Your QRP Signal May Be Louder Than You Think!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 ก.ย. 2024
- Just because we're putting out less power, it doesn't always mean that our signals are weak. If propagation is good, even 1 watt can sound great. Check out these two examples... - Cliff
Keep it up Cliff! You might get this 55 year old back into the hobby yet! I remember oh so well getting my Novice ticket at age 17 in the mail Feb of 1979 as KA9EDP and working those 75 year old retired Elmer's on 80 & 40M with endless DX on 10M. Got my WAS as a Novice using my TenTec Century 21. I remember all of the trial and errors of doing my own circuit board layouts (free-hand taping) for QRP 40M transmitters in college 1980-1983 and working all 50 states with 1 watt in 1987-88 with my new HW-9 & getting VUCC #125 on 2M that same time period, even getting my son Patrick and wife Sheila to pass their codeless Tech licenses a few years later. But then life happened and endless business travel made things complicated. Working 90 hour weeks as a campground property manager means the son of the shoemaker has bare feet! I resolve to fix that problem and am glad to have inspiring folks like you to give me a wakeup call. Being a natural introvert was okay for a CW operator, but campground life full of snowbirds really brings a person out of their shell! 73, Dave - KU9L
Great video. I have been doing QRP since 1993. I love all of these amazing radios. My QRO station is a Ten Tec Omni D. It works perfect, but tonight I am hooking up my first 40M radio I ever built. The original Norcal 40. I worked my first DX with that radio to France. His call was F3NB, Andre'. I was so excited, I didn't sleep all night. That was back in ;93 or ;94. It only puts out 3 watts. The antenna makes ALL the Difference in QRP. My CW is a bit rusty, but I am practicing everyday to get back to what I was.
I am thinking of purchasing the radio you were using. I need something with low current drain, but I also want to use it at home. Been looking at the LD11. Of course the K2 also. Thanks again for the Video. I liked the MP3 you played.
Hello, Gregory. I used to have an Omni D myself. I'm loving my KX2 these days.
A very good low-cost CW rig is the YouKits HB1B Mk III. For $299 you get a great little radio with the internal lithium-ion battery. Check it out! - Cliff
I am strictly QRP now, since I sold my old 1978 Ten Tec 540 xcvr( 100 watts) and purchased the Elecraft KX3. Thank you for the fine videos and at 68 years old I don't think life is too short for QRP. 73, WB9NYI
Hi Cliff, I just wanted to post a public thanks and show of apprecation for your work on here. I am a new operator based in the UK and your channel has helped me enormously. Your style of delivery is superb, clear and relaxed and the content is awesome. Keep up the good work ! & Merry Christmas.
Thanks so much, Steve! I appreciate the encouragement. Have a wonderful Christmas! - Cliff
I recall one QSO I had using SSB, on 40m with a fellow that was about 800 miles away. He was the strongest signal on the band, and I was camping using an FT817 and wire in the trees. He was about 30 over S9, just booming. I answered his CQ to find out he was using only 5 watts as well from his FT817. HOWEVER, his antenna was four 40 foot tall verticals, configured as a steerable array. Not sure what his ERP was, but I don't think anyone running 1KW would have been any louder and stronger than him at that time. QRP, which I love, to me is a hobby with in a hobby and is a lot of fun. Thank you for this video 73 Bob VE3UK
Tnx Cliff, I"ve done my share of QRP in house,and out in the field, but its been few years since I've hit the field. (pushing 80 hr) so I really enjoy watching all the QRP SOTA.POTA.and even just free lancer's making and showing thier QRP adventures. And yours is one of my favorites. so tnx agn fer doing them and best of all for shairing 72! gud dx.
Thanks, Ellis. 72! - Cliff
After watching your videos, I had to give qrp a try!! I just got my MTR3B two days ago. Made 10 QSO's first day. Can't wait for the weekend! 73's from KG5PFD
Joshua Reese Way to go!!! What a fun little rig that is! Glad you're doing so well with it, Joshua. - Cliff
This video gives me hope. I live in a valley in the UK, and it's annoying because I have hills to the north and south, so I figured I'd be cut off from the north of the UK and Europe without going up to the nearest hill in my area, but considering you got some good QSOs despite being in a valley yourself, I feel more confident of being able to reach out once I get my gear together. Thank you for the great content.
