January 1, 2026

2025 - A Ham Radio Year In Review

2025 was a great year to be alive. It was also a great year for amateur radio with excellent sunspot activity and conditions. One of my favorite radio activities is radio fox hunting. I ran several fox hunts in 2025. I really enjoy hiding the transmitter and helping people new to radio fox hunting learn how to use simple techniques and equipment to find it.  I love seeing their happy faces when they find it. So much fun!

Here are a few of my radio related statistics as of 12/31/2025. I find it satisfying to review statistics like these to see how I am progressing. The truest contest is not with others, but with your former self, as learning and growth quietly reshapes who you become.

LoTW
  • 18,341 QSO records
  • 12,434 QSL records
  • Award progress
    • DXCC Challenge Award = 880 / 1000 = 88%
    • WAS FT4 = 50 / 50 = 100% complete
QRZ.com
  • Leaderboard
    • Most Band-Countries Worked = 893
    • Most Countries Worked = 190
    • Most Confirmed QSOs = 13,354
  • Award progress
    • 12 Days of QRZ (2025) 
      • Completed 40m, 20m, 15m, 12m, 10m 
    • Grid Squared Award (out of 32,400 possible in the world)
    • United States Counties Award - My ultimate goal is to work all 3,143 US Counties (located in the 50 States + DC). I am 70% there. It has become increasingly difficult to collect new counties. The hunt continues.
For 2026, I plan to continue working many more DX band-countries toward my goal to earn the DXCC Challenge Award and confirm contacts with at least 100 new US counties. QRZ has a new award called the '250th Anniversary of the United States of America' that I am looking forward to complete in celebration of the birthday of our great nation. I remember the wonderful 200th Anniversary in 1976 and I am delighted to see the 250th arrive. I am proud to be an American.

My homebrew 80m Skywire antenna was destroyed in a big windstorm that took out a couple of redwoods back in 2023. I have a new replacement 160m Skywire antenna that I plan to hoist up into the trees in 2026. Looking forward to having access to 160m and making contacts. See you on the radio.


Good DX and 73, NJ2X

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