NOSAR no details.
WE did advise "souls on board" on taxi at Bankstown as opposed to POB. But that's another story.
I did my Nav's using full reporting as was the custom, but thenceforth I remember BO50 OCTA with a SARTIME was usual for most flights.
Reporting within 2 minutes either side of ETA was a pain that required constant attention and accurate MET, so most of us flying low performance private flights took the easy way out. I'm still alive so I must be doing something right.
When later flying C210's and Bonanzas that had gadgets like DME (A)! and ADF/ VOR, we flew higher and got there faster but I don't recall full reporting.
I do recall old blokes telling me not to use those electric gadgets because all aeroplanes would converge on the NDB you were homing into and there would be scrap aluminum galore where they all smashed into each other.
Didn't happen of course and I've heard similar things about GPS and people flying one mile each side of track.
Yes, things change, but it is important to recall the old days with accuracy.
I think that's right, but sometimes one has doubts about memories.