Hi cliff, love the videos. I actually just went to 100% qrp (at least for time being until I can buy a small amp) I just got an ld-11 after selling the 706. I've watched all your videos and some of them I've gone back and watched them several times. I look forward to seeing more from you. 72!
Your videos are great. I did a contact from Puerto Rico to France (4180.3 mi (6727.5 km)) with 7 watts on 40 meters. I know this is not a qrp but i did it with a 15 feet wire(with 15 feet counterpoise) with ant tuner. So for a low efficiency ant for me is good. I see your good videos to learn more.
Way to go! By using a terrible antenna for 40m, less than 5 watts of energy was being used for that contact so I'd still call it QRP. :-)
I jumped when I heard Long Island, I actually live very close to the man mentioned in the video. I'm currently in the process of getting my license. Great video!
And you live in Tenessee, my cousin who just came up for Christmas yesterday lives somewhat close to you in Eastern Tenessee, that's quite the coincidence.
New ham here KM6IKH, I will be QSP with a YATSU 817nd here soon and will learn morse code as a personal challenge.Very excited to reach out in low power, never would have imagined this was even remotely possible before even 30 days ago when I decided to get my ticket. What a learning curve !!!
C-Media Group It's a wonderful hobby. So many things to do/learn. I'm glad you're jumping in with both feet! - Cliff
Great demonstration and again reconfirms learning cw and using small radios you can build yourself can be the most fun anyone can have in this hobby in my opinion.
Thank you for the videos, they really spike my renewed interest in CW. Now I have to learn it. Merry Christmas, KC3BXZ Joe
It's all about the antenna and propagation. I've worked SSB to Sweden with 5W from my FT-817 on 20M.
Here's something fun. Set up to broadcast WSPR. Turn your power way down, and go look at the WSPR map to see how far away it was copied. I turned the power all the way down on my Kenwood TS440s once. Not even enough out to make the meter move on a 5W watt meter. It was copied across the country one night on 40.
What is wspr? How's it work? Just getting back into ham radio after 30 year absence.
WSPR = Weak Signal Propagation Reporter. It's software that sends and receives data on particular HF frequencies. Your callsign, grid locator, and power level are broadcast at QRP (or lower) levels. Other stations around the world running the WSPR software are listening and can report all of the signals they hear. The end result is that you can go look at a map to see where your signal is heard. Check this out: physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wspr.html
QRP School Cool! thanks Cliff!
Thanks for the videos. I am learning more and more about how to do QRP by watching your videos. I hope to start some SOTA sometime. Merry Christmas from Bowling Green!
Thanks Cliff for all your videos! I’ve enjoyed all I’ve seen! You’ve inspired me to pursue CW and be great at it! AF6PM
Great video, Cliff! John's (n8rve) mention of the kit by Diz, w8diz reminds me of the time at FDIM when Diz, myself and other Flying Pigs got the chance to activate Maimisburg with Doug Demaw's original Tuna Tin II from the ARRL museum, courtesy of Ed Hare. Fun times!
Well done Cliff, Regards and best wishes from the UK>
Thanks for your posts. I purchased a used K1 40/20 with antenna tuner. My first two contacts were on the home antenna up 55 ft. good reports. Better than expected. When the wx is warmer I will be heading to the parks to try it out a low height antenna and a battery. Anticipate it will be fun
Jerry, KR4TH
Jerry Fore Come on, Spring! I've got a K1 that I built a while back. Fun rig to take to the park. You're going to have a great time with it, Jerry. - Cliff
Thanks, I am waiting for warmer weather to check it out in the parks
Thanks for the great video. I have always been amazed by QRP operation.
Thanks Cliff, encouraging.
You are practical, tactical and convincing. I just subscribed!
This is really awesome to see! TO be honest I'm hesitant on going QRP as I don't want my signal to get lost in the noise, but this proves me wrong and is really encouraging to see! Keep it up!
73,
KE8GAH
Thanks a lot for sharing this video. I agree... QRP is so much fun! Especially working homebrew equipment.
