The two-hour Straight Key Sprint (SKS) occurs monthly on the fourth Wednesday starting at 0000 UTC. You need to adjust for standard or daylight savings time and your time zone offset to determine your local time for this event.

The goal of SKS is to work as many stations as possible during the sprint period using a mechanical key approved by the rules of the Straight Key Century Club. These include straight keys, sideswipers (Cooties) and bugs. Exceptions are granted to those with physical disabilities that prevent the use of such keys. Please be reminded that although it is a contest, the SKS is rather informal, and has as its main objective to bring together operators with different skill levels. Operating speed should be adjusted accordingly.

Please send SKS comments/suggestions to sks-manager at skccgroup dot com.

This Month’s Sprint  

The January Straight Key Sprint falls on the 26th (UTC) running from 0000 – 0200Z. K3Y anniversary stations will serve as bonus stations for this sprint. Participating stations may make contact with any K3Y station, however, only one K3Y contact may be counted as a bonus contact on a given contest band. As always, spotting assistance is not permitted for the SKS. See the complete SKS rules below.

Looking forward to hearing you on the Straight Key Sprint!

Call for Bonus Station Operators

Operators interested in working the SKS as a bonus station at some point during the year, please drop me a note at the above comments/suggestions email address. There is no obligation involved in indicating your interest. I’ll contact one or more operators a week or so before a sprint to firm up arrangements.

Bonus stations may operate under their own callsign or may use the club call (US stations only), K9SKC, for the sprint. Please let me know if you have a preference of when during the year you might be available and if you would put the club call on the air or prefer to use your own.

Thanks!