The SKCC Marathon Award
Last Update: 24-Apr-2025
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To earn the Marathon Award, one must engage in 100 QSOs, each 60 minutes or longer, and each with a different SKCC member using their assigned call, SKCC member number, and SKCC qualified keying devices. There is no time limit to earn the award but only QSOs logged after 0000Z 1 January 2008 count.
A member who achieves the Marathon award will have the option to receive a printable certificate or a special commemorative plaque similar to the one pictured above. The plaque will be mailed to the member upon request. Plaques will be paid for by the Club as long as funds permit, but members are invited to crown their achievement by making a donation.
Rationale: The Marathon Award has been deliberately designed to be a demanding achievement for an Amateur Radio Operator by creating a true operating challenge that involves the fundamental ideals of ham radio as celebrated by SKCC: operating skill, a good station, conversational ability, and a consistent, quality fist. The award cannot be achieved easily and skill grows with each contact. The Marathon Award requires people to use and develop conversational CW expertise to build camaraderie and long-term friendships.
A typical Marathon QSO should result from a CQ, or answering a CQ. It would extend beyond the typical, brief exchanges that have become the starting point for today's QSOs, and proceed to engaging the other station in an extended, informative, and entertaining exchange for a lengthy period. Anyone can send a brief exchange in a few seconds and move on. A Marathon requires real skill, a quality station, and a creative mind.
The Award, as envisioned by the originator, was to enhance the ragchewing skills needed to turn a formatted, quick exchange QSO with another member into a real bond with someone who was essentially unknown. It acknowledges the rare and special talents of those with the highest level of ragchewing ability. Few will be able to earn this award. That remains the spirit and intent of the Marathon Award today.
Here's how it works
1. Complete a QSO lasting at least 60 minutes with another SKCC member. Both parties must be using their own call sign and their own personal SKCC numbers. This restricts use of 2nd call signs, Club call signs, special events call signs, etc.
2. Both parties to the QSO must submit the following QSO information giving the date, time, band, both call signs and SKCC numbers, and duration of the QSO. If you are eligible to use the submission link below, it will fulfill the reporting requirements. If you are not eligible to use the link, then you will need to report your QSO information via email to the award manager, Cecil Turquette, K5YQF, at marathonmanager@skccgroup.com. The QSO details above must be provided under the submitting/confirming stations' email header along with his “QSL” confirming language
3. Logs of active Marathon participants will be displayed on the Marathon Award page after achieving 5 confirmed Marathons. Those only confirming Marathons will not be listed. Logs may be moved to an inactive status after 3 months without a submission.
4. One band change is permissible during the QSO, and is limited to a break no longer than 10 minutes. The QSO must be extended to include the time needed for band change. Minor QSYs within a band like “up 1” to avoid QRM are permissible.
5. All QSOs must be from your home QTH using your equipment and antennas. If your only mode of operation is via remotely located equipment, then all 100 marathons must be made from the same remote equipment. This is not intended to exclude occasional portable operations, a second QTH, or a permanent relocation.
6. When a member reaches 100 confirmed QSOs lasting 60 minutes or longer in the database, he or she will qualify for the award. A suitable announcement will be published, and a certificate or commemorative plaque will be prepared for the operator.
7. Participants must use SKCC approved keys (straight keys, sideswipers (cooties), or bugs). See the club's policy on acceptable keys here.
Questions about the award description above should be sent to the Marathon Manager marathonmanager@skccgroup.com at any time.
How to Submit a Marathon QSO
NOTE: Do not use this link if you are not an established marathon participant with a log set up though the Marathon Manager. Do not use this link if you have already the Marathon Award.
Marathon QSOs are submitted via the link below. The data is written directly into your log and will be available immediately after submission. Here's how it works:
Click the link below to begin the process. Follow the online directions. Enter the QSO details in the format requested. You can enter comments to the Award Manager, if desired. You can also send a copy of the data to an email address you enter on the form.
