QRP Anyone?

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K4APR

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This weekend I did a short camping trip and decided to try out my updated QRP set up. It was the TN QSO party, so there was plenty of band activity to listen to (and TRY to work). Here is my setup:

- Yaesu FT-817ND
- QRPKits.com QRP Tuner (10W or less)
- RadioShack SWR/Power Meter (To check my SWR against the FT-817's built in digital SWR meter)
- 30' Random wire antenna strung up in a tree and matching ground wire
- 10A Sealed Lead-acid battery (Ran full 5W)

A couple of pictures:

QRP001.jpg


QRP002.jpg


So what is your QRP setup? Post pictures and details.

Maybe we can get this as a sticky thread for QRP discussion.
 

woebbers

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Jason,

I operate QRP as often as I can. I use a Icom IC-7000 turned down to between 5-10 watts. I operate out of my mobile with ham sticks. I have some success with this setup. When I have time I set up a 20M end fed that works much better for me.

NC3U
 

jhooten

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I missed it this year for work related conflicts. For the two prior years I have done field day with the 817 and solar charged batteries. When not being eaten by bugs the 817 it is in the garage back up station on a OCF dipole either on the net frequency or waiting for openings the higher HF bands while I pretend to be a race car mechanic.
 

kj3n

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I can count the number of times I've done QRP on one hand. It's an interesting experiment I indulge in once in a blue moon.

The first time was Field Day 2005. I set up a camera tripod, 12 foot telescoping whip from MFJ, Hustler fold-over mast, four 40 foot radials, AH-4, and IC-703.

I made about 25 SSB FD contacts from my side yard before I got bored and packed it all away again.
 

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K4APR

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Chesapeake, VA.
I operate QRP as often as I can. I use a Icom IC-7000 turned down to between 5-10 watts. I operate out of my mobile with ham sticks. I have some success with this setup. When I have time I set up a 20M end fed that works much better for me.

In the past I have attempted several "portable" verticals, including the Maldol HF coils/telescoping whip combo created for the 817, but my results were really meager. I tried adding some radials to the setup and it was still pretty lame.

Several years ago I bought the Elecraft portable autotuner kit and added that into the mix. Again, the results were pretty lousy and I just about wanted to give up on anymore QRP. I decided to give this like BLT tuner kit a try with a long wire and it really made a difference. Was I breaking through pile ups? Hell no, but I did finally get a few stations to hear me.

When I went camping last week, I was located on Chincoteague Island, VA. Unfortunately, the only place I could put the antenna left the open end facing towards the East. That meant my pattern was going out mostly over the Atlantic Ocean and not towards the states as I preferred, but it did work. The wire actually tuned up almost flat, so that was pleasing.
 

K4APR

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I missed it this year for work related conflicts. For the two prior years I have done field day with the 817 and solar charged batteries. When not being eaten by bugs the 817 it is in the garage back up station on a OCF dipole either on the net frequency or waiting for openings the higher HF bands while I pretend to be a race car mechanic.

The first year that I did FD without a club, I set up my 817 with a Rigblaster Plug n' Play and worked PSK31 through a 20m hamstick. I actually did decently considering the power and low profile setup. I would like to try out one of the buddipole dual hamstick/dipole setups.
 

JustLou

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I use my Yaesu 817 with a couple of LNR End-Fedz wire antennas struck out a bedroom window. Works pretty well for what it is.
 

w0fg

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Decorah, IA
I've had an FT817 and an LDG autotuner for 10-12 years. I've worked about 125 countries with it, all on CW, mostly at the peak of the last sunspot cycle. Haven't been on much for the past few years.
 

K4APR

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I use my Yaesu 817 with a couple of LNR End-Fedz wire antennas struck out a bedroom window. Works pretty well for what it is.

I was checking out some of the various end-fed antennas, but I see such mixed reviews I'm not sure that I want to spend the money. Might try to build one.
 

prcguy

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So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
I run QRP with an Elecraft KX3 and am constantly amazed at what 5w and some wire can do. Most of my contacts with the KX3 are equally amazed and they say the radio sounds a lot louder than 5w.

Antenna for portable QRP is usually a PAR 40-20-10M end fed or a ZS6BKW 94ft dipole using TV twinlead feed line and 22ga Teflon wire elements that roll up into plastic chalk line reels.
prcguy
 

AgentCOPP1

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Unfortunately the only radios I have that are capable of QRP are my HTs. My TS-430s is not capable of QRP. It's got two powers: 100 watts and off.
 

N8IAA

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Fortunately, GA
Love that low tech tuning fork between the radio and the SWR meter:lol: Used to have a TenTec Argonaut 509 QRP rig. At the time, it was used on 10m sideband and 40m CW. Will be getting a 817 in the near future.
Larry
 
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peterwo2e

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i did a lot of cw qrp and digital qrp back during the last solar cycle. love cw qrp but the band has to be open or you will become quite bore. 10 meters was the workhorse of qrp back then i had no choice cause my neighbors all had rabbit ears antennas anithing over 5 watts i would kill their tv.
how many times i had to go up to the roof (nyc) in the middle of the night to patch up my cut coax with black electrical tape.lol good memories.....
 

AgentCOPP1

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10 meters was the workhorse of qrp back then i had no choice cause my neighbors all had rabbit ears antennas anithing over 5 watts i would kill their tv.
how many times i had to go up to the roof (nyc) in the middle of the night to patch up my cut coax with black electrical tape.lol good memories.....
Oh... wow! That's freaking hilarious. I can't believe someone would actually have the nerve to do that, but then again, people get weird about their TV.
 
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