01/03/2004 | NY2V This was my first real SKN but I was very limited in the time I could spend. No matter. Two contacts. The first initially amused me because the ham was not operating in SKN, nor was he a FISTS member, so no points there. However, had the SSB QRM he was bothered by allowed us to continue, there was much I wanted to talk about -- he is 83 - call is K4FLA - and he's a widower. I shall keep my ears open for him in the future. He is a General Class ham and has a GREAT straight key fist. The other was an old buddy who just knew that we had talked before - it was Al Brogdon, W1AB. You will see his call in QST's staff listing. He gave me such a great report, and I gave him such a poor one! The band was getting pretty flaky from my vantage point. At some point his signal took a leap elsewhere - I'll guess he bumped the VFO knob - and I could not relocate his signal. Did send him a message though, via email, explaining that I lost him and didn't just quit :-). I thought my straight key fist was awful, but both said I sounded fine - I'd give the credit to the ancient key - a version of the Bunnell Triumph - has great snappy action for a key probably 80-85 years old. I do hope I can spend more time in SKN 2004. It is fun and I think those in it should use a standard "pump", a real straight key - otherwise the event should be renamed, and to even have to do it would be a shame. I used a bug from the very beginning in 1948, but this one annual event can take one back to the good old days, and the nice thing is, I know the elderly ham who owned that key I used this year for the first time, and I will treasure it far more than my other ham shack equipment just for that reason. -- NY2V