As of today, I have 1426 unique POTA parks confirmed.  Twenty days ago, the count was 1401, so I’m adding a scooch over 1 park a day.  So the end of September seems like when I might get my goal of 1500 completed.  And the CWT Gold Medal should wrap up by the end of October, which is when I should hit 120 (currently at 84, so 36 remain).  Fingers are crossed!

2024 is my fourth year of participating in CWT contests, and the gold medal (participating in at least 120 CWT contest for the year) arrived yesterday.

I had an ambitious set of goals for 2023:

• Teach a class (either Technician or CW Academy)
• Participate in 120+ CWTs for the CWops Gold Medal
• Build my QRP-Labs QDX Digital Transceiver
• Activate 10 new parks in CT or obtain award for hunting 1000 parks
• Obtain 50 States Parks on the Air award

I completed four of the five, only failing to build the QDX transceiver.  It sits on my desk and perhaps will come to life in 2024.  I did complete 145 CWTs (actually 146 but I forgot to submit a log for one of them).  I also taught a Technician class in the spring of 2023.  For POTA I did get the WAS award, and hunted more than 1000 parks.

For 2024, I think I’m going to dial things back a bit, but here we go:

• Hunt 1500+ POTA parks
• Do at least one activation with the Elecraft KH1 hand-held QRP rig
• Give a radio club presentation on solar power/batteries
• Compete in 120+ CWTs
• Wildcard (like finish the QDX or some other ham related project)

As of 0300z today (11 PM last night, acutally), I completed my 120th CWT (CWops CW Contest).  There are four short 1 hour contests per day (1300, 1900, 0300, and 0700Z), so at least 208 each year.  CWops awards medals for participation at the following levels: Bronze 50, Silver 80, Gold 120.

Last year I participated in 167 CWTs.  There are 48 more possible this year, so I don’t think I will finish with as many as I did in 2022, but my goal for the year was 120, and I’ve accomplished that.

Thank you CWops!

As of early yesterday morning (3 AM), I completed CWT #90 on the year.  This earns the Silver Medal (which I achieved my first year).  I need 30 more contests to get to 120 and earn the Gold Medal (which I achieved last year).

The past few weeks, propagation has been so good, I have been getting up at 3 AM to participate in the 4th contest of the week (Wednesdays at 1300Z, 1900Z, 0300Z, and 0700Z).  But at this point, I think perhaps I will just do 3 a week and skip the 0’dark hundred one.  By the end of September I should be at 120.