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Can the Xiegu X5105 be an effective POTA radio??

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by W4FDT, Oct 27, 2021.

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  1. W4FDT

    W4FDT Ham Member QRZ Page

    Can a QRP 5W radio be an effective POTA radio? Follow along with me on my POTA activation and see for yourself. 20w is NOT QRP...

    Gear:
    Xiegu X5105
    K6ARK EFHW antenna
    Goture mast (broke on first use) replaced with a spider 7m mast
    Ipad
    HAMRS logging software

     
    AB5U, N4FZ, KM4MPY and 7 others like this.
  2. KD2MIC

    KD2MIC Ham Member QRZ Page

    Minus the computer, I use a pad and pen, this is my POTA setup and it works great for me. The propagation gods have been good to me since early summer working qrp parks. I've been hitting all along the south and west coast from WNY. Vancouver BC was at my finger tips this past weekend, signal faded as fast as it came in.
    Nice video.

    g
     
    N7KO, N4FZ, K4NXS and 1 other person like this.
  3. W4FDT

    W4FDT Ham Member QRZ Page

    by all means, pad and pen works great. I only use my ipad so that I can just export the contacts and email them straight in instead of transferring them from paper to logging software. The X5105 is a very capable radio for POTA activations along with any other QRP style radio. I have nothing against the G90, its just NOT QRP as thats what most call it. Its also another very capable POTA radio among many. Im glad you're having success, good luck with your activations hope to catch you on the air.
     
    N4FZ, KI5IQE and 2E0TWD like this.
  4. DO1FER

    DO1FER Ham Member QRZ Page

    Time changes. This is a good example for that there is no need for a big shack, to have success on the bands.
     
    N7KO, N4FZ, G3SEA and 4 others like this.
  5. 2E0TWD

    2E0TWD Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    Nice video De Wayne, lovely shots of the Park.
     
    W4FDT likes this.
  6. W4KWS

    W4KWS XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Great video good job.
     
    W4FDT likes this.
  7. AJ2I

    AJ2I Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    QRP with the most efficient antenna possible will work. However you need to be "running" something. POTA/SOTA/DX-pedition/County etc. AND you need to be spotted. General CQ call or trying to search and pounce will be VERY difficult I'm speaking of SSB.
     
    W6PZA, N4FZ, W4FDT and 2 others like this.
  8. DO1FER

    DO1FER Ham Member QRZ Page

    Thats right. Many OM / YL are preferring at the moment CW / RTTY / FT8 and so on. I think that is caused by the last years of a long Suns minimum. Of course it is not much better at the moment, but in the next months some standard SSB contacts will come back when the good conditions get back too and be stable. At last mankind is a creature of habit, so that the HAMradio people have to remember to do different things which are getting possible again in the opposite to the last years.
     
  9. KC3MIO

    KC3MIO XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Very true. I did a POTA activation during the NAQCC Anniversary, 5W CW on 20M around 2000 UTC. My internet disappeared and I couldn’t spot myself on the POTA or NAQCC sites. But then I worked an op in MT and he spotted me. After that I made 10 contacts in the next 40 minutes.

    You’ll do even better at night when fewer activations are running. BTW, I did activations with pen and paper, but I had a hard time reading my writing, and it was a pain to hand enter them at home. I use HAMRS now and it’s an easy export to my main log. It also shows POTA spots and generates a map of your QSOs. A good deal for five bucks.
     
  10. NU4R

    NU4R XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Thank you
     
  11. K1CWB

    K1CWB Ham Member QRZ Page

    As you proved in your video QRP can certainly be an effective POTA option. I don't activate parks myself but I do like hunting POTA activators QRP, and find it quite effective, not to mention even fun.

    I agree with you, 20 watts is not QRP, I'm still not convinced that even 10 watts is QRP but I may give in to that someday....

    Nice job on the video W4FDT.
     
    W4FDT likes this.
  12. K9GLS

    K9GLS Guest

    As POTA gets more and more popular QRP is effective for throttling back the pileups. QRP isn't about quantity, it's about patience. If you're in a park east of the Mississippi, QRP is VERY effective.

    73

    Power is no substitute for skill.
     
    W4FDT likes this.
  13. KC3MIO

    KC3MIO XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    QRP <= 5 watts is arbitrary, but it’s traditional and that’s the definition I use. Nevertheless, 10 watts is 3dB over that and 20 watts is 6 dB over. I consider 10-20 low power and you can still run from a battery. It’s all good.
     
    W6PZA, N6ALT and W4FDT like this.
  14. K9EI

    K9EI Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    I think it can, with enough antenna gain and SNR for the RX. I love using dipoles for activations. Get all the power to the antenna.
     
    W4FDT likes this.
  15. W4FDT

    W4FDT Ham Member QRZ Page

    Yes sir, being THE hunted makes it much easier, those who can hear you will call you. I have made some other contacts using QRP also and when I activate I do get some QRP callers. Its possible, however not as easy you are right.
     

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