QRP POWER

QRP Philosophy
Often we take our Amateur Radio pas- tell them they are doing things wrong. When QRP Isn’t Enough
time a little too seriously. If someone else’s Both are having fun. Neither is “wrong.” I know I’m going to take some heat for
idea of how to pursue QRP is not the same This concept extends even into the this topic, but it must be said. All grandi-
as our own, we get defensive and confron- ranks of QRP itself. There are those who ose, righteous, ostentatious motivation
tational. I have seen this happen on the practice the “Minimalist Concept,” which aside, there are those times when 5 W isn’t
QRP reflectors, as well as in person. QRP states that true QRP can only be accom- going to work. In those instances there is
means different things to different people. plished by using the bare minimum of nothing wrong or shameful about going to
homebrew gear and wire antennas. Power a higher power level. That’s why we have
Diversity for the radio is obtained via a solar linear amplifiers.
Each of us has a slightly different take charged battery or a small generator at- To be perfectly clear, the FCC mandates
on Amateur Radio and this is a good thing. tached to the side of the hamster cage. that we use the minimum power
It offers the possibility of expanding one’s Big beams, log periodics, rhombics and to effect and maintain communications.
horizons when interacting with other phased arrays are evil and not in keeping This doesn’t mean that we need to run
QRPers. Left to our own narrow view- with the “True Spirit of QRP.” 1500 W to talk to a friend across town!
points Amateur Radio would stagnate. The counter argument is that QRP is a Conversely, it also means that if we are in
QRP is often considered by main- power level only, and efficient antennas QSO with someone and they are having a
stream ham radio as a group of arcane in- level the playing field. Minimalist QRPers problem copying our 5-W signals, then it
dividuals who practice the esoteric art of view all others as being heretics while non- would be perfectly justifiable to increase
CW. In fact, QRP is the fastest growing minimalists view their counterparts as be- power a few decibels to reduce the diffi-
facet of ham radio. With the advent of low ing totally out of step with reality. cult copy at the receiving end.
cost, high performance kit radios, thou- There is no “right” or “wrong” here.
sands have flocked to the ranks of low How you choose to pursue QRP is your Skills
power communications and become business. If it is fun and you enjoy your One of the first facts that a new QRPer
homebrew aficionados in the process. time on the air using the Minimalist Phi- has to face is, with a 13 dB power dispar-
PSK31 has opened the HF bands to many losophy, that’s great! If, on the other ity between 5 and 100 W, special skills
newly licensed hams who have had little hand, you really can’t get into the are vital for success. Developing and hon-
interest in our side of the hobby, fearing a Minimalist Movement, then that’s okay, ing these skills is an ongoing process.
lack of CW proficiency would prove fatal too, as long as you’re having fun doing Developing good listening skills is para-
to their dreams of enjoying QRP. QRP your way. mount. Listen to the DX pileup. Learn
New rigs like the Yaesu FT-817 have when the ebb and flow occurs, and get
raised portable QRP operation to an art LAMAR DERK, N3AT your call in where it will do the most
form for thousands (if sales records are good, instead of trying to go head-to-head
accurate). The idea of using a tiny rig as with the wolf pack. Listen to how the DX
a “pedestrian mobile” station has cap- operator is working stations and time
tured the imagination of the folks who your call so he can more easily pick your
hang out on the HFPack reflector. Many QRP signals out. Listening skills are de-
innovative ideas are discussed on this veloped after spending many, many hours
reflector, resulting in a very lively dis- in front of the radio.
cussion group and an outstanding source Sending ultra-clean CW is a must.
of information on portable HF operation. Don’t try to send faster than you can copy.
Our diversity is our strength. By en- If you have a problem visualizing the
compassing many different methods of characters as you send them, write down
enjoying QRP we evolve and grow. This the basic QSO format first, so you don’t
evolutionary process is vital to our sur- make unnecessary mistakes, which saves
vival if we are to attract new blood into time, embarrassment and confusion. To
ham radio. some this may mean using a CW key-
board. We are after flawless CW and if
What is QRP? the CW keyboard is the answer, use it.
Kevin McCauley, KB3EJM, of East
Strictly defined, QRP is the pursuit of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, built the NJ
ham radio at the 5-W level—nothing more, QRP Club PSK Warbler kit into a bird And in Conclusion. . .
nothing less. While for some, QRP has house. The sides are plexiglass so its Ours is a great pastime. We regularly
workings can be seen. Kevin added an AF show the world how to communicate, and
become a lifestyle bordering on religion; amp so it “warbles” when in use. The bird
it’s still just an avocation. Many times non- on the front of the structure is perched we do it with only a few watts, much to
QRP hams have been treated to a litany of on the AF volume control shaft. Kevin the chagrin of the high power crowd. Theo-
reasons as to why QRP is “right” and high took the “Bird House Warbler” to Field retically we are all mature people who
Day, and the Pocono Record, the local
power (QRO) operation is “wrong.” Noth- newspaper, featured a photograph of this
enjoy communicating via radio. Let’s act
ing turns people off faster than having a unique PSK transceiver as part of an that way. Honest—there is enough room
fanatic get up in their face and collectively article on Field Day. in Amateur Radio for everyone.

Rich Arland, K7SZ ! 25 Amherst Ave, Wilkes Barre, PA 18702 ! k7sz@arrl.org

October 2002 81