52 Week Ham Radio Challenge 2025 - Status for bgarfoot@kind.social

All Status Updates mentioning @hamchallenge

DateUserChallengeStatusToot summary & link
2025-01-03 11:52:52bgarfoot@kind.social1Success!For week 1 of the #hamchallenge, my goal was to create a new QSL card specifically for my #POTA contacts. This is a photo that I took at park US-1541, and while I didn't ultimately end up activating due to antenna issues (yes, with the one pictured), I still think it captures what I love about POTA.HC01SOn to next week - figuring out IARU beacons.
2025-01-08 23:48:39bgarfoot@kind.social2Success!Very interesting results for the #hamchallenge week two monitoring of beacons. Overall, this has been pretty fun, although the last two days I haven't been able to get on during the day. Results posted below:HC02SAll results from EN72ef:Tuesday 01/07 - times 00:55 - 01:02 UTCLU4AA on 14.100 at 100WW6WX on 14.100 at 100W4U1UN on 14.100 at 100WLU4AA on 18.110 at 100WCould not make out any other bands1/
2025-01-13 10:24:55bgarfoot@kind.social3Progress update...Okay, attempt number 1 for Week 3. I've kinda been dreading this one, as I don't currently have an 80m (and definitely not a 160m) antenna up in the air.Strategy 1: see if my 41' EFLW will tune up well enough to make a contact via FT8. Here goes nothing.#hamchallenge HC03
2025-01-16 19:18:23bgarfoot@kind.social3Progress update...Okay, attempt number 2 for the HC03 in progress. 80m EFHW cut - now to tromp into the snowy back woods and yeet it into a tree. Going to try to get on 80m tonight.#hamchallenge #hamradio
2025-01-18 10:47:57bgarfoot@kind.social3Progress update...Ug. So close. But as I never received a 73, per my own rules, I don't log this as a contact. The 80m HC03 continues onward...Red is where P40AA hears and replys back to me, but then immediately goes on to another station (that they were already trying), and I never get the 73 if they sent one.#hamchallenge #hamradio
2025-01-18 14:33:41bgarfoot@kind.social3Progress update...Behold, my attempt 3 for HC03 - the Franken-Vertical.Chameleon 25ft whip, on top of 2 Buddipole coils, using the Buddipole tripod as a base. 3 10 meter radials and window mesh for the ground.80m FT8 or bust!#hamchallenge #hamradio
2025-01-18 14:39:42bgarfoot@kind.social3Progress update...Ug. So close. But as I never received a 73, per my own rules, I don't log this as a contact. The 80m HC03 continues onward...Red is where P40AA hears and replys back to me, but then immediately goes on to another station (that they were already trying), and I never get the 73 if they sent one.#hamchallenge #hamradio
2025-01-19 03:36:06bgarfoot@kind.social3Success!HC03S Finally, the 80M band opened up enough to Europe that I was able to complete a contact on FT8 with CR6WWA.Got E7W just now for good measure.#hamchallenge #hamradio
2025-01-26 19:50:36bgarfoot@kind.social4Success!HC04S. My current, and original, callsign KC9RED was first issued to me after I took my Technician exam at the Baraboo WI Hamfest in January 2010. In September 2011, after I had passed my Extra, I changed to a Vanity callsign, NU8N, as I was about to graduate from Northwestern University (NU!).Now I know I was not the original NU8N, but neither the DLARC or the FCC database shows a y data on the original holder. If anyone knows who that was (or has a QSL), I'd love to know.
2025-01-26 19:55:37bgarfoot@kind.social4Success!HC04S. My current, and original, callsign KC9RED was first issued to me after I took my Technician exam at the Baraboo WI Hamfest in January 2010. In September 2011, after I had passed my Extra, I changed to a Vanity callsign, NU8N, as I was about to graduate from Northwestern University (NU!).DLARC lists the original NU8N as James Kortge, of Fenton MI, not too far from where I reside now.
2025-01-26 19:59:37bgarfoot@kind.social4Success!HC04S. My current, and original, callsign KC9RED was first issued to me after I took my Technician exam at the Baraboo WI Hamfest in January 2010. In September 2011, after I had passed my Extra, I changed to a Vanity callsign, NU8N, as I was about to graduate from Northwestern University (NU!).DLARC lists the original NU8N as Jim Kortge, of Fenton MI, not too far from where I reside now. Jim looks to have been an avid bicycle enthusiast, like me, as well as an QRP affictionado
