The New Year at SZ1A: A Station Full of Gifts, Gratitude and Team Spirit

Before turning the page to a new year, it is worth taking a moment to look back.

2025 was one of the most active, demanding, and rewarding years in the history of RAAWG – SZ1A. It was a year defined by measurable contest progress, major technical upgrades, and a level of teamwork and organization that clearly moved the station and the club as a whole forward.

Over the course of the year, SZ1A matured both competitively and technically. Contest results improved across multiple modes and bands, including a world first-place finish, while the station itself underwent deep structural, RF, and infrastructure upgrades. Just as importantly, new operators stepped up, younger voices entered the shack, and preparation replaced last-minute stress. What we built in 2025 was not just performance, but lasting momentum.

This combination of results, discipline, and collective effort created something rare. Both a station and a club that perform better on the air, function more reliably behind the scenes, and feel stronger as a team. That foundation is what made everything that followed possible.

Highlights of 2025

On the air, 2025 delivered results that confirmed both the growth and progress of the SZ1A team, and its increased participation across more contests.

• CQ WW 160M CW – Our best performance to date on Top Band, confirming that focused work on the low bands is paying off.
  
• CQ WPX SSB – A new SZ1A record, reflecting improved team flow, pacing, and overall execution despite difficult propagation.
  
• CQ WPX CW – Full Multi-Two participation with a small but disciplined team. The contest validated recent station upgrades, with the new 20M monobander at 21 meters standing out clearly.
  
• VHF Field Day Contest – Portable mountain operation under real field conditions, combining contesting with emergency readiness and teamwork outside the main shack.
  
• CQ WW RTTY – Return to full-duration Multi-Two participation with strong raw results:
  3rd in Europe, 7th worldwide, and 1st in Greece.
  
• Makrothen RTTY – 1st place worldwide, one of the most significant competitive achievements in SZ1A’s history.
  
• CQ WW DX SSB – Strong Multi-Two effort with sustained presence in the European Top Ten live scores. A highlight was the participation of two young operators aged 16 and 14, bringing energy and a clear sense of future to the team.
  
• CQ WW DX CW – One of our most meaningful CW participations. Four operators competed at this level in CW for the first time, supported by improved planning, online briefings, and structured preparation.

Technical Projects and Station Milestones

In parallel with contesting, 2025 brought major technical and infrastructure improvements that were equally transformative.

• Complete rebuild of the 20M tower and infrastructure – New 21-meter tower, feedline, rotation bearings, IP68-sealed balun, stainless hardware, concrete trenching, and new anchoring points, transforming our primary DX band.
  
• Installation of a full-size 80M vertical antenna (21 meters tall) – Significantly improved nighttime DX performance and added real flexibility on the band.
  
• RF signal chain analysis and infrastructure upgrades – More than 190 NanoVNA measurements revealed hidden losses and drove targeted fixes. This work was paired with an RF infrastructure upgrade using Messi & Paoloni EVO connectors and the installation of a SO9I Engineering 6×2 antenna switch, improving RF routing, flexibility, and reliability in multi-radio operation.
  
• Station network redesign – Complete upgrade of ethernet, Wi-Fi zones, switches, routing, and internet connectivity for improved stability under multi-operator conditions.
  
• Low-band antenna experimentation – Installation and testing of experimental low-band antennas, including tower verticals, long inverted-L configurations, a 160M doublet, and Hi-Z receive arrays with external coupling units. These delivered measurable improvements on Top Band and valuable operational insight.
  
• Major equipment repair and upgrades – The OM2500A amplifier returned to near-new condition. The FT-1000MP Mark-V was repaired and upgraded for SDR integration. A Kenwood TS-2000 was acquired as an emergency & backup transceiver. The 10M antenna balun was repaired and serviced, restoring band reliability.
  
• Repeater restoration and upgrades – Rebuilds and improvements of repeaters R2, RU88, and R6, including new dipoles, higher antenna placement, and restored, reliable coverage.
  
• New antenna site at SZ1A – Approval, site preparation, and functional linking of a new nearby location at Kokkinologos water reservoir, opening the door to future antenna installations and emergency communications infrastructure.

Outreach, Community, and Growth

Throughout the year, SZ1A remained active well beyond contesting and infrastructure.

• Club annual gathering, honorary awards, and formation of a new board and committees
  
• Radio coverage for motorsport and mountain trail events
  
• Portable Field Day operations and emergency readiness training
  
• Youth outreach and education, including school presentations and public support for ChatRF and YOTA-ARISS initiatives
  
• Operation and support of the SX17ASTRO special event station with on-site camping, and participation in the SZ100IARU special event station
  
• Hosting visiting radio amateurs from abroad, including WJ2O, DL6PS και DO1SCS.
  
