The original request was for emergency communication. That means a reliable exchange of unknown information without spots or known frequencies. This is not the same as most DX, SOTA, or WSPR and very different from exchanging 59 and callsigns.
Though, if you really want reliable emergency comms in the backcountry, I'd carry a sat phone. What if you get hurt? Can someone else use the radio effectively? I have a bigger writeup here: http://wunderwood.org/most_casual_observer/2011/10/emergency_communication_in_the.html wunder K6WRU On Sep 28, 2013, at 8:04 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: > That depends upon what one means by QSO. I stepped out of the discussion > when it was abundantly clear that a QSO for some means teasing a call sign > out of the noise on CW. > > That's fine for DX-chasing and even much contesting. > > For me, a rag-chewer, a QSO occurs when I can exchange a CW message > containing 50 or 100 words without lots of repeats. > > With that criteria, common variations in the band over that time will swamp > out very small changes in signal strength. Personally, I don't get excited > about a change unless it can make a 6 to 10 dB difference. > > 73, Ron AC7AC > > -----Original Message----- > From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net > [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of drewko > Sent: Saturday, September 28, 2013 7:19 PM > To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] mods to K2 > > I was curious to determine what a 3 db increase in power output might mean > in terms of total number of possible contacts. So I set up my K3 to run WSPR > on 20 meters for a while today: > > At regular intervals over the course of 9 hours the power output was toggled > back and forth between 5 and 10 watts, logging some 2,000 signal reports for > the entire period. > > So, how much is a 3 db increase in power output worth? According to my WSPR > log data, about 40% more contacts. (At that rate a 6 db increase would give > nearly twice as many contacts. And a K3/100 should have about three times as > many QSOs in it than a K3/10...) > > Anyhow, the original intention to mod the K2 might be justified. It's not an > insignificant improvement, though it might be good to log a few thousand > more reports to make sure. > > 73, > Drew > AF2Z > > > > > > > On Fri, 27 Sep 2013 08:24:39 -0700, you wrote: > >> My first thought on the audio was to get some efficient earbuds. > Lightweight and cheap. >> >> Over on the KX3 list, people like the Chill Pill powered speakers. >> >> I know it is a second box, but the Hardrock 50 amp has been getting >> good reviews. You would not need to get it out except in an emergency, >> so it could stay deep in the pack. See: >> http://www.hobbypcb.com/amateur-radio/amateur-radio/hardrock-50-hf-powe >> r-amp-kit.html >> >> I think there is a lot of evidence that 3dB does not matter. 10dB matters. > 6dB might matter. >> >> wunder >> Walter Underwood >> K6WRU >> CM87wj >> > > _ ______________________________________________________________ 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
