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...

Get 'em while they're hot -- new SKCC t-shirts!

Summer's coming (except for those of us winter forgot), and Astrid's Embroidery has unveiled SKCC t-shirts. They come in black or white, either with the logo discretely printed over the place a pocket would be if the shirt had a pocket, or displayed across the front of the shirt as a bold statement. A link to Astrid's SKCC hats and shirts appears below in the SKCC Shopping Mall section, but to save you a trip to the bottom of the page, here's a link to the SKCC merchandise. Just in time for Dayton???

Will Hansen, WA7OET, volunteers as an SKCC Elmer

Will, who lives in SeaTac, WA, comes to the elmering with more that 40 years' experience as a ham using CW. He's interested in teaching proper CW procedure, as well as in providing opportunities for newcomers to build their confidence using Morse code on the air. You'll find Will's contact information on the club's Elmer page. Use the Elmer link under Member Services in the navigation column at left to locate his contact information.

The Party's Over, It's Time to Call It a Year...

The Straight Key Century Club's Sixth Annivesary on-air celebration has come to an end. Many thanks to all who participated as chasers, special-event stations, and regional coordinators. A special thanks to all the DX operators on six continents who served as special event stations as well. Your participation added to the excitement during this year's celebration.

For chasers, search for your call in the K3Y data base to see if you qualify for a sweep certificate -- basic US regions 0-9 and any additional endorsements. For special-event stations, be sure to download the club's certificate of appreciation for your participation. All others, watch for the arrival of the celebration's special QSL card.

To reach the sweep-certificate, station-certificate (K3Y ops), and QSL-card pages, use the links here or visit the club's K3Y Sixth Anniversary page and follow the appropriate links in the navigation column.

W5ZR's SKCC Tracker program, v.4.36, and ZRSprinter v.1.40 are now available

Tracker 4.36 corrects a bug in the WAS-Centurion single band applications and has updated data files. In Sprinter version 1.40, DX K3Y stations can now be flagged in the log, and they now show up on the Score page. The dupe routine for K3Y has been improved to show dupes with the same call, SKCC# and band. You'll find a link to Files and Downloads page in the column at left.

Straight Key Sprint-Europe: Thursday, March 1, 2012, at 2000-2200 UTC

The next SKS-E starts in: 2012-3-1 00:00:00 GMT+00:00

You can find the current results here.

Weekend Sprintathon: Sunday, Feb. 12, 0000-2359 UTC

The theme for the February WES is QRP.

The scoring for this WES will be a little different from past QRP sprints. For this WES, if you contact a member who is operating QRP, you can take a 5-point bonus per member, per band. If you make a contact with a member who is operating QRPp, you can take a 10-point bonus per member, per band. For this WES, QRP is defined as 2 to 5 watts. QRPp is defined as 1 watt or less.

Members using QRP or QRPp power levels, please send QRP or QRPp just prior to SKCC number during your exchanges.

Example: 559 IL Randy QRP nr 3687T

Pete, W1PNS, SKCC 4853T, will be using the club call sign, K9SKC for an extra 25 point bonus per band.

Good luck to all, and most of all, have fun!

The next WES starts in: 2012-2-12 00:00:00 GMT+00:00

You can find the January WES results here. Note: As of the September 2011 WES, the deadline for submitting or correcting your WES results has shifted shift from the Friday following each event to 2359 UTC on the Sunday following each event.

Straight Key Sprint - Wednesday, Feb. 22, 0000-0200 UTC

The next SKS starts in: 2012-2-22 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 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. 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.