A silent key is a deceased radio amateur identified by their callsign. Radio amateurs broadcast on designated frequencies and can use the radio in various ways. Friends or family members can communicate the news, and tributes may be made in newsletters or on the radio. The term SK in Morse code can also signal “end of transmission.” Reports of silent keys are encouraged for reprinting and license release.
A silent key is a deceased radio amateur; generally silent keys are identified by their callsigns in front of their names. The “key” is a reference to telegraph keys historically used to transmit information, and while the telegraph key is now largely obsolete, its status is so iconic that most people in the amateur radio community understand the reference. Once a silent key is identified, its call sign is usually released back into the pool of available call signs.
Radio amateurs have essentially been around as long as radio itself. They generally broadcast on special frequencies that have been designated for use by the amateur community and can use the radio in a variety of ways. Some people hold informal news programs, converse with people on two-way frequencies, or broadcast information that may not be available from other sources. Many have official licenses and designated call signs.
When a radio amateur dies, it may take some time for the rest of the community to realize that he is now a silent key. In some cases, friends or family members of the deceased can communicate this information, and in the age of the Internet, this has been made much easier. In other cases, an extended period of radio silence may cause someone to look at obituaries or news stories that could reveal the radio operator’s fate.
Radio amateurs can also become quite friendly to each other, even if they never meet in person. It is not uncommon to hold a memorial service on the radio, or to reprint an obituary or tribute for a silent key in a radio operators newsletter. Tributes to silent keys may also include information about their lives beyond the radio, to humanize them for fans who only knew them as rumors.
You may hear a silent key referred to as SK in Morse code, although “SK” can also signal “end of transmission.” Some radio operators keep their eyes peeled for silent keys, so they can swoop down on the coveted call signs when they’re available.
Most amateur radio enthusiasts’ clubs encourage their members to submit silent key reports, so that these reports can be reprinted for the benefit of the community. Government agencies that oversee licensing may also have forms for the purpose of reporting a silent key so that its name can be released for use.
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