w2xq
Mentor
How did the neighbors know it was you if you were using CW? In the late 70's I built a 1-tube 1-watt CW transmitter and shaved crystals to get near 7040 kc. Using a separate antenna for receive, full break-in worked like a champ.
QRP Anyone?
- Thread starter K4APR
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- amateur radio qrp
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My QRP setup is the 817 and the matching LDG tuner. My antenna is a home made dipole. It's sized for 20M but works well enough on 10 - 20 and 40. My battery source is a sealed cell 12v battery. I also have 3 small solar panels for charging. Works a treat
Sent from my Funky EclipticRez using TapaTalk 4
Sent from my Funky EclipticRez using TapaTalk 4
JnglMassiv
Member
AC2OY
Member
Without a doubt!!!!
K4APR
Member
In between last night's late launch and today's range testing, I built up a simple 4:1 balun. I haven't had a chance to test it, but I'm hoping to use it with the LDG 817 auto-tuner:
jhooten
Member
Think those wires are big enough to handle all that power?
Looks good. Some hot melt glue will help keep the core from moving about and stressing the connections.
Looks good. Some hot melt glue will help keep the core from moving about and stressing the connections.
Really? No one else operates QRP? I know you're out there
LOL! Here's mine, an MFJ 9475 with matching tuner. I use a 12v 7ah battery and random wire when I QRP. Fun stuff!
K4APR
Member
One of our members at the NASA Wallops Amateur Radio Club (WARC), Aaron KK4NBR recently tested out his new QRP rig from our clubhouse QTH:
He picked up this ~$130 portable vertical with manual tuning coil. Worked very well on 20, 40 and 80 meters!:
He picked up this ~$130 portable vertical with manual tuning coil. Worked very well on 20, 40 and 80 meters!:
VE7WV
Member
On HF I only operate QRP except when operating a contesting station provided by someone else.
At home my setup is simple but not optimal due to our relatively small city lot. My rig is an Elecraft K2 I put together about 10 years ago (great fun!), antenna is a relatively random length long wire in a suboptimal installation, and a tuner. It doesn't work great but works well enough in some bands and I've had CW and SSB contacts on 5W into Europe, South Pacific, Australia, and plenty from Japan, not to mention most regions of North America and to the south. I do OK on 40M for local communications. The K2 is fun to use.
I've done a little portable QRP while camping and love being able to string up a 20M dipole properly.
Once I build my deck out back I'm going to put up a tower mostly for UHF, maybe some high speed GHz data, and perhaps finally I can get a better inverted V going. That would get me on CW more.
PS: We live atop one of the higher hills in the city. I'm open to thoughts on putting up a vertical antenna given my space challenges at present; any other space challenged hams doing (relatively) well with one?
Mike
Vancouver BC
At home my setup is simple but not optimal due to our relatively small city lot. My rig is an Elecraft K2 I put together about 10 years ago (great fun!), antenna is a relatively random length long wire in a suboptimal installation, and a tuner. It doesn't work great but works well enough in some bands and I've had CW and SSB contacts on 5W into Europe, South Pacific, Australia, and plenty from Japan, not to mention most regions of North America and to the south. I do OK on 40M for local communications. The K2 is fun to use.
I've done a little portable QRP while camping and love being able to string up a 20M dipole properly.
Once I build my deck out back I'm going to put up a tower mostly for UHF, maybe some high speed GHz data, and perhaps finally I can get a better inverted V going. That would get me on CW more.
PS: We live atop one of the higher hills in the city. I'm open to thoughts on putting up a vertical antenna given my space challenges at present; any other space challenged hams doing (relatively) well with one?
Mike
Vancouver BC
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Yeah, I enjoy QRP as well. I have also started into PSK and picked up a specially made cable to connect the 817 to an iOS device (Unfortunately, not made anymore). TX/RX using one of the PSK apps directly from iPad/iPhone to the 817. I also picked up a One Big Punch after talking with a QRP station that flipped it off and on allowing me hear the difference.
- 817ND w/LDG 817 tuner
- Icom AH-703 (Sometimes used on the car too, but best with counterpoise)
- Mini Buddipole
- Handfull of Hamsticks if working from the car
- OCF dipole - I use this at home too. On a pulley, so I can easily take it down/up.
- SLA battery and a 13w .500ma solar panel
Some "old" guys that I ragchew with (on my 100w rig) always felt the need to say "Life's too short for QRP" whenever I brought up something about it. I always fire back, "Sounds like advice from someone who doesn't have long to live." They've pretty much learned to STFU, or have learned to appreciate that it's all radio and it's all fun. (Especially because my retort is pretty F'n close to the truth and they felt the sting of reality)
- 817ND w/LDG 817 tuner
- Icom AH-703 (Sometimes used on the car too, but best with counterpoise)
- Mini Buddipole
- Handfull of Hamsticks if working from the car
- OCF dipole - I use this at home too. On a pulley, so I can easily take it down/up.
- SLA battery and a 13w .500ma solar panel
Some "old" guys that I ragchew with (on my 100w rig) always felt the need to say "Life's too short for QRP" whenever I brought up something about it. I always fire back, "Sounds like advice from someone who doesn't have long to live." They've pretty much learned to STFU, or have learned to appreciate that it's all radio and it's all fun. (Especially because my retort is pretty F'n close to the truth and they felt the sting of reality)
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