Founded, January 2006
31,108 members strong
as of 28-May-2026
The most active group of mechanical-key Morse code
radiotelegraph operators in the world
Founded in January 2006, we have thousands of members around the globe.
• Apply for free membership. (Open to licensed amateur radio operators only.)
• Make HF radio contacts using any of the three early original types of manual telegraph keys: Straight Key, Bug and Cootie.
• Gain on-air experience in sending and receiving by swapping numbers with other members; enter Club sponsored sprints, contests and special events; rag chew; earn activity & achievement awards; access our online resources, newsletter, forums and chat.
Please see the description of mechanical key types and participation guidelines here.
Ready to get started? Apply for your SKCC membership and receive your unique SKCC number!
Please take some time to check it out. It can be found here.
73,
Ted — K8AQM/VE9AQM
SKCC —1629S
As a Tribune x8: Contact 200 unique T/S members
| Achievement Date | SKCC # | Call Sign | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 May 2026 | 27913S | NM4J | Rick |
| 11 May 2026 | 21205S | AA8T | Tom |
As a Centurion: Contact 50 unique C/T/S members
| Achievement Date | SKCC # | Call Sign | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 May 2026 | 27071T | K1NT | Ben |
| 12 May 2026 | 26584T | JK1BVN | Kat |
| 11 May 2026 | 29401T | K4NU | Steve |
| 6 May 2026 | 27722T | VE3FIE | Richard |
Contact 100 unique SKCC members
| Achievement Date | SKCC # | Call Sign | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 2026 | 21970C | N7QD | Greg |
| 13 May 2026 | 29956C | W0ZRS | Zach |
| 6 May 2026 | 22406C | WA4OLI | Jim |
SKCC is pleased to announce the 33rd SKCC Marathon Award presentation to Mary Lim, VE3INE, #27027.
Mary made her first marathon QSO on February 17, 2026, and confirmed her 100th on May 12, 2026. Mary joined the SKCC on January 19, 2023 and holds Rag Chew Award #174 with Award Date of March 9, 2026.
Mary grew up in Hong Kong and has resided in Toronto since the early 1990s. She began learning Morse code on her own in the fall of 2022 after watching 2 drama series and 1 film which showed scenes of special agents intercepting the codes in the 1940s. A driving interest in CW and improving her code proficiency led to an Amateur Radio License in January 2023. This remains her focus over the other aspects of ham radio.
Mary operates a basic station from her living room with a limited antenna in her backyard. She made many short QSOs in her first 2 years, then shifted her focus to ragchewing in 2026. Each year, she sets herself one or more small CW goals to work with and improve her abilities. Her long-term goal is to be able to copy and send at 60 wpm.
Her mentors who helped along the way include Nick VE3EBC, Bert VE3NR, Cathy W4CMG, Vic VE3YT, Dallas K1DW and Frank K1EBY.
When not on her key, Mary pursues a music career in teaching and playing the piano and the harpsichord.
The Marathon Award was established in 2008 to recognize SKCC members who demonstrate their skill, talent, and love for ragchewing by completing 100 QSOs each with a separate SKCC member lasting 60 minutes or more. The first award occurred in 2014, and now has a total of thirty-three awardees. Consider joining in the fun and developing your ragchewing skills.