Goals for 2024
Overview
2024 goals. Holding myself to account
2022/3 Goals recap
I set myself some goals during 2022 and nothing in 2023 as circumstances had changed, the return to work onsite post pandemic and this year, the loss of a family member, meant that I had limited time for Amateur Radio and other hobbies. These things happen, and as it is said, it's not about how you fall, its about how you get up again. So 2024 is time for a reset, of expectations as much as goals. I can only achieve so much, and I need to plan that in better.
So what goals did I have and are they still relevant in 2024?
2021 Goals List
| Task | Target Date | Current Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buy a suitable portable radio | 01 July 2021 | Achieved | Bought an IC-705 |
| Activate a SOTA summit | 01 July 2021 | Achieved | Activated local summit Beacon Batch and followed up with Dundry Down |
| Learn Morse Code | 25 March 2021 | In progress | See post |
2022 Goal List
| Serial | Theme | Task | Target Date | Current Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Full licence | Obtain Full Licence | March 2022 | Achieved | Completed Full Licence course with OARC |
| 002 | Shack | Order a new desk for office | Jan 2022 | Achieved | New desk from Chunky Furniture |
| 003 | Shack | Obtain a suitable 2m / 70 cm antenna for home | March 2022 | Not Started 🛑 | Need to identify how much loft space I have |
| 004 | Shack | Rack mount my radios in new desk | March 2022 | Achieved | Although this setup will change when I move the office / shack |
| 005 | Portable | Buy a suitable portable radio | March 2022 | Achieved | Held over from 2021. IC-705 was the buy. |
| 006 | Portable | Activate a SOTA summit | April 2022 | Achieved | Activated local summit Beacon Batch and followed up with Dundry Down |
| 007 | Other | Learn Morse Code | Autumn 2022 | Not Started 🛑 | Held over from 2021 |
| 008 | Other | Improve my 2m contesting station | Spring 2022 | Not Started 🛑 | Need a better 2m antenna and maybe an IC-9700? This doesn't preclude me doing more portable contesting. |
Job List
Additionally, I had a jobs list from May 2022.
| Serial | Category | Job | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Fixes | Replace the filters on the TM-V71 | Parts arrived | Need a nice clear weekend and a nice clear bench... |
| 002 | Build | Add GPS to my VX-8 | Project not complete | See this project. Might be worth a future post... |
| 003 | Antennas | Build a hourglass loop antenna | Not Achieved | Have a design in mind, need to get parts in. Also another way to do it here. |
| 004 | Install | Commission new project bench | Achieved | Love the new bench, however I need more space so I want to swap the office and 2nd bedroom around. |
| 005 | Pi | Build a Pi based weather station (with APRS) | Idea | Possibly based on the Pimoroni Weather Hat |
| 006 | Dev | APRS Buddy list | Idea | ESP32 APRS Buddy List display. When were they last heard and where |
| 007 | Dev | Yagi Targeting Computer | Idea | ESP32 plus GPS plus IMU Yagi pointing aid for Sat work |
Overall, I didn't do as badly as I thought. Although, I've achieved little in 2023 of note due to time pressures. Maybe some of these idea will make the new list... maybe not.
2024 Priorities
My goal for 2024 is to plan and achieve more realistically. I will do this by minimizing work in progress (finish more, start less!) and being clear about what I am planning to do.
Broadly there are four themes:
- Amateur Radio - main effort is to build a QO-100 station
- Focus on my house - main effort is to swap around my shack and 2nd bedroom to give me more space
- Learn new skills - piano (underway) and PCB design (to be started)
- Make time for family - this is about balance and planning, rather than activities
I also intend to use this blog more, and might rebrand it if it isn't all radio... at least it might migrate to M0SMU as the new amateur licence will probably require giving up my M7.
2024 Specific Goals
| Serial | Priority | Category | Job | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024001 | High | Radio | Build a QO-100 Station | Not Started 🛑 | This will be subject of a post soon. |
| 2024002 | Medium | Radio | More Satellite QSOs | Not Started 🛑 | I really enjoyed FM sats, so I want to do more when the weather improves in the UK. |
| 2024003 | High | Home | Sort out TV bench, soundbar and wall mount TV | Not Started 🛑 | I have all the parts, I just need a weekend free. |
| 2024004 | Medium | Home | Swap office and 2nd bedroom | Not Started 🛑 | Will make better use of the space I have. |
| 2024005 | High | Skills | Piano lessons fortnightly, daily practice | Started | Enjoying it but I have so much to learn. |
| 2024006 | Low | Skills | Learn PCB Design | Not Started 🛑 | KiCAD or similar. Need to identify a good course and a suitable starter project, possibly radio related |
How will I manage this?
The plan is to have a plan.
A Trello type backlog and the goal is to advance one project in each area per month. If I do more, then so be it. But the aim is to advance on my four themes each month in a planned and identifiable way. The sub goal is to finish things before I start something else. Easier said than done.