73 de DG1MJH/Roberto, Munich Germany
Hello ! I don`t know how to start :) I am not a QRO operator ! I really really believe the amateur radio world would be a better place without high powered amplifiers ! Maybe a truly righteous test would be the answer for QRO ops ! Ask almost anyone on 80 meters and you will learn quick that it is a essential piece of equipment to operate there ! It is amazing the electricity bill these people pay just to talk there ! And for what ??? The one main somewhat civilized topic of discussion there is how to tune your amplifier ! Get on 80 meters tonight and see :) Be careful though They are quite a ignorant uneducated tribe there ! Not a single one of them have any concept that you can tune a amp without it being on the air ! Just put it right there on top of a station they want to talk to and just crank away :) I do a tremendous amount of operating in the novice cw portion of 40 meters ! After all the years of being a ham I spend a lot of time listening ! On 40 meters abt 7.100something I heard this sound really low in frequency Like the sound you hear when you hum into a fan !!! I tuned up and down Little differance ! About 40over ! It was a south american doing a long long HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAAAA in this mike ! They have a special way they tune their amps down there !!!! They tune for max mike gain :) Helps em get out better :)
Think of how really wonderful QRP would be without the QRM :) You could go QRPp :)
To sum it up !
I really like QRP people not so much QRO People !
And Hate QRM peoples :)
I have to chime in hear, I bought the 817nd, I wanted something portable and something that would run easy off solar when camping. I looked at the k2 but that was just out of my price range, in any case i was so worried i was making a mistake by buying only a 5 watt radio, but i have had no issue at all making phone contacts to WA,CA,MD,TX,FL,MN,AL, even costa rica, and Canada. I do have a perfectly tuned inverted v fan dipole at 40ft so i know that helps, but even with my thrown together speaker wire 20 meter dipole at 8 feet in my enclosed front porch i reached WA,FL,MN and flagstaff Arizona (1100 miles) and the flagstaff call was able to repeat my call on the first try so i must have been pretty clear, and again this was all phone. I have had people repeat my call with in 1 to 2 tries and i had to struggle to hear theirs even after several and they were not running qrp, so I agree 5watts is louder then most people realize. KE0LCS
All very true. I was running a special event station (SN0ALFA) and had a pile up, but heared someone saying /QRP and he was only about 2s units down on all other stations (:
Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I'm from Brazil and I look forward to a new video every day. PU2XJM 73
And you did it proper in CW! Nice!
Great video! Very informative!
And just think 1W into an antenna with a few db of gain boosts it quite nicely.
Power is relative to conditions. But I like ground wave. Gitting the furthest distance from my qth as I can. You'll no do it qrp. But to each their on.
Well done, Thanks Cliff
Yes, make a video about your SOTA activation!
Really nice video especially the audio samples. Perhaps I might SOTA from Short Mountain one day in the future too⚡️
73 Steve AA4SH
Another exciting video Cliff. Congrats! Can we arrange a sked on 15m some of these days? I'm pretty sure we could hear each other. I run a 6 elements yagi at 115 feet along with KX3. 73, Luciano PT9KK
Awesome... great info... thanks for sharing...73..Roger / NQ8RP / Yaesu FT-817nd
2023 fantastic 73 from VK7 land Tasmania
well done! 👍
QRP looks like fun. im going out to buy my dream radio. the yaesu ft817
Cliff another good video. How about more info on QRP voice.
Thanks, Murray. I'm not sure what to say about QRP Voice. It's no different than QRP CW... just a bit less efficient. My video called "2,000 miles with 1/2 Watt - In Voice Mode!" shows me talking to a station in Oregon (from Tennessee). In that video, I turn the volume down from 5 watts to 500 milliwatts and he can still hear me. Let me know what kind of information you're looking for about QRP voice and I'll do my best. - Cliff
Always QRP at G0KMC and it works
I thought I wasn't going to be heard on sideband with no amp especially on 20 M well guess what it isn't always easy but I can be heard great video 73 KD2RVW
you showed us how it works, tnx and hny!!! 73 ON1QRP
To me, half the fun of radio of any kind, is that it IS difficult.
You do need to learn stuff.
You do need experience.
You do need some luck.
