Last year - I was operating the Stew from a temporary location - and with a bench power supply that could only provide enough power to set the K3 power at about 3.7 watts. My antenna was a low dipole about 15 feet off the ground. It was about the worst possible setup you could have and still claim you were on the air.
I did manage to get a few answers to CQs even with that setup. Each and every QSO was like Gold - and I was heard as far away as New Mexico (couldn't quite reach to Texas). This weekend - I have much better antennas and will operate 14 hours high power with K7RAT - but put in a few hours QRP with N6TR and see what I can work. It's fun giving out the 4X multiplier to those who have cleaned out their ears for the contest. 73 Tree N6TR On Fri, Dec 25, 2015 at 8:39 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > What would be much more fair is to go by ERP. 5 watts from one of tho se > sophisticated antenna farms may very well be stronger than 100w or even > 600w from, let's say, a Butte rnut with a vestigial radial field. T he > Butternut guy gets no consideration (in fact, generally he gets derision) > but the (often louder) 5 watt guy is hailed as a great big QRP hero (hi > hi) . Somehow, r unning a compromise antenna marks us as not caring but > running QRP is "noble". > > To me, the weird thing is that, at least for most of us running compromise > antennas, our choice is made out of the necessities of real life, that is, > we do what we can do from a small lot or an antenna restricted development > or where zoning laws are especially hostile to amateur antennas. In some > cases , it's may even be a concession to a neighbor that be insan e (don't > ask me how I know). The decision to use 5 watts, on the other hand, is > basically whim. M ost of our radios output 100w out of the box, so one > operates at 5 watts because he wants to, not because he has to. A nd there > are plenty of reasonably priced used 600w+ amps available if one wants > even more power that basically only take desk space, no zoning required. > > 73, Kevin K3OX > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Milt" <[email protected]> > To: [email protected], "Robert Harmon" <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2015 8:59:13 PM > Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160CW Contest QRP Portable Op > > Hmmm. If that is the case, then QRP should NOT be used on any band for > contesting or otherwise. That is the name of the game; dig out the weak > ones. > > I personally have nothing against QRP, having operated QRP in the Stew > Perry > contest for 16 of the 19 runnings. I even have a plaque on the wall for #1 > World operating QRP. > > IMHO the SPDC is the BEST contest to use QRP because #1-You get more points > per given Q, and #2-The other station gets equal compensation in points for > copying your QRP signal. What could be more fair? > > CU all in the SPDC as N7GP during my daylight hours and as N5IA during the > core night time 14 hours. I will make the best effort to put every caller > in the logs; even the real strong QRP guys and the QRO stations I can > barely > discern through the din, static and fades receive equal treatment. > > 73, and Merry Christmas to everyone everywhere. > > de Milt, N5IA > > -----Original Message----- > From: Robert Harmon > Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2015 6:43 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: Topband: ARRL 160CW Contest QRP Portable Op > > Herb, > > I feel the same way. > I have nothing against QRP, but for me personally I don't have the > desire to > handicap myself with QRP power especially on 160. It doesn't seem fair > to me for the guy > on the other end to be burdened with trying to dig my weak signal out so > I can make another > contact. ( Just my opinion, guys. ) > > 73, > Bob > K6UJ > > On 12/24/15 3:44 PM, Herbert Schoenbohm wrote: > > Peter, If you think calling CQ in a contest while running 5 watts and > not > > getting a single reply is fun then have at it. Working some stations with > > 100 watts is more fun for me. > > > > > > Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ > > _________________ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > _________________ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
