Founded, January 2006 9,288 members strong
(as of 5/11/2012)
Getting started:
Request SKCC number
Membership certificate
Change your call sign
Membership list
Operating frequencies
SKCC Forum
SKCC Yahoo Group
Activities:
CW Novice Day
SK Night
Two-hour SK Sprint
Two-hour SK Eurosprint
Weekend Sprintathon
Mystery Sprints
Monthly Brag
K3Y Anniversary Event
Member recongition:
Centurion Award
Rules
Certificate
Roster
Tribune Award
Rules
Certificate
Roster
Worked All States
Rules
Certificate
Roster
Worked All States - Centurion
Rules
Certificate
Roster
Worked All Continents
Rules
Roster
Certificate
DXQ/DXC Awards
Rules
Roster
QRP Awards
Rules
QRP x 1 Roster
QRP x 2 Roster
Other awards
Canadian Maple Award
Marathon Award
Young Buck Award
SKCC Hall of Fame
SKCC Honor Roll
SKCC Service Award
Member Services:
Event calendar
K3UK Sked Page
Keys on eBay
Morse "Elmers"
QSL Bureau
Learning Center
Files and downloads
Link Library
Club history
Newsletter archive
Members' Blog Roll:
W2LJ's Blog - QRP - Do
more with less
Hotel Tango November
From the Key of W1PNS
Contact information:
Email the SKCC board
Leadership/support team
Group and Forum help
  Help keep SKCC free
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The Straight Key Century Club (SKCC)
is the fastest growing group of mechanical-key CW operators in
the world. First organized in January 2006, our club has grown rapidly
to include thousands of members from all corners of the
globe.
Here's how it works:
- Membership is free.
- SKCC is open to any interested licensed radio amateur.
- SKCC numbers are issued for life. Once you get it, it's yours.
- Exchange SKCC numbers using a straight key, bug, or side swiper
To receive an SKCC number, click on the Request SKCC Number
link at left. If you are helping someone who wants to join but doesn't
use email, download a snail-mail application here.
What's New...

SKCC Debuts at Dayton!
The Straight Key Century Club is making its smash debut at the Dayton
Hamvention, thanks to Ron Bower and a cast of hardy volunteers who will be staffing the booth from May 18-20.
Ron will be sending photo pdates along from the Hara Arena, where, if
things get a little boring, you can always play a round of golf at the
neighboring golf course. You can find the photo page here.
Updates to W5ZR's two SKCC logging programs!
W5ZR's free SKCC Tracker Program v 5.02 represents a big-fix
upgrade. In addition Bert has updated his SKCC Sprinter program to v.
1.50. This upgrade improves the program's ability to read frequencies
off of some radios and now allows it to read frequencies off of
additional rigs.
Bert highly recommends replacing pre-5.00 versions of the
Tracker with v. 5.02. If you have v. 5.00 installed, you only have to
download one file, not the full package. Upgrades to both programs are
available in the Files and Download section of the SKCC web site. See
the navigation column at left, under Member Services, for a link to the
page.
From the Sked Page of K3UK comes Elmers on the Air
If you're seeking help with your code skills, try out a new section
of K3UK's sked page dedicated to SKCC Elmers and their "padawans."
What's an Elmer, you ask? Click here for a summary.
Straight Key Sprint-Europe: Thursday, June 7, 2012, from 1900-2100 UTC
The next SKS-E starts
in: 2012-6-7 19:00:00 GMT+00:00 You can find the current results here.
Weekend Sprintathon: Sunday, June 10, 2012, from 0000-2359 UTC
You can find a recap of the May WES scoring rules here.
The next WES starts
in: 2012-6-10 00:00:00 GMT+00:00
You can find the May WES results here.
Straight Key Sprint - Wednesday, May 23, from 0000-0200 UTC
The next SKS starts in: 2012-5-23 00:00:00 GMT+00:00
You can finds the current results here.
Odds 'n' Ends
Looking For A Sked?
