Great poem, Wayne. But I have to say: life’s too short for QRP :) :) :). Can’t hardly wait for my KPA1500!
73, K8NU > On Nov 23, 2017, at 1:34 PM, Wayne Burdick <[email protected]> wrote: > > [email protected] wrote: > >> Yes, high power will work but lacks the true joy found when you can log the >> contact using a tin cup and a wet string. > > > I couldn’t agree more, Marvin. QRP works on multiple levels (challenging, > amenable to home-brew, great for portable operation, etc.). > > My feelings on the subject are summarized in the poem below, written over 20 > years ago. Under the circumstances, it’s not even OT. > > Happy Thanksgiving to all. > > Wayne > N6KR > > * * * > > > Q.R.Oscar and Q.R.Pete > by Wayne A. Burdick, N6KR > > It happened in September, on a cold and stormy day; > The mother of all contests was now nearly underway. > Before the day was over, ears from Bonn to Surinam > Would hear a battle rage between two different breeds of Ham. > > Oscar, a distinguished man of wisdom (and of wattage), > Lit his pipe and surveyed his substantial shortwave cottage. > "Let the games begin!" he cried, aglow with pride and power; > And with a grin he swung his twenty-ton rotating tower. > > Not far away a man named Pete crouched low inside a tent, > His sleeping bag was soggy and his penlight made him squint, > Yet as he worked he smiled, twisting wires, tweaking pots, > And soon his rig was bristling with two hundred milliwatts. > > Just after zero, zero, zero, zero (UTC), > Both men tuned up on twenty and they listened carefully, > But neither could believe his ears, and both began to pray: > On 14020 they heard "DE Zed-A-1-A". > > Now Oscar moved up five Kc with dignity and class; > He gripped his paddle deftly and prepared to pound some brass. > The heterodynes were screeching, hungry birds caged in a zoo, > But he could snag Albania in one call--maybe two. > > Pete took quite a different tack. He scanned for open space, > Listening to the bedlam with a frown upon his face; > He tugged his random wire to improve its ERP, > And finally he found a place to sign "slash QRP." > > Well Oscar's monster, fire-breathing signal was the best, > But Zed-A-1-A knew him, and felt sorry for the rest. > With this in mind he listened for the meager and the brave, > And ignored the QRO boys (who began to rant and rave). > > Soon the DX station heard a wimpy "QRP"; > He fired off a "599" and waited patiently. > But Pete was eating trailmix, now, and feeling quite dejected; > Being called by rare DX was not what he expected. > > Oscar heard the call and moved in closer for the kill, > Yet when he thought his turn had come the Q-so lingered still: > "So how much are you running?" "A quarter watt or less." > "A homebrew rig?" "My own design, or mostly, I confess." > "Well I'm a QRP fan, too; good attitude to foster," > Then ZA1A signed and said, "OK, it's your turn, Oscar." > > On Sunday Pete packed up his gear, his low-watt mission done. > (Birds who'd perched upon HIS wire would live to tell their young.) > Pete surveyed the hills and fields, a wondrous sight to feast on; > Then he stuffed himself into his trusty, rusty Nissan. > > And Oscar? He had ruled the night with clear, demonic vision; > Slicing QRM with his unleashed atomic fission. > But near the stroke of twelve, he cut his drive by two dB, > Then worked some rare DX and said, "Not bad for QRP!” > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [email protected] Carl Yaffey K8NU Recording studio. [email protected] 614 268 6353, Columbus OH http://www.carl-yaffey.com http://www.grassahol.com http://www.bluesswing.com ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
