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QRP What, Why & How

QRP What, Why & How. Jim Stafford, W4QO With foundation slides from Phil Salas - AD5X ARRL 2005 Bill Orr, W6SAI, Technical Writing Award Winner ad5x@arrl.net. Jim at the Key. W4QO Jim’s Bio.

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QRP What, Why & How

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  1. QRPWhat, Why & How Jim Stafford, W4QO With foundation slides from Phil Salas - AD5X ARRL 2005 Bill Orr, W6SAI, Technical Writing Award Winner ad5x@arrl.net

  2. Jim at the Key

  3. W4QO Jim’s Bio • I am the past President of the 15000 member - QRP ARCI - the international QRP club promoting the construction and operation of low powered amateur radio gear. I have been to 15 of 17 Four Days in May events at Dayton. In 2010, I was honored by being named to their QRP Hall of Fame. I hold several of their QRP Achievement Awards, and I'm most proud of their 5 Band QRP DX award for 100 countries worked via QRP on each of 5 Bands. I also achieved Worked All States QRP in their 2011 Golden Jubilee Challenge where operators in all 50 states used the club callsign K6JSS. I just love this QRP stuff! Oh, I recently worked 100 "countries" at ONE WATT QRP and also worked 102 "countries" (not band countries) in one weekend in the 2013 CQ WW DX contest (QRP).

  4. Definition • QRP: Decrease Power • Or, QRP?: Shall I decrease power? • Originally used to give some relief from the broad spark signals in the early maritime wireless service • In Amateur Radio, it refers to low power operation. • QRP intrigues because of the minimalistic nature over lower power operations, the high distance-to-power results that can be achieved, and the pure satisfaction of making a contact with so little power. • QRP gear is natural travel gear.

  5. History of QRP • 1960: K6JSS started the QRP ARCI • Originally 100w – then to world standard 5 w (1981) • Definitions: • High Power: > 500 watts input • Medium power: 100-500 watts input • Low power: < 100 watts input (200 watts PEP) • 5 watts CW output OR 10 watts PEP SSB output • QRPP: Milliwatters - Less than one watt output power

  6. QRP Objective • Increase equipment and antenna efficiencies • Careful impedance matching • More efficient output coupling • More effective antennas • Improve operating proficiency • Bands vs time-of-day • Frequency vs desired distance • Improve design efficiency • 1) Size & weight decrease and maximum output power • 2) Minimize current draw • No lamps (except LEDs) • No digital display unless LCD • Maximize TX efficiency • 3) Use few components & pack the board tightly • 4) Use ICs if possible • 5) Sensitive RX - If you can’t hear‘em, you can’t work‘em

  7. QRP Motivation • Challenge of low power contacts • 5 watts is 13 dB below 100 watts (two S-units) • 5 watts is 23 dB below 1000 watts (four S-units) • No interference to TV, stereo, intercom, telephone, etc. • Simplicity of home-brew QRP equipment • Learn to apply electronic theory • Build low power emergency/portable equipment • Low cost way to get on the air and get that code speed up!

  8. QRP Rules for Success • Call strong stations • If a weak station is QRO, he may not hear you. • It is better to answer a CQ • Choose a very clear frequency when calling CQ • Call CQ properly • Use an effective antenna • Only a masochist uses a poor antenna with QRP • Be prepared to listen a lot

  9. How far can you go? • W4QO – 62 countries in Feb. 2006 ARRL DX contest – isn’t this at a sunspot minimum? • KO4WX California to New Zealand – 5 W and MP-1 • W4DU ARRL 160 Meter Contest - 2000 45 states, 22 countries and 3 continents -5 watts and GAP Vertical 700 mw accidental QSO • Ned Mountain – QRP Bicycle Mobile SSB to Siberia (he has the tape!)

  10. QRP Organizations • G-QRP Club (SPRAT) • http://www.gqrp.com • QRP ARCI (QRP Quarterly) • www.qrparci.org • American QRP Club (QRP Homebrewer) • www.amqrp.org • NoGaQRP Club • www.nogaqrp.org

  11. QRP Contesting • Great way to pick up QSOs, countries, states • Good operators with good ears • QRP ARCI - Sprints – QSO Parties • Adventure Radio Society – 1st Monday month • FOX Hunts – each Tuesday at 2100 eastern • Dozens of major contests each year have QRP categories – why? They want you to give them some QSOs! • Greatly Improve your operating skills

  12. QRP Awards

  13. What kind of equipment? • Normal 100 watt rigs turned down to QRP levels • New QRP Rigs • SGC-2020 MFJ-9xxx Argonaut V • Elecraft K1, K2, KX-1 plus T-1 tuner, MP-1, etc. • FT-817 IC-703 • Kits • Many club kits – NorCal, AmQRP, NoGA • Ten-Tec MFJ Cub Wilderness Radio • Small Wonders Labs – your best first QRP rig! SW-40 DSW-20 Rockmite ($30)

  14. QRP Rigs – Then and Now!

  15. QRP Equipment • Qrp Kits PFR-3A ~ $250

  16. QRP Equipment • Elecraft KX1 with paddle: elecraft.com • 4 bands ~ $300 - $400

  17. QRP Equipment • Elecraft K2 With Bail paddle: elecraft.com • ~ $760 - $950

  18. QRP Equipment • Elecraft KX3: elecraft.com • ~ $1000

  19. NoGaQRP Club • Serving the North GA area – Macon to Blairsville • Meets 2nd Saturday – Wieuca Road Bap Church • Meetings start at 10AM until ???? • Every meeting is Show and Tell – amazing stuff • Other events – Field Day, QRPTTF, FYBO, etc. • Projects: NoGaWatt meter, NoGaPIG, GA Sierra, Guppy, NoGaNaut, Georgia Cracker • Fun events – Run for the Kudzu, etc.

  20. Most fun in Ham Radio! • 1. Get a used rig – a $200 transceiver from eBay • 2. Listen/Study/Get your license/callsign • 3. Learn the code (CW) (Charlie Whiskey)(didah) • 4. Upgrade to General; get a 1x3 callsign • 5. Get your QSL made – cheapqsls.com ($12) • 6. Make a CW contact, then 10, then 100 (SKCC) • 7. Build your own rig – SW-40, TenTec, Qrpkits • 8. Go for an award – WAS, WAC, collecting QSLs. • 9. Enter a contest – Spartan Sprint, QRP ARCI Party • 10. Build antenna & go to THE FIELD – FD, a park • 11. Upgrade to Extra Class

  21. QSL CARDS • http://cheapqsls.com

  22. Conclusion • QRP challenge: Use the least power necessary to establish and maintain communications • QRP reduces QRM, and re-introduces an element of adventure & challenge that was part of amateur radio’s earliest days. • QRP gear is compact, portable, and inexpensive • QRP gear is great for the experimenter & the homebrewer • Sharpen your CW and operating skills

  23. What can you do with QRP? • Anything = use the skill, tenacity and patience to do it!! • Just remember: • “Power is no substitute for skill” (QRP ARCI) • QRP – When you care enough to use the very least! • “Use wits, not watts” (unknown) • “It is vain to do with more, what can be done with less” (William of Occam, 1290-1350) • QRP- The Thrill is Back! (W4QO)

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