>For years I considered myself to be a QRPer; that is, one
>who operates on the amateur bands, using no more than 5 watts
>CW, or 10 watts SSB. However; it now appears that what
I believe this is still the primary definition of a "qrp'r"! My
main qrp rig for 80 and 40 meters is an SP-600 receiver and an SB-401
transmitter (turned down to 5W). This wouldn't be my choice if I were
backpacking, but it serves me well in the home shack. I'm not against
solid-state equipment, I also have a Yaesu FT-301, and a 38 Special.
There was a thread a week or so ago saying that the real qrp skill was
ability to copy weak signals. This is true - almost anyone can send
milliwatt to 5W signals; if he uses a keyboard, he doesn't even need to
know the Morse code. Copying is another matter, if your receiver doesn't
allow you to hear the weak signals amidst the qrm, qrn, and internally
generated noise, you aren't going to have much success copying them.
I've seen reports of a number of qrp to qrp contacts - this is great!
It shows that the ops have developed the necessary skills (with a little
help from the propagation gods). We seem surprised when a qro op takes a
"standby for the qrp station". The op who does this has the tools and
has developed the receiving skills we should all strive for.
72/73 Bill wb0cld
Bill Launer
St. Charles, MO
launerb@crl.com
wb0cld@wb0cld.ampr.org [44.46.66.25]
qrp-l #279 qrp arci #3551
Grid Square EM48RT
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