FISTS CW Club

Promoting Morse Code for 39 years 1987-2026

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News 2026

February 2026

01 Feb 26: Please send in your details, logs, comments and photos for the following activities that finished by 01 February 2026.
- Bug Key 24-Hour Sprint (15 January, FISTS CW Club) no later than 07 February.
- Ladder (January, FISTS CW Club) no later than 07 February.
- Snakes & Ladders (January, EuCW) no later than 07 February.
- Top9 (January, ICWC) no later than 09 February.
Notes:
- If you use FISTS Log Converter to send in Ladder logs, please type in the same callsign during this calendar year even if your callsign has changed.
- For the Ladder, if you are taking part on both Sundays in the month, please send in a single log towards the end of the month.
- FISTS CW Club results will be published in the BrassPounder newsletter, available around mid-month.
- Even if you only had one QSO or feel that you won't be highly placed, please do support the activities by sending in logs.

January 2026

23 Jan 26: Coming up are the FISTS Ladder sessions (Sunday 25 January) and 24-Hour Bug Key Sprint (Sunday 15 February).
- Ladder Sunday 25 January 14:00-15:59 & 18:00-19:59 UTC:
  Collect points for CW QSOs with members and non-members.
  - Exchange a minimum of Name, QTH, RST & if applicable, member number.
  - One QSO per 2-hour session with an operator.
  - Activity is typically around 14.058, 7.028, & 3.558 MHz but any licensed band is allowed except for 60m, 30m, 17m, 12m & bands lower in frequency than 160m.
  - Logs to be received no later than 07 of the following month.
- Mechanical Key 24 Hour Sprint Sunday 15 February UTC:
  Have CW QSOs with you using straight ("up & down") keys, sideswiper (aka "cootie") keys, semi-automatic ("bug") mechanical keys, and fully-automatic ("bug") mechanical keys only. It does not matter what type of key your QSO partners use.
  - No minimum exchange.
  - Any licensed band except for 60m, 30m, 17m, 12m & bands lower in frequency than 160m.
  - One QSO per day with an operator.
  - If you used a straight key, add to your logbook's Comment (or similar) field: MYKEY SK
  - If you used a sideswiper key, add to your logbook's Comment (or similar) field: MYKEY SS
  - If you used a semi-automatic bug key, add to your logbook's Comment (or similar) field: MYKEY BUG
  - If you used a fully-automatic bug key[*], add to your logbook's Comment (or similar) field: MYKEY FAB
  - Logs to be received no later than 07 of the following month.
  - If you use FISTS Log Converter, version 4.9.3 or later is required.
  - [*] A fully-automatic bug key is similar to a semi-automatic bug key but has mechanisms for sending streams of dashes as well as dots.
13 Jan 26: The mechanical key 24-Hour Sprints are back for 2026! They will run on the 15th of each month and cycle around bug keys, any mechanical keys, and straight keys. The first one is a Bug Key 24 Hour Sprint on Thursday 15 January UTC. Have CW QSOs with you using semi-automatic ("bug") mechanical keys and fully-automatic ("bug") mechanical keys only. It does not matter what type of key your QSO partners use.
- No minimum exchange.
- Any licensed band except for 60m, 30m, 17m, 12m & bands lower in frequency than 160m.
- One QSO per day with an operator.
- If you used a semi-automatic bug key, add to your logbook's Comment (or similar) field: MYKEY BUG
- If you used a fully-automatic bug key[*], add to your logbook's Comment (or similar) field: MYKEY FAB
- Logs to be received no later than 07 of the following month.
- [*] A fully-automatic bug key is similar to a semi-automatic bug key but has mechanisms for sending streams of dashes as well as dots.
Additionally, the twelve 24-Hour Sprint scores will contribute to the Mechanical Medley that will run throught the year, accumulating the scores from each of the monthly Sprints.
12 Jan 26: The FISTS CW Club January 2026 monthly BrassPounder newsletter is now available in the Members' Area.

BrassPounder is written by David G4YVM, Activities Manager, and its focus is on on-air activities provided by FISTS CW Club.
09 Jan 26: Coming up are the first FISTS Ladder sessions (11 January) and 24-Hour Bug Key Sprint (15 January) of the year.
- Ladder Sunday 11 January 14:00-15:59 & 18:00-19:59 UTC:
  Collect points for CW QSOs with members and non-members.
  - Exchange a minimum of Name, QTH, RST & if applicable, member number.
  - One QSO per 2-hour session with an operator.
  - Activity is typically around 14.058, 7.028, & 3.558 MHz but any licensed band is allowed except for 60m, 30m, 17m, 12m & bands lower in frequency than 160m.
  - Logs to be received no later than 07 of the following month.
- Bug Key 24 Hour Sprint Thursday 15 January UTC:
  Have CW QSOs with you using semi-automatic ("bug") mechanical keys, and fully-automatic ("bug") mechanical keys only. It does not matter what type of key your QSO partners use.
  - No minimum exchange.
  - Any licensed band except for 60m, 30m, 17m, 12m & bands lower in frequency than 160m.
  - One QSO per day with an operator.
  - If you used a semi-automatic bug key, add to your logbook's Comment (or similar) field: MYKEY BUG
  - If you used a fully-automatic bug key[*], add to your logbook's Comment (or similar) field: MYKEY FAB
  - Logs to be received no later than 07 of the following month.
  - If you use FISTS Log Converter, version 4.9.3 or later is required.
  - [*] A fully-automatic bug key is similar to a semi-automatic bug key but has mechanisms for sending streams of dashes as well as dots.
02 Jan 26: Happy New Year from all at FISTS CW CLub! Please send in your details, logs, comments and photos for the following activities that finished by 01 January 2026.
- Ladder (December, FISTS CW Club) no later than 07 January.
- Snakes & Ladders (December, EuCW) no later than 07 January.
- Top9 (December, ICWC) no later than 09 January.
Notes:
- If you use FISTS Log Converter to send in Ladder logs, please type in the same callsign during this calendar year even if your callsign has changed.
- For the Ladder, if you are taking part on both Sundays in the month, please send in a single log towards the end of the month.
- FISTS CW Club results will be published in the BrassPounder newsletter, available around mid-month.
- Even if you only had one QSO or feel that you won't be highly placed, please do support the activities by sending in logs.

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