All together, I call that FUN
If radio was "dead simple", most people like us would get into something else that had challenge
Are you on JT65? I regularly work US stations from ZL with only 5watts to a dipole hidden in the trees at the back of my yard. In fact I have just completed a DXCC on 5watts or less using JT65. 73 - ZL1BQD
Yes, I have used JT65. I find it interesting but prefer to be able to type to the other ham so PSK-31 is my favorite digital mode for QSOs. Congrats on your QRP DXCC!!!! - Cliff
Cliff, we haven't heard from you in awhile. Has TH-cam blocked you for your radical QRP concepts??? KF7NGK
psnpacific I’m alive and kicking! Thanks for thinking of me. I’m going through a very busy period with my business AND I’ve been enjoying my other hobbies (music, bicycling, motorcycle, photography). I’ll get back to hamming at some point and I’ll make more videos. Life is good and I hope you’re enjoying yours in spite of the weird times we’re living in. -cliff
Alright, all the best! When you decide to start you "New, Inproved and Shinier" QPR channel let us know. PS - Don't forget to get out and have a little for yourself and the family. KF7NGK
Wow amazing thank u
CW always get through!
In this video, Is that a kx2 or 3 attached to clipboard ? What type antenna are u using with it?
Tnx Paul W2eck
Hey, Paul. It's an Elecraft KX2 and I was using a SOTABEAMS linked Dipole.
@@QRPSchool Cliff
Thanks. Great videos. Really enjoy your low key approach
Keep em coming.
73 Paul
i use a wilderness SST for 30mtrs, output 2watts and i'm surprised at some of the comments i get on air about my signal qaulity being so good VE3MPQ Gary
Anyone want me to start a QRP voice net or something? I don't know code if someone wants to cover it.
Hi Cliff,
have you been able to get your hands on a MTR4B Mountain Topper yet? I was wondering how it compares to the MTR5B a side from the difference in bands.
Thanks, Dan KM6CQ
Hi, Dan. I don't have the MTR4B but I don't plan to purchase it. I care nothing about the 80m band and my understanding is that this radio is same as the MTR5B - except for the inclusion of 80m and deletion of 17m & 15m.
Steve Weber has just released a single band version of the radio as a kit. They sold out immediately (in minutes). I'd love to get one (or two or three) of those! - Cliff
Tnx ufb video! 73 sm4uwa
Cliff, what's your opinion of end-fed dipoles? ed
Hello, Eddy. I have two of them! Both are from LNR Precision...
EFT-10/20/40 Trail-Friendly
EF-MTR (20m/30m/40m)
I tend to use my SOTABEAMS dipoles more, probably because of the convenience of their packaging and the unquestionable science behind traditional dipoles. (Nobody ever asks me what I think about Dipoles!) But, end-fed half-wave antennas work great so go for it! - Cliff
One problem with dipoles, in commercial RV campgrounds like KOA, the management doesn't usually like us hams stringing wire around the place. So, I also bring my buddiePole vertical which sets up inside our alloted space. k6sdw
That's amazing Cliff, thanks for sharing. Very inspiring videos. YV5EMG
Thank you, Enio! - Cliff
Works fine with CW, how about SSB?
The same principals apply. However, CW transmits a concentrated carrier whereas SSB spreads the energy over a modulated signal. So, CW is more effective than SSB at QRP levels but you can still make SSB contacts with QRP. I've got a video showing me making a 2,000 mile QSO with 500 milliwatts. It's great if the receiving station has a low noise floor so they can more easily hear you above the noise if propagation isn't optimal. - Cliff
That was cw what about voice on low power
Hi, Alan. Whether it’s CW, SSB, or Digital... a 5 watt signal will be about 2 s-units quieter than if you were transmitting 100 watts. Watch this video when you get a chance, to hear the difference 2 s-units sounds like: th-cam.com/video/0rRs75Kdwq8/w-d-xo.html
Is that the mini paddle or the pico paddle?
That's the Pico paddle from Palm Radio. I also have the Mini paddle and actually prefer the Mini. The cable for the Mini paddle broke that day and I was using the Pico as a backup. - Cliff
have you ever tried the single paddle (red one)?
I haven't tried that one but I think I would like it a lot.
The Mini paddle has a nice metal housing and feels great. The Pico is tiny but it's plastic. Both the Mini and Pico will work with the SOTABEAMS Flight Deck. -Cliff
SOTABEAMS doesn't sell the flight deck anymore. It's discontinued. I guess I'll have to make my own from a thin plastic cutting board.
Thanks for letting me know. I didn't realize that. I would bet that a number of new KX2 owners would enjoy getting one of those KX1 Flight Decks. They work great with the KX2.