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Founded, January 2006
28,531 members strong
as of 18-Mar-2024

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The SKCC Marathon Award

Updated: 29 June 2023


Certificate
Click on the image to enlarge it

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.

Members who achieve the Marathon award will have the option to receive a printable certificate or a special commemorative plaque. After achieving 100 confirmed marathons, a plaque, similar to the one shown above, will be mailed to an Awardee who had 25 or more confirmed marathon QSOs as of April 12, 2023. These plaques will be paid for by the Club. All other Awardees will have the option of the printable certificate (at no cost), or a commemorative plaque with the costs paid by the awardee.

Rationale: The Marathon Award has been deliberately designed to be a challenging 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, conversation skill, and a consistent, quality fist. Create an award that cannot be achieved easily yet promotes quality content in every contact. The Marathon Award requires people to use and develop conversational CW skills 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 ragchew skills needed to turn a formatted, quick exchange QSO with another member into a real bond with someone who is essentially unknown. And to recognize these rare and special talents of those with the highest level of ragchewing recognition created to date. 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 automated 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 achieved 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 his 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 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

AwardCallsignSKCCNameClaimedConfirmedAwardedLast Update
1K5YQF1820Cecil Turquette10010024 Sep 201424 Sep 2014
2N5IR12357Bill Billingsley10010027 Sep 202024 Sep 2020
3K5KV1952Benny Owens10010006 Oct 202006 Oct 2020
4WA4FAT11062Bill Levey10110017 Nov 202017 Nov 2020
5KU4E18215Rob Christian10010019 Nov 202019 Nov 2020
6KQ4CW22743Dave Ellison10110007 Feb 202107 Feb 2021
7N7WI16967Tom Stoio10310222 Feb 202101 Jul 2023
8WA3SCM2968Dave Slater10010011 Mar 202111 Mar 2021
9KK0I2370Jack Hill10010021 Apr 202121 Apr 2021
10W2OZB17177Phil Bartash10010007 May 202207 May 2022
11W4LRB11021Ben Cuperman10010023 May 202223 May 2022
12AA6MK13548Mike Kelly10110003 Sep 202203 Sep 2022
13NJ8L13613Vern Walker10010013 Dec 202213 Dec 2022
14K2FW20151Steve Bockman10010026 Dec 202226 Dec 2022
15AI8AI23084Ai Nguyen10010001 Jan 202316 Sep 2023
16AK9A5902Bob Paiva10010017 Mar 202317 Mar 2023
17VE3WH4592Sam Cross10310017 Mar 202317 Mar 2023
18KA5TJS5172Allen Matthews10010029 Mar 202329 Mar 2023
19W6RKE12450Jerry Finn10310110 Apr 202311 Apr 2023
20KA8HFN2046Larry Fridley10910616 Apr 202303 May 2023
21KY8D14636Gan Starling10110023 Apr 202323 Apr 2023
22W3NP3182Dave Humbertson10010002 May 202302 May 2023
23KO4WFP25974Teri Beard10010019 Oct 202319 Oct 2023
24N5KIP3755Dick Burroughs10010013 Nov 202313 Nov 2023
25KA4UPI2582Mark Melton10010022 Dec 202322 Dec 2023
26K5MEG24217Meg Blubaugh10010025 Feb 202425 Feb 2024
27K0RO14800Ralph Bolt10010011 Mar 202411 Mar 2024
AA4SN15195Buck Buckowski393912 Feb 2024
AA5JC24262Josh Carroll5517 Apr 2023
AA8CL2339Bud Labbato313122 Apr 2023
