• • •   Silent Key   — • —

 
I didn’t hear a call last night
Little steps through the dial
Until just before light
I finally gave up after awhile
A familiar voice of a friend
The camaraderie that had grown
Hours of conversation with someone
Their face I have never known
After a week
With no signal found
Without a peep
Without a sound
A message finally
In an email from a friend
Finally brought the reality
Of this home to me again
My faceless friend
Had passed away
That gentle voice
He became a silent key that day
 

author unknown  
CALLSIGNNAMECLASSYEAR
N4STTBOB O'HARAG2003
NB4PPAUL D. STEINERE2004
KB4KNILOUIS SERIOT+2004
AE4BEMARY ANN CLEMENTS    E2004
WA1TJRFRANK RAZINHAG2006
W4VAHWILLIAM HARDENA2010
W4OUKDR. BILL BROWNE2010
KI4LXTJOE IMBURGIAE2012
W4GSFBRITT BELYEAE2013
WD4GESSALLY GAUSET+2013
KA7AZSJOAN PRYORE2013
K4IHQED ROBERTSG2013
KF4PKHWALLY SCHEIDT2013
WB4MRHWARREN BOWERSE2014
WB4UYABILL HOWELLE2015
KC4FLBGEORGE WALKERE2015
K4FBQROY MILLERG2015
KK4AUUGRETA ALTOG2016
KK4KHUBOB MAGILLG2016
KM4BYAELIZABETH URBANG2016
KC4DZABRADFORD ALLENT+2016
K2QIJGEORGE FORDE2017
N4BLQED GAUSEE2017
WA2OFUGEORGE ZHOROFFA2017
K4ASIBILL EACHOA2018
KD4UFAL. B. SANFORDT2018
KE4NBXEARL EVANSG2020
NR4CBILL CONKLINGE2021
KJ4TYVJIM CONNERG2021
K4JJSJOE SAFRANEKE2021
N4QEXDR. JOHN MYLESE2022
KN4CEGDR. GAYLORD RAYT2022
KN4HGVALLEN BLACKWELLG2022
AI4QQJOHN HALEE2022
KE4WDVBILL MINNICKT2023
WA4CCCARL CLEMENTSE2023
KE4KQLVINCE ROSEG2024

A silent key is a deceased amateur radio operator. The “key” is a reference to the telegraph keys historically used to transmit information, and although it is now largely obsolete, its status is so iconic that most people in the amateur radio community understand the reference. SK sent in Morse Code signals “end of transmission” so it is only fitting that deceased operators be identified this way to signal their passing.

This page is dedicated to the Silent Keys of the Middle Peninsula Amateur Radio Club. If you know of a past member that is not included, please notify us so that we may add them to this list.