K3Y Straight Key Month - January 2023

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The Straight Key Month special event (aka SKM) celebrates manual Morse radiotelegraphy using straight keys, bugs and cootie keys. It runs from Jan. 2nd through 31st.    Individual operators schedule time to be the special event station K3Y for their call areas, and only one station can operate for that call area at a time (usually in 1-2 hour blocks).   Hunters chase as many K3Y stations across as many bands possible for bragging rights.   

Real time updates are on the SKCC SKED page, and the group even has a SKCC SKIMMER to that monitors your local log file to keep track of who you need to work.

Working all 10 US stations is your basic "SWEEP"... add in KP4, KH6, KL7, NA, SA, EU,  AF, AS and OC for the Grand Sweep.  Logs are submitted by the K3Y operators, and the results are posted ever day to track Sweeps, Station Statistics and Participant Standings.  

This year more than 200 stations operated as K3Y, logging 52,695 QSOs, the most in an K3Y event ever.  This was my first event, and I completed the Grand Sweep.  Working AF took some time but I was lucky enough to work John ZS6JBJ during a busy pile up.  I completed the basic US sweep across 7 bands which I think is fantastic.  Makes me want to add 160M antenna for next year!

All in I worked K3Y in 115 of 174 possible band slots, made 243 QSOs, spent 78 hours operating time, worked 45 of 51 US States, 4 of 6 Canadian Provinces, 9 of 17 DX entities, and contacted more than 100 individual K3Y operators.   I was pleased to work HI and AK each on 5 different bands and met some really fine CW operators during the month.

Since I'm "GIB" (Good in Buro) I sent in a dozen or so QSL cards to some of the SKCC friends that I worked during the month.   I expect to get plenty in return. Special Thanks to Drew AF2Z, and Ron AC2C for making this such as wonderful event. 


73,  Chris de WX7V



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