Rock-mite qrp

[kc5bdk]

Hello everyone, just got the rock-mite 20 and 40 meter qrp cw kits. they work great well at least the 20 meter does, have not tried the 40 meter yet but will tonight http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
anyway this is a very fun and inexpencive way to get on the hf bands if you know cw. only $30 and your set http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
KC5BDK

[ae4fa]

Kudos on getting into QRPp. You're going to be amazed at how many QSOs you'll make with those little wonders, as well as the distances you can achieve.

[kc5bdk]

yeah i hope so, working with .5 wats or a whole 1 watt is kinda difficult lol

[WA5KRP]

WTG Derek!


Lately, I have been responding to HF SSB and CW CQ's with 5 to 20 watts to see what happens. #I never cease to be amazed at the distance those few watts will carry. #My antenna is a simple hundred foot G5RV 40' high. #Sure my AL-82 can be called in if necessary - it's just not necessary that often.

Keep up the good work, OM. #Guys like you and your enthusiasm is what makes this hobby so cool.http://www.computerpannen.com/cwm/otn/realhappy/biggthumpup.gif


73

WA5KRP
McCarty in San Antonio

[kc5bdk]

yep i think we got the same antenna lol the g5rv, but mines only up about 23 feet at the moment

[n0ov]

Let me know what type of antenna you are using -- thinking of doing some QRP this summer from the east coast while on vacation

[KC9ECI]

http://www.qrp.pops.net/transmit.htm

Even has plans for a 6 meter qrp rig.

[n0ov]

What are you using for an antenna?

Have an SGC that I usually keep sent around 5 watts and looking for QRP antenna options.

----------------
Not much into QRP, however, have to admit it was quite fun to make contacts on Field Day at 5 watts. I'll take a low power cross country or world contact any day over one pushed by an amp!

[kg4llq]

Congradulations Derek! I've had my Rock Mite-20 for about a month and find it intoxicating! My first contact was with a VE1 station in Nova Scotia. I've made only a half a dozen contacts because it takes a whole lot of patience. BUT the reward is worth it when you're recognized by a fellow ham a thousand or so miles away.
I use a 16 ft Force-12 "Flag Pole" vertical antenna which is close to being resonant on 20 meters. I have set-up a temporary 20 meter dipole (cut to 14.06) & it seems to get out better. I modified my PA in my Rock Mite with a different transistor and mine puts out about 900 mWatts now. That's a big improvement over 500 mWatts!
I often power my rig with a battery as I enjoy the beautiful spring weather outdoors.
Again, I congradulate you on getting the Rock Mite. To me this is what ham radio is truly about.
73,
Ken - KG4LLQ (FISTS # 10360)

[kc5bdk]

cool power addons http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif i havent done any mods to mine, not sure if i will, im not to electronicly inclined lol. my antenna is a g5rv up about 22 feet set up as an inverted V.
KV5BDK

[kc5bdk]

OOPS i ment to put KC5BDk instead of KV5BDK darn typo demon
KC5BDK

[N2ACX]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif There I was checking for a slot to call CQ on 40m CW , and a station came up calling CQ on 7040. I called him back and gave him his RST of 599, actually on the 706 he was about S9-10/9.
Then he sent the QTH and station data, a Rock Mite to a dipole at 30ft,(everything ok so far, what did I know about a 'rock mite'http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif, then he said running 250Mw! I fell off my chair, here is a ham in New York state tells me this S9 signal was a QRP rig, and knowing that guys work the world with these rigs of 5 watts or less,but a 1/4 of a watt?. Well, we talked for about 5-10 min before the band changed and signals dropped, but it left me with a new curiosity about using low power on the HF bands.
His call was N2KZ, now I am looking into getting a Rock Mite, or similar similar rig, but enjoy in the mean time running the 706 as low as I can, it sure adds a nice challenge to meeting new friends via ham radio.
73 Gary N2ACX

[KG4ZQZ]

- great thread here... i love operating QRP! 100W is QRO for me!

- i know that many much more experienced ops than i get into QRP after being in amateur radio for a long time... i guess i did things backwards, blissfully ignoring the usual advice for new hams to get a 100W HF rig to start...

- instead, i started off w/a QRP rig and have been very, very happy with the results (many DX contacts at one-half watt up to 5W using a variety of antennas)...

- seems like the big rig manufacturers would have one believe that the transceiver is the most important ingredient to fun and success in ham radio, but i'm convinced that the recipe is more like 40 percent antenna, 50 percent operator skill, and 10 percent rig...

- given the choice between a great antenna or a great rig, i'll take the antenna...

- i also appreciate those DX ops who, in the middle of a pileup, call specifically for QRP and the many folks who hang out on the QRP frequencies...

- i use a semi-stealth Windom at the QTH... for portable, i have used random wire, a hamstick dipole, a wire dipole up a tree, or if no tall flora is available, a wire dipole suspend via an SD-20 crappie pole...

- the hamstick dipole is easy to put up... attach two Lakeview hamsticks to Lakeview's dipole adapter, then clamp the adapter to the SD-20... the SD-20 (about US$20 from World Radio) then slides onto a metal stake driven into the ground... i like the Lakeview sticks as they're lighter than others and the whips don't droop as much (not that it really matters)... total cost for antenna is (minus SD-20) is US$65...

- the wire dipole on the SD-20 takes a little longer to put up, but is inexpensive and effective... two Rat Shack SWL reel antennas are attached to TV twin lead, the junction attached to the small wire loop at the SD-20's tip... the antenna is then raised to 20 feet with the reels extended full length with each end tacked into the ground using a length of string and a large nail... the feed goes into a Norcal BLT tuner... total cost for antenna is (minus SD-20) is about US$30... custom reels could be easily fabricated by using cheap laundry reels or plastic South Bend fly reels... (don't use your Orvis or Lamson fly reels!http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

- of course, random wire is even cheaper (US$0 - 2)...

:-)

[kc5bdk]

I enjoy the 20 meter rock-mite a little better, just because its hard to get out on 40 here because of all the noise and the AM stations. hard to find a clean space to broadcast lol
KC5BDK