Many SKCC'ers have asked for a simple, convenient way to schedule
QSOs
with other members -- without having to learn or install new software.
So, Andy, K3UK, #1325, and Joe, N8FQ, put their creative heads together
and developed a simple,web-based scheduling utility for SKCC members.
This is a FUN and FRIENDLY place. New members and beginners are
encouraged to join in the fun too! No commands to learn,
no mickey-mousing around with new software. The system simply asks you
to provide some basic info about yourself and, voil\E1, you get a list
of all SKCC members looking for some cw fun! Can't get any easier than
that! Nice job guys! Go to the K3UK Sked Page link under Member
Services at left.
SKCC Files & Downloads Section
Looking for SKCC related software? Download club related software free.
Programs like W5ZR's SKCC Awards tracker. If you are a software
author and have club or CW related programs to contribute, please
contact the webmaster@skccgroup.com See the Files and downloads under Member services at left.
What's an SKCC Elmer?
We have all faced the daunting task of firing-up the radio for that
first CW contact. Now you can take that shaky, uncertain hand and turn
it into a confident, firm fist with the help of our group of SKCC Morse
Code Elmers. Simply click on the Morse Elmers link in the navigation
column at left, choose
from the list of Elmers, send him or her an email requesting a sked,
and before you
know it you'll be enjoying the thrill of sending and receiving solid
CW. Or you can visit the Elmer sked page and see who already is on the
air. You'll find that page here. The
SKCC Elmer Manager is Jeff K9JP.
Can You Spare a Key For a Good Cause?
Condsider supporting the Halfway House for Keys program, run by a group
of hams led by Michael Aretsky, N6MQL, SKCC 5051. The program provides
free or very-low-cost straight keys, bugs, and cootie keys to young,
newly licensed amateur radio operators who have shown an interest in
using CW. The goal of the group is to keep Morse code alive and working
on the air. All recipients are required to use their donated keys
for at least one hour a week on the air, not just with a practice
oscillator. They also are required to meet minimum guidelines to
receive a key.
If you would like to donate a spare straight key, bug, or cootie key in any
condition, or if you have keys' parts you would like to donate, Mike's
group would be very grateful for your contribution. Keys and spare
parts can go directly to Mike at:
N6MQL Halfway House for Keys Program
5543 Tierra Gardens Lane
Carmichael, CA 95608
If you have no keys to
spare, cash works. You can donate directly though PayPal at halfwayhouse@pncengineering.com.
All of the money collected pays for parts that have not been donated or
for postage, which we pay if a recipient can't pay for it. NONE of the
money is kept by the Halfway House members for personal use.
If you have any questions about the program, would like to donate a key
or parts, or would like to be considered as a reciepient for key
donation, please do not hesitate to email Mike at n6mql@arrl.net.
SKCC Shopping Mall
So now you've joined SKCC, you have your mechanical sending device,
radios, antennae, and other station accessories. But do you have the
SKCC "look"? Here are some gift ideas you might think about when
gift-giving/receiving time arrives. Why not stop by some of the vendors
who are providing SKCC-related gear and do a little virtual window
shopping?
For an SKCC name badge, stop by the SignMan of Baton Rouge, purveyor of the SKCC badge shown at left. Drop the proprietor, Rick, an email
if you're interested in pinning one on your pocket. His website is
still being rebuilt (along with his home) after hurricane Gustav a
couple of years ago. And the house has priority over the website. So
he'll have to email you ordering instructions.
If embroidered hats are your thing, visit Asterid's Embroidery and Quilts
for a look at some au courant SKCC chapeaus! If you've got hair,
complement it with a like-colored hat. If you don't have hair, well,
protect that dome! Finally, for items ranging from mugs and water
bottles for hiking or biking, to, shall we say, unique garments, visit Cafe Press.
(Banner photos courtesy of Michael Miller, KA9DFI, and Pete Spotts, W1PNS)
Copyright 2012, all rights
reserved. Last modified Fri, 18 May 2012 02:31:06 +0000
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