• Publication of the club’s first official magazine, and in-depth technical articles in both Greek and English on our website
  
• Rapid growth in online reach, with hundreds of thousands of views and a doubling of subscribers and followers
  
• International recognition by Q5 Worldwide Ham Radio Magazine
  
• New QSL cards, full bureau support via ON3UN, and continued LoTW and digital platform activity
  
• Commemorative signage for international visitors at the station and anniversary merchandise for 40 years of RAAWG – SZ1A
  
• Public support and promotion of the independent SX9G Gavdos EU-187 DXpedition, which many of our members were part of
  
• Launched collaborations with partners such as FreeBytes, Messi & Paoloni, and SO9I Engineering
  
• First-ever online pre-contest briefings and training sessions
  
• Continuous improvement and regular operation of both the RAAWG – SZ1A offices in Kamaroula, Agrinio, and ongoing maintenance of the SZ1A RedForest Station site in Kokkinologos, Agrinio

All of this effort, progress, and momentum set the stage for what came next...

Because after a year like this, it turns out we really had been very good.

So good, in fact, that Santa paid SZ1A a proper visit. Not a quick stop and not just for good wishes. He came prepared, clearly knowing his way around a contest station and exactly what our shack actually needs.

Santa’s Visit to SZ1A

As tradition has it in Greece, Santa arrives with the New Year. This time, he arrived with a sack full of goodies.

More specifically, Santa brought us a brand new Aziloop RX receive antenna system and a 12-meter Heavy Duty Spiderbeam pole, five brand new professional headsets with dynamic microphones, an additional memory upgrade for our skimmer server, an outdoor coupling tuning unit for our new 160M doublet antenna, a pair of RemoteRig controllers, and more.

Of course, Santa never works alone.

After being gently directed by Santa himself, our amazing friends and supporters stepped in and turned this year’s Christmas wish list into reality. What follows is not just a list of equipment, but a story of people, generosity, and shared passion for radio.

It all starts with hearing.

Our dear friend and team member Jef, DD2CW, purchased and donated a QuietRadio Aziloop DF-72 Multi-Directional Receive Antenna System, valued at €780, along with a Spiderbeam 12-meter Heavy Duty fiberglass pole, valued at €130.

Anyone who has spent time on the low bands knows that hearing is everything.

Power helps, but the ability to pull weak signals out of noise is often what makes the real difference.

The Aziloop DF-72 is designed exactly for that. It is a low-noise receive system that allows electronic steering without any mechanical rotation, giving us instant control over direction and rejection patterns with a simple click.

Time and again, Jef has stepped in with critical equipment, practical help, and the kind of generosity that quietly raises the level of both our station and our contest team. More importantly, he does this not as an obligation, but as a friend and a brother, and his impact is now clearly reflected in the way SZ1A is beginning to be noticed on the contesting map.

Santa then turned his attention to the operators.

A driving force behind many of SZ1A’s technical upgrades is Andy, SV1DKD, who purchased and donated five brand new Superlux HMD-660E Professional Headsets with dynamic microphones, valued at €245.

These replace older, worn headsets and ensure that every operating position at SZ1A now uses a brand new, matching headset. Anyone who has spent long contest hours knows how important this is. Clear audio, lightweight & comfortable fit, and clear dynamic microphone DX audio reduce fatigue, and help operators stay focused when it matters most.

Santa also made sure our digital helpers were not forgotten.

Always there when the station needs it, Vasilis, SV1DPJ, purchased and donated new DDR RAM, valued at €100, to upgrade the memory of our CW Skimmer Server.

The skimmer is part of the global Reverse Beacon Network and plays a key role in propagation forecasting before contests and real-time spotting during CW events. More memory means smoother operation, better stability under load, and fewer moments of staring at a stressed server when the bands are busy.

If you have been around SZ1A long enough, you know this is classic Vasilis: a quiet but meaningful contribution that makes everything run a little better for everyone. This upgrade improves the experience for our operators and also benefits radio amateurs worldwide who rely on RBN data every day.

Top Band then received some very serious attention.

The hands and mind behind much of our Top Band hardware, our technical manager Dimitris, SV1TBW, with passion and his well-known consistency and reliability, built, furnished, and donated a fully waterproof outdoor antenna coupling and tuning unit for our brand new full-size 160M doublet antenna.

