[Elecraft] SKN.

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Gary wrote:

On the personal side, I enjoy SKN for several reasons but one main reason;
it allows me to experience ham radio the way it was before digital
everything took over our operating stations. Back when people made more than
a "contest style" 599 TU & back to CQing for their next fly by contact.
During SKN, people send their station information, rig, antenna, key, their
name and QTH and the RST is real rather than cookie cutter 599 regardless of
signal.

It's refreshing to ignore the electronic log that already gives you their
name & QTH the second you enter their call, and listen to them send their
town, a comma and then their state. It takes me back to the days of my paper
log where it was a challenge to remember someone's name when you hear their
familiar call, where if you wanted to know where someone lived to send a
QSL, you needed to the look it up in the US and international editions of
the US Call Book.

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The only operating I do is rag chewing, mostly on CW with a very rare AM/SSB
contact, and I keep a paper log. Since I don't contest I have no need to
hook a computer to my rig. 

Going QRP is another way to dig up ragchew QSOs throughout the year. I find
that QRP operators more often than not like to talk about their rigs,
especially the homebrewers. My ears prick up when I hear a slightly
odd-sounding signal. Perhaps a hint of chirp or it drifts slightly. Aha!
That must be a fellow with an interesting rig. 

My favorites are 40 and 30 meters. They're almost always open and 30 meters
is a welcome refuge from contests. 

While many Hams today focus on contests or DX-ing, we are out there on the
bands looking for an interesting QSO.

73, Ron AC7AC