When you submit the QSO info, the software performs several checks and will display relevant error messages. Correct any errors and submit again. If you continue to have difficulties, contact the Marathon Manager for assistance.
This procedure only enters the information into your log. Confirmation is still done by the Marathon Manager. Confirmation is accomplished in two ways:
[1] If the other party is also a marathon participant and has a log, then his submission into log will be considered confirmation for you. And your submission will be considered confirmation for him/her. No other emails will be needed.
[2] If the other party is not a marathon participant, he will not have a log, and he/she will need to confirm the QSO directly to the Marathon Manager. It is recommended you contact the other party to be sure that he/she knows how to confirm the QSO via email.
Questions about the process or any difficulties can be submitted to the Marathon Manager marathonmanager@skccgroup.com at any time.
Marathon Award participants with an established log, and who have not achieved the Award, click this link.
Note: Logs of active Marathon participants will be displayed on the Marathon Award page after achieving 5 confirmed Marathons. Those only confirming Marathons will not be listed. Logs may be moved to an inactive status after 3 months without a submission.
Tracking Marathon Award Progress -- 100 QSOs needed
Award Winners
| Award | Callsign | SKCC | Name | Claimed | Confirmed | Awarded | Last Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | K5YQF | 1820 | Cecil Turquette | 100 | 100 | 24-Sep-2014 | 24-Sep-2014 |
| 2 | N5IR | 12357 | Bill Billingsley | 100 | 100 | 27-Sep-2020 | 24-Sep-2020 |
| 3 | K5KV | 1952 | Benny Owens | 100 | 100 | 6-Oct-2020 | 6-Oct-2020 |
| 4 | WA4FAT | 11062 | Bill Levey | 101 | 100 | 17-Nov-2020 | 17-Nov-2020 |
| 5 | KU4E | 18215 | Rob Christian | 100 | 100 | 19-Nov-2020 | 19-Nov-2020 |
| 6 | KQ4CW | 22743 | Dave Ellison | 101 | 100 | 7-Feb-2021 | 7-Feb-2021 |
| 7 | N7WI | 16967 | Tom Stoio | 103 | 102 | 22-Feb-2021 | 1-Jul-2023 |
| 8 | WA3SCM | 2968 | Dave Slater | 100 | 100 | 11-Mar-2021 | 11-Mar-2021 |
| 9 | KK0I | 2370 | Jack Hill | 100 | 100 | 21-Apr-2021 | 21-Apr-2021 |
| 10 | W2OZB | 17177 | Phil Bartash | 100 | 100 | 7-May-2022 | 7-May-2022 |
| 11 | 4Z1BC | 11021 | Ben BEN CUPERMAN | 100 | 100 | 23-May-2022 | 23-May-2022 |
