[Elecraft] SKN

[N2EY at aol.com]

Yes, another SKN will be upon us soon. While they've taken to allowing
bugs as "straight keys", that makes me rather sad. Here's why:

When I became a ham back in 1967, bugs and bug users were all over the place.
Electronic keyers were still fairly new gadgets even though a few had been
described as far back as the 1940s. The problem was that a bug cost only a 
little
more than a keyer paddle, while a keyer with paddles cost more than a bug. 
And
a bug could key any rig, while most keyers had all kinds of limitations on 
current and voltage.

But over time, keyers became the defacto standard and bugs became almost 
museum pieces. Now it has reached the point that they're being included in SKN.

I remember a time when I didn't have to explain what a bug was, what it did 
or how to use one, to any licensed ham. Now I find many hams have never seen 
one in use before they see mine. 

I used a straight key for the first 7 years I was a ham - every night was 
Straight Key Night!

Then I got a bug for Christmas 1974 and have used both ever since. 

Maybe the activity should be two nights, or the period split, or some kind of
categories. 

--

One thing to do: Be sure to send in a report/log or something to ARRL. A 
detailed log with callsigns and votes for "most interesting QSO" and "best fist" 
is great, but even a quick note or email saying you were active is a good idea 
because it shows
support for the activity and support for the mode. 

73 de Jim, N2EY