Evergreen Exciter for the Special Night

Several days ago I listened to the completely empty ten meters band. There was a lot of noises, quiet CB chewing and nothing else.
Suddenly I heard a slow, quiet, but very clear telegraph code, resembling W1AW QST. I have not heard the beginning, but wrote all heard:

Straight Key Night M.O.P.A. Transmitter

After reading a lot of ancient QSTs, ARRL and Jones Handbooks plus e-mail conversations with my friend, Louis VE3AWA about American depression-era style rig design, I decided to build a classic breadboard transmitter in time for Straight Key Night.

Well, breadboard MOPA seemed like a very interesting idea, it was absolutely unusual for me - I never used wooden chassis (breadboard) without any metal shielding before. Second problem - I'd started this project too late, for only one week before the SKN.
To my surprise, I got my firefly finished and fired-up during Straight Key Night! Without any success - there was no SKN participants over here. But what done is done and I was so glad to hear many "loud and clear" signal reports and heartwarming words from EU CW stations. Maybe next SKN, VE and W stations will make a sked to work UU1CC.