02/01/2006 | K6TY/0 After operating the June 2005 Field Day from my mother-in-laws in Saint Louis, my wife Cheryl, KB0QJJ, and I had cached her Icom 730, a battery, and the antenna, planning to visit once again with our daughters at Christmastime and to operate SKN as if it was Field Day in December. Thanks to calm and warm weather before Christmas, we easily erected our 40 m vertical Loop-de-Loop antenna (the dual to a folded dipole), and set up the rig next to the deep freeze in the not-much-warmer basement. For keys we brought her Lionel J-38, and we had my Martin Research and Manufacturing Company Flash bug left over from Field Day service in June.

We leisurely worked nine stations during SKN, five on the J-38 and four on the Flash bug, taking ample time off for family and New Years revelry. Our Best Fist and Most Interesting QSO nominations both go to Al, W6LX, back in our hometown of Arcadia, California. Al reported on his very stormy weather and relayed important news regarding our dear and mutual friend, John, W6GL.

Cheryl and I confirmed Schaefers Law of Field Day (first postulated by Mark Schaefer, WB6CIA: Winds will reach their maximum velocity as you attempt to erect or lower the biggest antenna) when we had to take down the Loop-de-Loop antenna, at night, in 4 C temperatures and 25 knot winds, with only hours to spare before our return flight to California. Reflecting on SKN, I am all the more favorably persuaded by the proposal from Courtney Duncan, N5BF, to add one more Basis and Purpose for the Amateur Service: To celebrate the art and history of radio. SKN does that, indeed. 73 -- WB6VRN