QRP...LOW POWER COMMUNICATIONS

 

            

FT-817ND with SignaLink USB for PSK-31                                               Ten-Tec 4020        

 

AMATEUR RADIO - This page provides information about the radio activities at K5DZE.  I was first licensed as KN5DZE in Columbus, Mississippi in 1956.  I have held Novice, Conditional, General, Advanced, and Extra Class licenses.  Overseas operations included being licensed as DA1EZ in Ludwigsburg, Germany and HL9EZ at Camp Casey, Korea. 

Through the years, I have owned and operated numerous stations running large yagi antennas and a KW to some rigs running only 1 or 2 watts. In 2010, I came to the conclusion that my real enjoyment and challenge came from operating low power gear, so I sold all my larger equipment and moved to make the station 100% QRP. My favorite modes are CW and PSK-31, both of which work out particularly well for QRP (low power operation).  

While there does not seem to be a complete agreement on what constitutes "QRP" operation, I think most QRP enthusiasts agree that for CW, AM, FM and Data modes the transmit output power should not exceed 5 watts. For SSB operation, the maximum output power should be no more than 10 watts PEP.  (Some operators think that the power limit should be 5 watts on SSB as well.)  A lot of QRP operators use only 2-3 watts power and some often use even less, sometimes operating with as little as 500 to 100 milliwatts (1/2 to 1/10 of 1 watt)!  Extremely low power of 1 watt or less is referred to as QRPp and as you can imagine, this provides a real challenge to any operator.

One of the really neat things about using QRP rigs is that they can perform quite well in areas where more powerful rigs might be impractical or intrusive.  This includes small apartments, condos, lake cottages, mountain retreats, camping trips, etc.  QRP rigs have low DC power requirements and these small radios with even a correspondingly small antenna can provide many fun contacts.  

Current activity includes QRP PSK-31 on 80m to 10m.  I particularly like 10m when it opens. As mentioned, I am constantly surprised at how many stations I can work using just 2-3 watts on PSK-31.  Using a Signalink USB, I lowered the power of my 100 watt FT-920 down to 5 watts or less and used it with a 284' loop antenna. It is no exaggeration to say that if I was patient, I could work a majority of the stations that I could  hear that had a decent signal. The weak  signals or rare stations don't always wind up in the log book, but it is really fun to catch so many stations on very little power. My primary rig is a new FT-817ND which operates only on low power (2.5 watts on PSK31 and a max of 5 watts on SSB/CW) and of course, it's very portable. (I had one of the early FT-817 rigs and regretted letting it get away, so its good to have another one in the Shack again.) The other rig here is a Ten Tec R4020 which is proving to be loads of fun too. Add to this about 3 more QRP rigs and these round out the Shack at my QTH.

There are many QRP rigs available today and the low cost (particularly for kits) makes it quite affordable to simply add a QRP rig to your Shack's current equipment line up.  In fact, the low cost makes it practical to have several different QRP rigs to operate if you choose to do so.  For more information, read the "WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT QRP?" section at the end of this page.

 

 

QTH:  My home location is Dry Ridge, Kentucky, (EM78qs) near I-75 and about 34 miles southwest of downtown Cincinnati and 40 miles north of Lexington, KY.   It sits on several acres of land across from a country club and golf course, so it nice and quiet.  Best of all, there are no antenna restrictions! 

 

               

QSL:  I QSL to Amateurs and SWLs for all cards received, or if requested to do so. No SASE is required. I QSL direct or via the bureau. (Sorry, but I don't use LoTW.) I also use eQSL.  Be aware that eQSLs  are not acceptable to the ARRL and will not count for ARRL awards, but eQSLs offer awards that are equivalent  to the ARRL's WAS, WAC, or DXCC awards and use eQSLs for verification. Just let me know what you prefer. For DX friends, a QSL to me via the W5 QSL Bureau is fine. Let me know that you do want a card and I won't wait to receive your QSL, but I will immediately send you my card via the bureau.  (I use the ARRL Outgoing QSL service unless asked to do otherwise).  

Like most Hams and beacon operators, I very much enjoy getting and sending QSL cards.  Please let me know if you hear my beacon on the air.   Your report will be most appreciated, and it will be immediately answered.  

THE STATION AND CURRENT EQUIPMENT:

 

              

The Station - The Station Gear - FT-817ND - Ten Tec 4020 - Super Tuna QRP - SW-1 transmitter

(Click on the thumbnail photos to see full size picture of each)

 

ANTENNAS - The primary HF antenna consists of an all band 284' Horizontal Loop.  You can read my article about this great performing antenna in the OCT 2010 issue of Monitoring Times magazine (pg 16).  I also had a nice S9V 31' vertical until some fellows doing yard work for us accidentally dug up the radials and the buried coax with a Bobcat blade. Damage was so bad that I decided to just take down what was left of the vertical system and just go with the Loop for all my HF needs.  The loop has worked out well! 

For portable operations, I have Hamsticks for 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters mounted on a modified photo tripod, and I sometimes use the excellent tri-band PAR END FEDZ antenna.

