01/03/2004 | JJ1BDX/3 I submitted two QSOs for the SKN 2004. I worked one SKN participant and one SKN-participant candidate this year.

Zhi, BU2AA has been active on 40m above 7025kHz these days, apparently
with a straight key though he did not participate in the SKN (I told him about the SKN on the air and he seemed to understand). Taiwan hams with the 2nd class license are restricted their activities on 40m from and above 7025kHz (as for the US General class licensees), so you many notice those ops above 7025kHz. In Japan you can hear many Taiwanese CW activists and most of them are highly skilled.

Les, W6AUG was the only one I could contact as an active SKN participant
this year. He and I called VK6IP though VK6IP didn't hear us, so I
called W6AUG instead. He was a bit QRS but the code was quite stable.

I used GHD's GT504 American-style straight key (photo attached), which has been my
favorite since I bought it on September 2002. Usually I send the code
with an electronic keyer or even by a computer program, but using the
straight key reminds me of the old time when I was a teenager 25 years
ago when I could not afford an electronic keyer. -- JJ1BDX