On 2008-09-30, Michael Coslo wrote:
Phil Kane wrote:
On Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:24:19 EDT, Michael Coslo wrote:
73's their call de your call SK.

When I learned Morse in the Dark Ages, I learned that ending signal as
VA - which is exactly the same thing.

I always associate SK with
"Silent Key" - an operator who has passed away.

Well, there is some similarity with the end of a contact and the end of
a mortal life, so perhaps that is why the double meaning of SK

But whether you spell it SK or VA, the derivation of the signal is from
American Morse, where it is "30" ...-. for 3 and a looooong dash for
zero. And "30" is the abbreviation you still see now and then in
published matter, where it means "the end"

Jim, W6JVE