For 2m and 440 MHz, I use a Diamond X-30A. Usually on 146.41, -146.895, 146.52 MHz or to sometimes monitor 444.425.

(See my Antenna page for more info on these and other antennas.)   

 

TRAIL FRIENDLY RADIO (TFR) DESK STAND - The Ten Tec R4020 or similar rigs like the Elecraft KX-1, PFR-3A, or MFJ-9200 series are great  little radios for field work, the Shack, or for portable use. In the Shack, I prefer having a small stand that will tilt my 4020 upright for easy viewing and access. If this sounds interesting to you, look on the PROJECTS page at how I solved this issue simply and inexpensively. Also on the Projects page, check out the $10 mini speaker system and a surplus Soviet CW key mounted on matching cherry bases like the Desk Stand, all of which work nicely with the QRP rigs. 

 

AN OPERATING GUIDE FOR THE TEN TEC R4020 - I made up this abbreviated "Check List"  for my Ten Tec R4020 to help me remember what button does what. There really isn't much to operating the 4020, but this makes it even easier when I need a quick reference. No guarantee on how well it might work for you, but it works nicely for me and the price is right! Hi! It is provided here as a PDF download in an A6 size (~ 4.13" x 5.83"). You can print, laminate, cut and staple it to have a small sized, handy 3 page guide for your portable operations.  TEN TEC R4020 Check List

 

A SPY RIG IN A BRIEFCASE -  Well, maybe it's not a real spy rig, but it would have surely been perfect for the OSS or MI-6 back in the day. Today, it is perfect for Hams to have as a complete HF CW station in a regular briefcase for the lake, hotel, as a Field Day station, or as an emergency 'Go Box' rig. Look at how I assembled it on the Projects page. This information is available as an article in the JUNE 2011 issue of Monitoring Times magazine.

 

"WATERING HOLES" FOR QRP:  Like water holes in the desert, these CW Calling freqs are where many QRP Ops gather and its also where you can listen and snag all kinds of QRP contacts.  The freqs listed here aren't all of the QRP freqs, but these CW freqs will get you going.  NOTE:  If you run much power over 5 watts or so, please stay well off to the sides and away from these freqs so the true QRP rigs and the QRPp flea power ops (less than one watt output), can be heard and not be covered up.  Listen a while and get the hang of it, turn your power down and then dive in.  Hope to catch you there!

      80 M -      3.560 -- QRP CW
 
    40 M  -      7.040 -- QRP CW  (also check 7.060)

    30 M  -    10.106 -- QRP CW

    20 M -     14.060 -- QRP CW

    17 M -     18.096 -- QRP CW

    15 M -     21.060 -- QRP CW

    12 M -     24.906 -- QRP CW

    10 M -     28.060 -- QRP CW (Beacon band is 28.200 - 28.300 MHz and it can tell you if the band is open and to where.)
 

WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT QRP ?  QRP isn't for everyone I guess. Some ops sneer at low power and sadly, they can be down right condescending and discourteous if you even ask for a contact. Fortunately, most non-QRP ops are very pleasant and seem to get almost as big a kick out of working low power stations as QRP ops do running them!  Over the years, I have run everything from Collins KW rigs with big antennas to you name it. Like a lot of other Hams, now I seem to have returned to how I started out. When I began as a kid back in the 1950's, I  ran 20-25 watts with a Heathkit AT-1 (remember that one?) and a Windom antenna using an antenna tuner built in a coffee can (thanks to W5WQQ).  I had a blast with it!  Today, another fun way to operate is put a QRP rig in a brief case and take it where ever you go.  I find the challenge of working folks with 3-4 watts or even less to be a lot of fun! Taking a rig  to the lake, on a camping trip, to the park, or to the mountains can be most enjoyable.  If you are a hunter, you might compare QRP operations to hunting with a handgun or bow rather than with a rifle or shotgun.  It takes a lot of skill, you don't shoot as often and you may not get something with every shot, but it's a lot of satisfaction when you do bag something.  In QRP, skill is always a key ingredient since you don't have a lot of power to help force your way through to make contacts.  Another thing I find neat is that for QRP DXCC and QRP WAS equivalent awards, you don't need QSL cards... you just need a well maintained logbook!  Hey, it's nice to be trusted...and after all, it is just a hobby!  Well, all this is just my opinion of course, but I know it is shared by many.  Why not try QRP in your operations at home or for portable work?  You may find it brings back the real excitement of those first QSOs.

One other thing about QRP...CW is a mainstay for QRP work. That is just a fact. If you enjoy CW operation then QRP is a natural for you.  Likewise, if you want learn CW and/or get more proficient at it, QRP is a great way to get there.  However, CW is not all there is to QRP!  SSB is very much in the QRP mainstream and it is great fun. In one afternoon, I worked 23 countries in less than 3 hours during the ARRL DX phone contest running under 10 watts SSB with an SG-2020 and a G5RV antenna at 25'.  Have you tried the digital modes? Wow! You can truly work the world with QRP digital modes such as PSK-31. It is really amazing how many DX stations operate PSK-31 and how many of them you can work with just a couple of watts on PSK-31.  I now work PSK-31 as a primary QRP mode and I am well on my way to casually working QRP/PSK31 DXCC just for the fun of it!