| 12 | AA6MK | 13548 | Mike Kelly | 101 | 100 | 3-Sep-2022 | 3-Sep-2022 |
| 13 | NJ8L | 13613 | Vern Walker | 100 | 100 | 13-Dec-2022 | 13-Dec-2022 |
| 14 | K2FW | 20151 | Steve Bockman | 100 | 100 | 26-Dec-2022 | 26-Dec-2022 |
| 15 | AI8AI | 23084 | Ai Nguyen | 100 | 100 | 1-Jan-2023 | 16-Sep-2023 |
| 17 | VE3WH | 4592 | Sam Cross | 103 | 100 | 17-Mar-2023 | 17-Mar-2023 |
| 16 | AK9A | 5902 | Bob Paiva | 100 | 100 | 17-Mar-2023 | 17-Mar-2023 |
| 18 | KA5TJS | 5172 | Allen Matthews | 100 | 100 | 29-Mar-2023 | 29-Mar-2023 |
| 19 | W6RKE | 12450 | Jerry Finn | 103 | 101 | 10-Apr-2023 | 11-Apr-2023 |
| 20 | KA8HFN | 2046 | Larry Fridley | 109 | 106 | 16-Apr-2023 | 3-May-2023 |
| 21 | KY8D | 14636 | Gan Starling | 101 | 100 | 23-Apr-2023 | 23-Apr-2023 |
| 22 | W3NP | 3182 | Dave Humbertson | 100 | 100 | 2-May-2023 | 2-May-2023 |
| 23 | KO4WFP | 25974 | Teri Beard | 100 | 100 | 19-Oct-2023 | 19-Oct-2023 |
| 24 | N5KIP | 3755 | Dick Burroughs | 100 | 100 | 13-Nov-2023 | 13-Nov-2023 |
| 25 | KA4UPI | 2582 | Mark Melton | 100 | 100 | 22-Dec-2023 | 22-Dec-2023 |
| 26 | K5MEG | 24217 | Meg Blubaugh | 100 | 100 | 25-Feb-2024 | 25-Feb-2024 |
| 27 | K0RO | 14800 | Ralph Bolt | 100 | 100 | 11-Mar-2024 | 11-Mar-2024 |
| 28 | K4KYN | 26302 | Jeff Gary | 100 | 100 | 23-Mar-2024 | 23-Mar-2024 |
| 29 | VA2GJ | 18768 | Gerald Lemay | 100 | 100 | 18-Apr-2024 | 18-Apr-2024 |
| 30 | KY4O | 7091 | Bill Spencer | 100 | 100 | 10-May-2024 | 10-May-2024 |
| 31 | W3DF | 12995 | Dan Flanagan | 101 | 100 | 20-Sep-2024 | 20-Sep-2024 |
| 32 | AC5P | 819 | Mike Maloney | 101 | 100 | 24-Apr-2025 | 24-Apr-2025 |
Participants
| Callsign | SKCC | Name | Claimed | Confirmed | Last Update |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K0AF | 22366 | Andy Folkmann | 69 | 68 | 5-Apr-2025 |
| W4CMG | 20093 | Cathy Goodrich | 69 | 68 | 2-Jan-2025 |
| KB1FGC | 21047 | Rich Guerrera | 64 | 64 | 26-Aug-2024 |
| KD9KHA | 23208 | Andy Lach | 62 | 62 | 27-Apr-2024 |
| W1ZAH | 20478 | Frank Arciuolo | 62 | 62 | 1-Apr-2024 |
| WM4Q | 16465 | Pete Harris | 57 | 56 | 12-Apr-2024 |
| W5WTH | 18901 | Pat Hensley | 50 | 50 | 9-Sep-2024 |
| K3WK | 25013 | Gary Tartanian | 50 | 50 | 4-Apr-2025 |
| WB0B | 8753 | Larry Newby | 47 | 47 | 26-Jul-2024 |
| K1PUG | 12486 | Hank Cattey | 57 | 46 | 4-Jan-2025 |
| N5DR | 19844 | Cecil Smith | 43 | 43 | 24-Apr-2025 |
