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The rear-view mirror
31 December 2024 | by 
Almost hit 14,000...
Once again it's year in the rear-view mirror time at the shack. I do want to start by saying I am thrilled that 2024 has come and gone with no health issues for our entire family! To me, that is the best gift of all our health. As for me I am finally getting settled into retirement and feeling the "normal" feeling. In 2025 I will hit the milestone of turning 65...funny as I get older it seems that those older than me are "old" until I hit that age and the "old" timeline moves further ahead. One area I will be working on in 2025 is my mindset. I find with all that has been going on in our globe it has started to slant me in the wrong direction. I want to make the effort to re-balance, reset or see the other side of things. I guess more of the bright side is what I am saying.
Ok, enough of that and on to the hobby end of things......I had a great year of CW contesting. I am now very comfortable calling "CQ contest" or running as it is called. I have improved on my pileup skills, being able to pick out a call from the many that are coming at me. I have gained the art of coping ahead but it's still new and if I do not practice for a few days it slips.
There was no real improvement of antennas here as I do live on a small lot and not much space at this time to go crazy. I did however do some computer upgrades such as an M.2 SSD which turned out to be a great upgrade. I did have my share of RFI issues over this past year BUT finally forking out the money for quality toroids from Fair-Rite did the job. There was some fine tweaking along the way but I am confident I have now worked out all the bugs and am RFI free.....famous last words.
Looking ahead into 2025 at this point radio-wise it looks like the same old same old but I am very happy with that. The funny thing I have noticed over the past 2 years or so around the time I changed the focus of the blog to CW only basically the readership and comments have taken a dive. I will continue to look into this and over the course of 2025 see if it is time to close the door or refocus on the content.
4 Responses to “The rear-view mirror”
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Think you blogs are great. Been following for ever. I am cw guy. So fine with the subject but could understand why some would like more variety
Good morning Paul thanks for the readership I may start to work on the variety but again with a CW focus.
73,
Mike
VE9KK
MIKE HAS IT ”SPOT ON” THE MOST IMPORTANT COMODITY IN UR LIFE IS UR HEALTH, NOT A COLLECTION OF FANCY RADIOS !!! EASTERN RELIGIONS , SPECIFICALLY HINDUISM, TEACH THAT ”PEACE OF MIND IS HAPPINESS AND THAT TRUE WEALTH IS YOUR HEALTH” HAM RADIO IS SECONDARY, TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH FIRST AND THEN PLAY WITH UR RADIOS, 73 KEN N2DF
Good morning, Ken and thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Great thing is if you look after yourself then in the long run you actually have more radio time.
73,
Mike
VE9KK