For more information about QRP, use your favorite browser and look up "QRP" and QRP related subjects on the Internet. On the bands, go to the QRP "Watering Holes" on 40 and 20 Meters as noted above and listen to the ops that congregate there. Fast CW, slow CW, strong signals and weak-hard-to-copy signals are all there to catch as part of the fun. Likewise, use the established PSK-31 freqs and you will find a host of QRP stations there. (Its hard to tell QRP from non-QRP stations on PSK!) 

Today, there are many really high quality QRP rigs available so you don't have to build your equipment if your aren't up to it or if you just don't want to take the time to do so.  Not too long ago, Amateur's had to scratch build most QRP equipment, but today there are many nice QRP rigs available on the used market. (BTW, QRP kits are generally pretty easy to build!) One thing you will surely note is that new QRP gear costs much less than the bigger rigs. This is particularly true about the great kit rigs which are fun and very capable.  This lower cost makes it easier to have several QRP rigs to use at different times.

 

 

The New Elecraft KX3

An example of a do it all QRP radio ready to go out of the box is the new Elecraft KX3 shown above. It operates 160m to 6m (2m optional) on SSB, CW, AM, FM, Data, (PSK31 without a computer!), battery operated, fixed, portable, mobile, etc. An amazing rig in a little box with a full sized panel. If QRP is not enough for you, a 100-500 watt amp can be added to give you extra kick when you want it!  Priced at $999.95 assembled or ~$899 for a modular kit, this new rig should be a real winner with the QRP community! 

There are several good national and international QRP Clubs and some neat QRP sites for you to browse around. Here are just a few links: 

http://www.qrparci.org/  (QRP Amateur Radio Club International)

http://naqcc.info/ (North American QRP CW Club) (Free to join!)

http://fpqrp.org/index.php (The Flying Pigs QRP Club, International W8PIG)

http://www.qrpme.com/  (Fun QRP rigs)

http://www.fix.net/~jparker/wilderness/sst.htm (Imagine this rig in a military looking OD color scheme or in Cammo paint, or a bright, shiny Red or maybe even a bright Yellow or emergency orange. ! Quite a conversation piece!)

http://www.tentec.com/index.php?id=193 (Although not made by Ten Tec, this Chinese built 2 band rig is sold and supported by Ten Tec for the QRP community.) Also check out the other TenTec QRP rigs.

http://www.elecraft.com/ (Makers of very high quality QRP equipment from backpack rigs to multi-featured station rigs.) If you think all QRP rigs come in Altoid tins or tuna fish tins, check out the new Elecraft KX-3 transceiver at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mbtyRyEEADo . )

Look for an upcoming 2012 issue of Monitoring Times magazine for my more detailed article about the world of QRP.   

QRP PSK31

While CW is really great for QRP work, operations using the PSK-31 digital mode are very surprising for their effectiveness. Using only 5 watts as my maximum power, I worked all states and 60 countries on PSK31 in about a 90 day period. While this is not exceptional for a lot of Amateurs, it was surprising to me because it was been so easy with just a casual approach. On PSK-31, I have worked a number of stations that were running 1-2 watts (a few were under 1 watt) with  relatively small antennas. The implications of this capability are striking for those Amateurs who cannot put up a big antenna or run a 100 watt rig for fear of getting the 'antenna vigilantes' after them or causing interference with neighborhood stereo and TV sound systems. If you live in an apartment, condo, or other antenna/radio restricted area, try a low power rig like the FT-817ND, a Signalink USB interface, and use an antenna like a Hamstick on a short tripod or a PAR ENDFEDZ antenna. I bet you make a LOT more contacts than you ever thought you could and you will have a blast! 

 

QRP-ARCI CONTEST SCHEDULE

You can catch QRP stations to copy or work during these contest times. You don't have to submit a log, just join in, so why not 'crank it back' and try QRP?  But be careful...the QRP bug might bite ya! Hi

2012 QRP-ARCI Contest Schedule

7 JAN - Pet Rock Sprint Celebration

29 JAN - Winter Fireside SSB Sprint

10 MAR - HF Grid Square Sprint 

7-8 APR - Spring QSO Party

27 MAY - Hoot Owl Sprint

16-17 JUN - QRP Shootout

8 JUL - Summer Homebrew Sprint

25 AUG - Welcome to QRP

8-9 SEP - The Two Sidebands Sprint (USB 10m-15m and LSB 40m-80m)

13-14 OCT Fall QSO Party

29 NOV Top Band Sprint

16 DEC - Holiday Spirits Homebrew Sprint

More information and specific contest rules at:  http://www.qrparci.org/  

 

Again, thanks for checking out my QRP page... I hope to catch you on the bands!

 

          

QRPARCi - #10625                         FISTS - #10636                               SKCC #642    

 

               VEC Patch    

                                                                                                        10-10 #72596