[Elecraft] BUG NIGHT

[Fred Jensen]

Most of the parts on my bug are "straight."  Unfortunately, I can no 
longer send readable CW with it (dits are easy to start, a bit hard to 
stop, and my dahs are really long waiting for the electronics to make 
them for me), but I do have a hand crafted "real" straight key made from 
solid brass parts that weighs about 8 lbs, and I'll probably turn on the 
radio some on Sat night.

(a different) Fred
K6DGW
Auburn CA CM98lw

Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> You are quite right, Fred, New Year's Eve is "Straight Key Night". It used
> to run just a few hours New Year's Eve for North American Hams but was
> lengthened by popular demand. Now it runs from 0000 to 2400 UTC 1 January
> each year. And participation keeps growing, with last year resulting in the
> greatest number of logs. It's not about how many contacts, but voting on the
> most interesting QSO and best fist. 
> 
> It was originally intended for straight keys back before keyers were common
> as a reminder to ops that their bug wasn't the only way to send CW <G>. But
> the evolution to include bugs has been recognized in this year's
> announcement: "You will hear as many vintage radios on the air during SKN as
> you will variety of keys. And you will hear signals generated using
> old-fashioned bugs, a variation of the straight key. SKN is the time amateur
> radio recalls the past, transporting it to the present." 
> 
> (Ref: http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2006/skn.html)
> 
> For quite a while there has been a monthly operating activity called 'Bug
> Night'. I don't think it's still going on.
> 
> So even though you will hear some bugs, it is still "Straight Key Night"!
> 
> Ron AC7AC