I worked a station in Chicago 5watts SSB on 20meters. He had a great antenna and big power. He had just gotten done telling the station before me you have to run big power during this time. After a comment like that I had to give him a call. I called him he heard me better then the station before me. He got done telling me about his station. Then I told him about mine... I am running a FT817. He says “FT817 like QRP?” I said yes 5 watts. It was after that he started not hearing me very well. LOL It cracked me up as it was pretty black and what had just happened. In all fairness it was his antenna that made the QSO happen.
Sitting down by the river just after dawn, watching the mist rising off of the water, enjoying the absolute silence and the crisp air, watching for those ripples of feeding fish. Some of the best times of my life. And occasionally, just occasionally, wrestling a big bass onto the shore. Sort of like hearing your call sign come out of a very quiet band, less the ambiance of course. Life is good.
I catch the exact number of fish I'm supposed to catch. No more. No less. The same holds true for my QRP endeavors. Wants. Needs. Goal. Purpose. Gratitude.
In my case I have gone from full QRP where I began nearly 40 years ago to full QRO about a year ago and now recently back to full QRP. CW exclusively. I discovered I really wasn't doing that much better at a QRO level. So, back down to 5 watts and there I intend to remain. I am spotted by Europeans and a few big gun east coast USA monitors on the RBN. Contacts are essentially continental and that is quite acceptable.
I’ve given up on QRP!!! For the night, anyway. Spent a bit of time earlier calling A82X on 30m (10115.0 CW) who was in and out of the noise, peaking at around S2-S3 on my 24’ end fed Ultimax. He was working what I imagine is a big pileup of EU ops that I don’t hear, plus a few odd W and VE stations that I barely hear. No luck, not with these band conditions. These are the times that try QRPer’s souls.
Do you use a RX-only antenna as well? My end fed doesn't hear nearly as well as it transmits. I've been able to complete several QSOs thanks to my RX loop.
Nope. Fortunately I live in a place where there is very little RFI so my noise level is nil and very weak signals are copyable. Whether the DX can copy me is an entirely different matter. Lol!
I wonder how many qrp operators here use directional antennas at their home station? I am sure many qrp contacts depended on the other guy doing the heavy lifting, especially when out in the field with "compromised" antennas. Some of those contacts seem almost unbelievable considering present band conditions. It has me thinking about directional antennas, especially after some have reported hearing many more stations than their end-fed's or dipoles ever heard. Is it really still QRP if your ERP is way more than 5 watts?
