01/02/2007 | K3WWP I made only 5 QSO's in SKN (KO4OP, WA9ZBW, KB3MQN, K8NVR, K3NCO), but it was a case of quality, not quantity. All five QSO's were very nice visits, as I like to call my QSO's. It is wonderful hearing all the activity on the CW bands on SKN - just like going back in time to the heyday of amateur radio when CW was king. It's a shame this interest can't be sustained the rest of the year. I can't figure out why so many hams enjoy using CW/SK only one day a year.

Personally SKN is not all that big a deal for me since I celebrate SKN 365 or 366 days a year - well actually I should say CWN as most of the time I use a keyer and paddle. However my J-38 is hooked up in parallel with the keyer (picture) and I often drift over to using it especially for the North American QRP CW Club monthly SK sprints.

If you got bitten by the CW bug (no pun intended) during SKN and want to continue using it, I'd suggest you join two very special organizations that promote CW and give you many opportunities to use CW through their on-air activities. I'm speaking of FISTS and the NAQCC. Info about both can be found on my web site (link under picture). The NAQCC has a monthly sprint in which the use of a straight key gives a bonus multiplier. The NAQCC also has monthly challenges such as making 30 QSO's on 30 meters in a calendar month, some of which involve a straight key. ALL of the NAQCC on-air activities involve ONLY CW. We promote CW use, be it with a straight key, bug, keyer, computer, or any other way this wonderful mode can be used. Best of all lifetime membership in the NAQCC is FREE. Come join up if you're not already a member (link under picture).

I hope that everyone who participated in SKN will report their results as I am doing. Let your fellow hams know that you still use and love the greatest of all ham radio operating modes!
A very Happy New CW Year to all! -- K3WWP