Every interest or hobby has a history behind it. It’s a reminder of the origins of that hobby and helps show how much evolution has taken place. Engaging a hobby’s history may not be the most efficient way to participate in that hobby, but they still offer an allure that many enjoy. For example, a Model T may not be as efficient or as sleek as a new hybrid, but many enjoy the nostalgia of the older cars.
I was unpacking boxes in my new apartment, after just moving to the area to begin working at ARRL HQ. Among the many possessions I found was my first straight key from my Novice days back in Illinois in 1982. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a simple key that Radio Shack sold back then. I had mounted it on an old piece of wood plank I’d stained and made hundreds of QSOs with it in my early years as a ham. Holding it in my hand after unpacking it, the memories were, to paraphrase James Earl Jones in Field Of Dreams, “so thick I could brush them away with my hand”.
I remember my first CW QSO: May 22, 1982. My fist was shaking from nerves as I worked a fellow Novice in Arizona on 15 meters. Several months later, I worked my first DX, a station in Brazil, and recall the feeling of how big my world had suddenly become; I had communicated with another human being several thousand miles away, using essentially the same tool that had been used since the earliest days of our hobby. These are the memories that many a ham revisits every time they use a straight key.
The 2008 running of Straight Key Night begins at 7:00 p.m. EST December 31, 2007 and runs for 24 hours through 7:00 p.m. EST January 1, 2008 ( 0000 – 2400 UTC January 1, 2008). SKN is more of an operating event than a contest. To participate, simply send “CQ SKN” or listen for CQs that have SKN in them. The object of this friendly event is to enjoy some good old-fashioned QSO fun, using straight keys. The emphasis is on rag-chewing rather than fast contest-style exchanges. Take pleasure in sending and receiving CW sent without a computer or keyer, listen for the best fist you encounter, and be sure to tell us all about your activities. Even better, connect that straight key to some vintage gear you haven’t used in a while. Many interesting QSOs take place during SKN, so be sure to let us know about a memorable QSO you have.
Don’t forget to post your comments and interesting photographs from your SKN adventure to the ARRL Contest Online Soapbox at www.arrl.org/contests/soapbox Entries should be emails to the Contest Branch at StraightKey@arrl.org or may be sent via regular mail to: SKN, ARRL, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111. The Soapbox becomes an on-line album of stories and photographs to share with others.
Entries for SKN must be received no later than January 31, 2008. Votes for “Best Fist” and “Most Interesting QSO” will be tabulated and included in the April 2008 issue of QST. If you have questions about SKN, please visit the Contest Branch Web Page at http://www.arrl.org/contests or send email to contests@arrl.org.