AB4PP32John-Paul Keon181816 Feb 2024
AB4RH7310Billy Zeyher8814 Apr 2023
AB8DY15285Craig McVey8801 Jan 2024
AC4ZH21121Duane Dickens242404 Feb 2024
AC5P819Mike Maloney303009 Mar 2024
AC8KJ8611George Rowe101003 Sep 2023
AC9HP21348Wayne Michael8803 Mar 2024
AF4QK20594Kenny Averitte252510 Mar 2024
AF5Z27159Bob Helms7709 Mar 2024
AH6AX11165Larry Wandel333311 Feb 2024
AI4UH27340Adam Nissley121218 Mar 2024
F6HKA6069Bert Banlier181803 Mar 2024
K0AF22366Andy Folkmann575727 Feb 2024
K1PUG12486Hank Cattey473923 Feb 2024
K1RWT19217Russ Tine141420 Feb 2024
K1YAN7563Gary Meyn373711 Mar 2024
K3ESE19100Lloyd Lachow363601 Feb 2024
K3WK25013Gary Tartanian464622 Feb 2024
K3ZGA/SK12392Bob Schwer9921 Apr 2023
K4ARD8197Brian Ard131318 Oct 2023
K4IIG25208Gary Kyle161628 Feb 2024
K4ISW13162Lee Moyer393924 Feb 2024
K4KYN26302Jeff Gary999917 Mar 2024
K4TNE13884Jeff Bray7716 Oct 2023
K4UYQ17931Don Bulloch131305 Aug 2023
K5ENS19964Ken Schumacher9918 Dec 2022
K5OGX5078Phillip Barros141411 Mar 2024
K5PE17399Roger Dillon202018 Oct 2023
K7NXL25895Dan Boren222212 Dec 2023
K8UDH10532Bruce Murdock161613 Apr 2023
KB1FGC21047Rich Guerrera404011 Dec 2023
KC1FUU24695Jon Foster6621 Dec 2023
KC4NLD25318Mark Cruse5522 Feb 2024
KC5F21092Steve Smith282824 Dec 2023
KD0EVP22435Darren Hain191902 Apr 2023
KD2GUT23124Caryn Murray151503 Mar 2024
KD2ZUD27215Jasper Fox Sr.161626 Oct 2023
KD9KHA23208Andy Lach606017 Jan 2024
KE8UEX26310Ram Seshan141420 Apr 2023
KF0QS8872Bernie Poskus5509 Nov 2023
KF4GNV26106Ron Hamby5523 Feb 2024
KG5SSB21881Dan Bostick151509 Mar 2024
KJ4R13788Ed Bradshaw141428 Feb 2024
KJ7GNB20930Bill Hunt404006 Mar 2023
KY4ID25154Mike Burton9814 Sep 2023
KY4O7091Bill Spencer939318 Mar 2024
N0IPA23014Jim Stinson111125 Oct 2023
N3BNT2309Dennis Heidt201919 Nov 2023
N4HAY14649Dick Hayter212109 Nov 2023
N4JEH26014Jenna Hurley151529 Jan 2024
N4TMM14467Jim Ewing212018 Feb 2024
N5DR19844Cecil Smith414123 Feb 2024
N6CUQ24270Matt Shank8808 Mar 2023
N7PHI20999Derek Hansen9925 Feb 2022
N8DF22670Dave Fuller191906 Mar 2024
ND4U5936Den Blair383818 Feb 2024
ND8MS19789Mark Soulard202020 Feb 2024
NE5A24849George Randolph252526 Jan 2024
NF1O164Barry Whittemore181824 Feb 2024
NW7US4758Tomas Hood141424 Oct 2022
PG4I11019Jo Stakenborg4431 Oct 2023
SV8ANW19770JIM LIGKAS - TRIANTOPOULOS4404 Feb 2024
VA2GJ18768Gerald Lemay949415 Mar 2024
VA3FRL24441Rick Lorenz7718 Mar 2024
VA5CW4326Bill Down252416 Jan 2024
VE1AHX18100Ben Pooley313106 Mar 2024
W0RLY17845ERIC Worley232311 Nov 2023
W1ZAH20478Frank Arciuolo606009 Mar 2024
W2ITT21419Rob WITT393916 Feb 2024
W2QCY21544John Farina131328 Feb 2024
W3DF12995Dan Flanagan585718 Mar 2024
W4ABQ2782Kevin Falls9924 Jan 2024
W4CLR27935David Schiff101016 Jan 2024
W4CMG20093Cathy Goodrich646213 Mar 2024
W4LSV2795Barry Fluxe202003 Mar 2024
W5WTH18901Pat Hensley343325 Feb 2024
W6DFM27053Mike Mitchell131311 Mar 2024
W6JIM15169Jim Crites8817 Apr 2023
W8YA23445Mark Williams333313 Mar 2024
W9DLN3635Dan Nyman242425 Oct 2023
WA3RSR23232Ken Baake363424 Jan 2024
WB0B8753Larry Newby454504 May 2023
WB4HUL1787Sid Scott191928 Dec 2023
WB5EVO14807Paul Adams373702 Jan 2024
WB5JWI5013Les Hock323227 Dec 2023
WI0S2048Kieth Cook222205 Sep 2023
WI5H11770Mike Maner222226 Apr 2023
WM4Q16465Pete Harris555409 Dec 2023
WN4OFT958John 6606 Feb 2024
YL3JD21931Hanz Van de pol3320 Mar 2023

To see each participant's latest log, visit the entrants' log page here.