A 2024 retrospective and my amateur radio goals for 2025

Happy 2025! This is a good time of the year to reflect on what I’ve done in my radio hobby this past year and set some goals for the next.

Above photo taken on New Year’s Eve which is Straight Key Night for amateur radio operators. I was enjoying a fine, California bourbon.

A look back at 2024

In my post last year, I set out the following goals for myself:

• Continue to improve my home shack
• Activate a park for POTA using CW only
• Operate in Canada
• Do a summits on the air (SOTA) activation

I accomplished all of them. The links above take you to my entries for each of these accomplishments.

I accomplished my radio goals and made 1,116 contacts in 2024

I made around 1,116 two-way contacts via radio in 2024. Here’s a map showing the contacts I’ve made around the world.

Green contacts are via CW or Morse code, red shows voice or single side-band (SSB) and purple shows FT8, a digital mode.

My longest contact was 6,713 miles with D2UY who was in Angola, Africa.

I did 41 Parks on the Air activations.

My most frequent contacts were with AB9CA, a CW operator who roams the country activating POTA parks. I connected with him 10 times this past year.

As you can see from the breakdown below the majority of my operation (85%) was with Morse code or CW (continuous wave) as it’s known in our radio hobby.

One notable event was adding a new radio, the Elecraft KH1, to my kit. I love this radio and it’s a big reason why CW is now my favorite mode.

My radio goals for 2025

I’m looking forward to 2025, my goals for this year are:

• Improve my Morse code operating skills
  • I’m good enough to do quick, short QSOs but I’d like to get better at free-form, longer conversations
• Operate my radio during the Philmont hikes I have planned with my son and the Scout Troop.
• Do more with VHF, at this time I primarily operate on the HF bands
  • Seeing amateur radio’s critical role in the wake of hurricane Helene has convinced me to improve my local, VHF operating skills
• Develop more meaningful interpersonal relationships with other radio operators
  • Do more with local clubs; I’ve recently joined the local radio club in nearby Westford, MA
  • I’ve been joining the Long Island CW Club, Slow Speed Test zoom group every Sunday night
• Print my own QSL cards to share with friends

I’m looking forward to a lot of fun with radio in 2025. I hope to see you on the air!