2025-02-01 03:20:03bgarfoot@kind.social5Success!HC05S. Finally got a couple of photos up on QRZ. Given that I'm currently on a work/ski trip and on shoddy WiFi, that'll have to do for now.Tried to update my POTA profile pic, but that kept giving me an error. I intend to create a HamQTH page when I get home.
2025-02-07 02:37:04bgarfoot@kind.social6Progress update...HC06 Well, I at least attempted a contest, but I can't in any good faith call it a success. The only real contest that fit into my schedule was the NCCC FT4 Sprint. I got my rig all set up for FT4, which I had never run before. Even ensured I made a few contacts before the contest started.The results: absolute nada on 20m, 15, and 10m. Didn't hear anyone either on 40m (couldn't get antenna to tune up properly though).When is a contest not a contest?
2025-02-07 02:38:04bgarfoot@kind.social6Progress update...HC06 Well, I at least attempted a contest, but I can't in any good faith call it a success. The only real contest that fit into my schedule was the NCCC FT4 Sprint. I got my rig all set up for FT4, which I had never run before. Even ensured I made a few contacts before the contest started.The results: absolute nada on 20m, 15, and 10m. Didn't hear anyone either on 40m (couldn't get antenna to tune up properly though).When is a contest not a contest?#hamchallenge
2025-02-09 22:24:36bgarfoot@kind.social6Success!HC06S. I managed to decode some of the signals for the CQ WPX RTTY contest, which is really the only contest that fits into my schedule this week. I currently see W5JK calling CQ and making contacts with K2AL, N2LK, and now N8WCP.I have to be honest - this is my first time using RTTY and I don't feel comfortable enough with it to actually try making a contact without screwing someone else up. But between my failed FT4 contest earlier and this, I'll call it a success for now.
2025-02-15 22:33:57bgarfoot@kind.social7Success!HC07SIn addition to all of the other sources for DXpeditions listed, one source that I look it is DXnews.com. It doesn't exactly have the best calendar, but I can see that stations like HD8CW/HC8N (Galapagos), V73WW (Marshall Islands), and TY5C (Benin) should all be currently active.Myself? I just worked CQ35MD (Maderia Islands) and 7X2RF (Algeria). Both aren't particularly rare, but it's always good to get interesting DX stations.#hamchallenge #hamradio
2025-02-17 10:30:29bgarfoot@kind.social8Success!HC08SWell, that was easy. Right underneath the announcement post on my Mastodon timeline was someone thinking about getting their license, and I gave them some encouragement to do so.There are several people that I hope to encourage IRL this week too, so I'm already calling this a success.
2025-02-28 22:11:43bgarfoot@kind.social9Progress update...In my weekly #hamradio nerddom, my HC09 was a resounding dud. I definitely heard a 10m repeater identifier, but it wasn't one of the ones I had in my directory. Tried to get into the N9JHQ, KB9KRI, and WD8DPA repeaters, but heard nothing back. Did end up doing a 20m #POTA activation though, so the day wasn't a complete loss
2025-04-24 11:30:34bgarfoot@kind.social17Success!It's been a very hot minute since I've participated in the Ham Challenge, due to a wide variety of factors. But I can definitely call this a HC17S.The closest VHF (2 meter) repeater to me is the W8VY 00 repeater (147.000), at just over a mile away. We're also looking at moving our 220 repeater to the same tower site, but the club needs a qualified climber first.

Summary of completed challenges

✅: Completed (9)
🚧: In progress (1)
⌛: Not started (42)

January1  2  3  4  5  
February6  7  8  9🚧  
March10  11  12  13  
April14  15  16  17  18  
May19  20  21  22  
June23  24  25  26  
July27  28  29  30  
August31  32  33  34  35  
September36  37  38  39  
October40  41  42  43  44  
November45  46  47  48  
December49  50  51  52  

52 week ham radio challenge: Home