This unit couples 450 ohm balanced open-wire ladder line to 50 ohm unbalanced coax, and is designed for long-term outdoor operation. The new doublet augments our existing 160M antennas, which include our shunt-fed gamma-matched 23-meter tower vertical, top-loaded by the 40M beam, which acts as a capacity hat, and a large inverted-L of roughly 110 meters.

And honestly, this is why we call Dimitris our go-to builder for everything that has to survive outdoors. He has built the coupling units for all of our 160M antennas, donating not only his time and expertise but also many high-quality components, including waterproof IP65 enclosures. Early reports from the new doublet have already been encouraging, with strong signal reports from across Europe. On Top Band, that is the best kind of New Year feedback.

One of the most meaningful gifts arrived with memory and heart.

In a gift filled with memory and meaning, equipment from our eternally remembered friend George, SV1ELF (SK), was sent to us via Manolis, SV1AOZ. The package included RemoteRig RRC-1258MkII controllers, along with several homebrew items.

This RemoteRig setup opens exciting possibilities for remote operation with our TS-2000, or with whatever radios we choose to deploy in the future. More importantly, it keeps George’s presence alive at SZ1A in a very real and practical way.

Some gifts connect equipment. Others connect people across time.

Santa was still not finished.

Our friends at Messi & Paoloni have also sent us Christmas gifts and goodies that recently arrived at the station and now proudly decorate our space. Quality and character that feel right at home in an RF environment. Thank you M&P, you truly speak the language of RF. Small details like these make the station feel even more like home.

Looking ahead, several of our dear members have also pledged significant donations toward the purchase of a modern contest-grade SDR transceiver with full remote capabilities, in the class of a Flex-6600 or similar. This is an exciting step forward and a clear sign of where SZ1A is heading next.

Finally, a thank you that matters most.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to all fellow radio amateurs who, throughout the past year, stood actively by the club.

This includes both those who supported the club through financial contributions and the donation of valuable equipment, and those who volunteered their time, work, effort, and energy so that our activities could move forward and the club could grow stronger.

Their support is invaluable, and their contribution truly meaningful.

In particular, we would like to specially thank these amazing hams:

DD2CW, I7PHH, IK7MIY, LZ1JZ, ON3UN, WJ2O, SV1GE, SV1JG, SV1RK, SV1SN, SV1UK, SV1VS, SV8YM, SV1AER, SV1AGK, SV1AOZ, SV1BDO, SV1BFW, SV1BJW, SV1CDN, SV1CIB, SV1CQG, SV1CQK, SV1CQM, SV1DKD, SV1DPI, SV1DPJ, SV1EDG, SV1EJD, SV1HKH, SV1HKR, SV1HKZ, SV1HLB, SV1JMC, SV1PMQ, SV1RLC, SV1RRX, SV1SYM, SV1TAY, SV1TBW, SV1TIQ, SV1TLY, SV1TNE, SV1TOV, SV2SZS, SV3CQY, SV3CYM, SV4FFL, SV5DKL, SV8CRI, SV8LMQ, SV8PMM, SY1DOB, SY1EDF, SY1ERB, as well as many more friends who stood by us during the year…

To all our members and friends, thank you for the time, effort, knowledge, and passion you give to RAAWG – SZ1A. For the planning, the repairs, the mentoring, the late nights, and the quiet work that keeps everything moving forward. These are the things that keep us united and alive as a team.

As we step into the new year, our wish is for 2026 to bring positive energy and to see us moving forward even more connected, stronger, and creative together.

Before closing this journey through the year that has passed, there is room for one final, more personal thought. Not a recap, but a reflection on what truly matters when the lights in the shack are turned off.

The heartfelt Greeting and Wishes from our President

“As President of RAAWG – SZ1A, I would like to extend my warmest wishes to all members and friends of the association for health, joy, and peace in the new year. May 2026 bring calm, personal happiness, and creativity to every home, along with the strength to continue sharing what unites us.

Beyond antennas, equipment, and results, what matters most are the relationships we build, the sense of solidarity, and the feeling of belonging. These are the values that keep a club alive and that make SZ1A something more than just an amateur radio station.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish you all a Happy New Year!”

Thanasis Kapsalis, SV1CQK

With these thoughts, we step into the new year with optimism and confidence, keeping the path open for what lies ahead.

Santa will be back.
We will make sure the antennas are ready.

73 and our warmest wishes for an amazing New Year, from everyone at RAAWG – Team SZ1A

HNY to all de SZ1A! See you on the bands!