Many eons ago, I got intensely interested in QRP. This was the era of the "bantam 1 watter" made from a BC-746 tuning unit. The ones that were used in the early "horsy talkies" or "pogo stick" transceivers. Forget the "SCR" number! My first "fun" QRP 'fone rig was a slightly modified BC-611 "Handy Talky" on 3825 Khz.
The biggest thrill I ever got was working "ZL" one night on 20 CW with a Ten-Tec PM3 CW transceiver. Seems like it ran about 3 watts out. I didn't think that was possible. How can you work New Zealand using a power level that was about enough to light a #47 dial lamp! There is definitely a place for QRP in amateur radio. Everything isn't "contests" (the current craze!), or DXCC or WAS or whatever. I guess the "magic" of cellphones and the internet has diminished the "wonder" of just working another station without wires. Also without a "computer" acting as the "interpreter" or 'go between' between hams using digital modes, etc now. CW? Another "wonder", albeit and old one, that allows communication between two operators who can't speak or understand the other's language, yet both can exchange "Q" signals etc. and messages easily. All without the aid or "crutch" of a computer in between! I was never a BIG DX chaser. Guess I belonged to the old "rag Chewer's Club" because that's what I enjoyed. Too bad I realized the value of Morse when I was middle aged instead of when I was younger. What's fun depends on what you like. There are those who want to run everyone else off the bands if they are doing what they consider "no fun". 73 to all, Sandy W5TVW PS: I think the "Pogo stick" was the SCR-511? Anybody remember? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <r...@cobi.biz> To: "'Elecraft_List'" <elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 6:55 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] I think its time for me to apologize to the group. > Don wrote: > > Point of information - the QRP crowd got me back into the area of ham > radio that I enjoy the most, and that is experimenting and homebrewing. > > ---------------------- > > That's been what kept me active among the QRP crowd too. And I felt > disappointed one time when a very nice fellow with whom I'd exchanged many > QRP QSO's and mail about designs and our current projects got really upset > and broke off contact when he realized I also ran QRO, even though it was > only 100 watts. > > But they are, as Don said, the very few, just there are some who say > homebrew rigs should be banned or CW should be outlawed (or SSB, or this > or > that digital mode). > > As long as Hams are members of the human race we'll have the whole > spectrum > of humans involved. > > Ron AC7AC > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.0.237 / Virus Database: 270.11.8/1985 - Release Date: 03/05/09 07:54:00 ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
