Ray Soifer, W2RS, loved CW and he also loved satellites. Before becoming a Silent Key in March of 2022, Ray gave a gift to both the CW and satellite communities: AMSAT's CW Activity Day, formerly known as AMSAT Straight Key Night.

The annual event has since been renamed the W2RS Memorial AMSAT CW Activity Day and, as always, the on-air action is taking place on January 1st, the same day that the ARRL holds Straight Key Night. Participants use any amateur radio multi-mode satellite to make QSOs using CW on that day between 0000 and 2359 UTC. Although the use of a straight key or a bug is not required, it is strongly encouraged. So are photos and video clips, which operators are invited to share on various social media platforms with amsat as the tag. As for logs, they're not necessary either, but AMSAT would like operators to submit reports to the AMSAT-BB.

One word of caution: operators are urged to use the minimum power necessary to complete their contacts. Constant carrier modes such as CW are capable of disrupting transponders.