| K4ISW | 13162 | Lee Moyer | 42 | 42 | 21-Jul-2024 |
| K1YAN | 7563 | Gary Meyn | 42 | 42 | 8-Nov-2024 |
| AA4SN | 15195 | Buck Buckowski | 41 | 41 | 6-Oct-2024 |
| WB5EVO | 14807 | Paul Adams | 41 | 41 | 10-May-2024 |
| KJ7GNB | 20930 | Bill Hunt | 40 | 40 | 6-Mar-2023 |
| W2ITT | 21419 | Rob Witt | 40 | 40 | 17-Jul-2024 |
| ND4U | 5936 | Den Blair | 40 | 40 | 1-Sep-2024 |
| K3ESE | 19100 | Lloyd Lachow | 37 | 37 | 4-Jul-2024 |
| WA3RSR | 23232 | Ken Baake | 39 | 36 | 21-Sep-2024 |
| AH6AX | 11165 | Larry Wandel | 34 | 34 | 4-Apr-2024 |
| W8YA | 23445 | Mark Williams | 33 | 33 | 13-Mar-2024 |
| AA8CL | 2339 | Bud Labbato | 32 | 32 | 20-Dec-2024 |
| WB5JWI | 5013 | Les Hock | 32 | 32 | 27-Dec-2023 |
| VE1AHX | 18100 | Ben Pooley | 32 | 32 | 31-Jul-2024 |
| NE5A | 24849 | George Randolph | 29 | 29 | 25-Mar-2025 |
| KC5F | 21092 | Steve Smith | 28 | 28 | 24-Dec-2023 |
| W0RLY | 17845 | Eric Worley | 26 | 26 | 4-Dec-2024 |
| AF4QK | 20594 | Kenny Averitte | 25 | 25 | 10-Mar-2024 |
| VA5CW | 4326 | Bill Down | 25 | 24 | 16-Jan-2024 |
| AC4ZH | 21121 | Duane Dickens | 24 | 24 | 4-Feb-2024 |
| W9DLN | 3635 | Dan Nyman | 24 | 24 | 25-Oct-2023 |
| WI0S | 2048 | Kieth Cook | 22 | 22 | 5-Sep-2023 |
| WI5H | 11770 | Mike Maner | 22 | 22 | 26-Apr-2023 |
| K7NXL | 25895 | Dan Boren | 22 | 22 | 12-Dec-2023 |
| N4TMM | 14467 | Jim Ewing | 22 | 21 | 3-Mar-2025 |
| W4LSV | 2795 | Barry Fluxe | 21 | 21 | 24-Apr-2024 |
| N4HAY | 14649 | Dick Hayter | 21 | 21 | 9-Nov-2023 |
| ND8MS | 19789 | Mark Soulard | 21 | 21 | 22-May-2024 |
| N8DF | 22670 | Dave Fuller | 20 | 20 | 1-Sep-2024 |
| F6HKA | 6069 | Bert Banlier | 20 | 20 | 20-Aug-2024 |
| K5PE | 17399 | Roger Dillon | 20 | 20 | 18-Oct-2023 |
| N4JEH | 26014 | Jenna Hurley | 20 | 20 | 21-Apr-2024 |
| KG5SSB | 21881 | Dan Bostick | 20 | 20 | 8-Nov-2024 |
| AI4UH | 27340 | Adam Nissley | 20 | 20 | 7-Jul-2024 |
| WB4HUL | 1787 | Sid Scott | 19 | 19 | 28-Dec-2023 |
| AB4PP | 32 | John-Paul Keon | 19 | 19 | 1-Dec-2024 |
| N3BNT | 2309 | Dennis Heidt | 20 | 19 | 19-Nov-2023 |
| NF1O | 164 | Barry Whittemore | 19 | 19 | 31-May-2024 |
| KD0EVP | 22435 | Darren Hain | 19 | 19 | 2-Apr-2023 |
| K4IIG | 25208 | Gary Kyle | 18 | 18 | 3-Apr-2024 |
| NW7US | 4758 | Tomas Hood | 17 | 17 | 28-Mar-2024 |
| KD2GUT | 23124 | Caryn Murray | 17 | 17 | 6-May-2024 |
| W2QCY | 21544 | John Farina | 17 | 17 | 24-Feb-2025 |
| K8UDH | 10532 | Bruce Murdock | 16 | 16 | 13-Apr-2023 |
