My 2023 Ham Radio Goal was to log 1000 morse code QSOs as a SOTA Activator. To achieve this goal I had to change the way I operated. Usually I only work a couple of bands and spend 15-30 minutes activating before hiking on or continuing to the next summit. For this I had to spend more time on summit calling CQ.
For a long time I didn’t think I was going to make the goal. Too many other things and not getting out enough. I think around the 600th QSO I finally thought that I might be able to get it. Then finally in November I landed 5 QSOs away from 1000. I knew I just needed one outing in December to get it.
Last Saturday I drove up to Hampton Butte (W7O/CE-074), a 6 pointer plus 3 winter bonus, for my final activation. It was wicked windy and cold up there. I started on 40 meters and Josh WU7H grabbed the 1000th QSO. It was very cold up there so after 20 meters I took a break in the car to warm back up. Then finished with a handful of QSOs on 10m, 15m, and 17m.
As it stands now I have 1021 cw QSOs for the year with 327 unique chaser callsigns. Thank you to everyone who chased me this year. I couldn’t have done this without you!
video: https://youtu.be/n00f2teoDy0
73 de Tim N7KOM