03/14/2007 | W0TF Straight Key Night 2006 was a blast! I worked only six stations (and six different states) but I used two different transmitters, two different receivers, two different transceivers and three different keys. Also all my QSOs were a half hour to 45 minutes, so that made for good rag chews. I learned a lot about running separate transmitters and receivers on CW, plus I copied a lot of CW in the process, not just those stations that I worked. The main thing was the great spirit of amateur radio that I felt from each and every ham I worked.

My favorite QSO was with Bill, K5ECI, who got back in ham radio after 43 years, which reminded me of my January 2005, QST article about N9PMN (The Log of W9PMN) who got back to ham radio after 35 years. Last year on SKN I met K0AAA, Zed, and I mentioned my article. It turned out that I had a QSL card from his father, Andy, from 1935 in my antique QSL collection, and I later sent it to Zed. We have since had eyeballs and become friends.

Best fist I heard was AB8KS.

Stations worked:
K5ECI
N2HUC
KA4JQZ,
WA0YSL
N6KIX
AB8KS

I cannot wait for next year!

73, Rich -- W0TF