| K4ARD | 8197 | Brian Ard | 16 | 16 | 7-Jul-2024 |
| NK2Y | 27215 | Jay Fox Sr. | 16 | 16 | 26-Oct-2023 |
| WB9CYY | 26540 | Don Lawson | 18 | 16 | 26-Dec-2024 |
| KE8UEX | 26310 | Ram Seshan | 15 | 15 | 24-Mar-2024 |
| K1RWT | 19217 | Russ Tine | 15 | 15 | 8-May-2024 |
| K5OGX | 5078 | Phillip Barros | 15 | 15 | 24-May-2024 |
| KJ4R | 13788 | Ed Bradshaw | 14 | 14 | 28-Feb-2024 |
| W6DFM | 27053 | Mike Mitchell | 14 | 14 | 21-May-2024 |
| K4UYQ | 17931 | Don Bulloch | 14 | 14 | 10-May-2024 |
| W4CLR | 27935 | David Schiff | 13 | 13 | 31-Jul-2024 |
| N0IPA | 23014 | Jim Stinson | 12 | 12 | 31-Mar-2025 |
| K1SP | 26931 | Matt Hudak | 11 | 11 | 15-Apr-2025 |
| AC9HP | 21348 | Wayne Michael | 11 | 11 | 8-Feb-2025 |
| W4EML | 24957 | Ed Manfredi | 11 | 11 | 7-Sep-2024 |
| AC8KJ | 8611 | George Rowe | 10 | 10 | 3-Sep-2023 |
| AF5Z | 27159 | Bob Helms | 10 | 10 | 15-Apr-2025 |
| KY5VAR | 27745 | Ky Vargas | 10 | 10 | 15-May-2024 |
| N7PHI | 20999 | Derek Hansen | 9 | 9 | 25-Feb-2022 |
| K3ZGA/SK | 12392 | Bob Schwer | 9 | 9 | 21-Apr-2023 |
| K5ENS | 19964 | Ken Schumacher | 9 | 9 | 18-Dec-2022 |
| W4ABQ | 2782 | Kevin Falls | 9 | 9 | 24-Jan-2024 |
| W6JIM | 15169 | Jim Crites | 8 | 8 | 17-Apr-2023 |
| KY4ID | 25154 | Mike Burton | 9 | 8 | 14-Sep-2023 |
| N6CUQ | 24270 | Matt Shank | 8 | 8 | 8-Mar-2023 |
| AB4RH | 7310 | Billy Zeyher | 8 | 8 | 14-Apr-2023 |
| AB8DY | 15285 | Craig McVey | 8 | 8 | 1-Jan-2024 |
| VA3FRL | 24441 | Rick Lorenz | 7 | 7 | 18-Mar-2024 |
| K4TNE | 13884 | Jeff Bray | 7 | 7 | 16-Oct-2023 |
| NA7DO | 28451 | Aldo Mendoza | 7 | 7 | 6-Oct-2024 |
| K8PG | 118 | Paul Genaw | 13 | 6 | 23-Oct-2017 |
| KC1FUU | 24695 | Jon Foster | 6 | 6 | 21-Dec-2023 |
| WB4OFT | 958 | John McKee | 6 | 6 | 6-Feb-2024 |
| AK6FB | 28398 | Allen Levin | 6 | 6 | 20-Aug-2024 |
| N4FTD | 26884 | Paul Schwan | 6 | 6 | 20-Feb-2025 |
| AA5JC | 24262 | Josh Carroll | 5 | 5 | 17-Apr-2023 |
| KF0QS | 8872 | Bernie Poskus | 5 | 5 | 9-Nov-2023 |
| KC4NO | 25318 | Mark Cruse | 5 | 5 | 22-Feb-2024 |
| KF4GNV | 26106 | Ron Hamby | 5 | 5 | 23-Feb-2024 |
| PG4I | 11019 | Jo Stakenborg | 4 | 4 | 31-Oct-2023 |
| WQ1C | 228 | Warren Rowe | 5 | 4 | 29-Nov-2024 |
| SV8ANW | 19770 | Jim Ligkas - Triantopoulos | 4 | 4 | 4-Feb-2024 |
| YL3JD | 21931 | Hanz Van de pol | 3 | 3 | 20-Mar-2023 |
| AD9CA | 29367 | Mike McGlashon | 2 | 2 | 15-Apr-2025 |