01/03/2008 | N8KC Except for Field Day, which our club (USECA) does in a big way, my favorite operating event on the air has always been Straight Key Night. Although some SKNs find me with more spare time and the opportunity for many more contacts, others are crowded with family and social events that only offer the chance to make a very few. Even so, Ive yet to miss a single SKN since first being licensed. This year was one of our busiest years to date with a kitchen remodeling going on during the holidays. I only had time for a few contacts using my Nye-Viking Master Straight Key between installing track lighting, hanging blinds spackling, and wallpapering.
My four SKN QSOs were with WJ0C (40m), N2OUV (40m), KL8DX (20m), and AA3UJ (40m). Of my four contacts, Id have to give my vote for best Fist to Phil (KL8DX) who was stuck at home battling the flu near Denali National Park in Alaska. Although the 20m band was just a bit flaky, Phil and his steady fist stuck with me for every bit of an hour-long ragchew about his job with the National Park, local weather, and his younger days in Ohio (where I spent my teens) before moving to Alaska. With band conditions being what theyve been, I was genuinely surprised to hear an Alaskan station at all, let alone carry on an extended ragchew! Ive written out QSL cards to thank each of my contacts, and especially Phil, for yet another memorable SKN. -- N8KC