Why QRP Works

"Life is too short for QRP" ??? Each time you reduce your power by a factor of 4, you only lose 1 S-Unit. You can't argue with Math, people! :-)

[Darimonde]

Thank you for this excellent presentation. As a new HAM operator, I have only recently learned of QRP and didn’t really understand what it was and why some people seemed to object to it. After hearing your perspective I would think most operators would be interested in QRP. I sure am. 73 :)

[bradleyjohnson]

I have never heard it explained that way before. Thank you

[KXUL]

Excellent video! Your clear explanation really opened my eyes and hopefully many others eyes to just what is really going on with the power factor. I do not own an amp and never have, although there have been times I wish I had. I baby my 100 watt rigs and never run them over 75 watts. QRP fascinates me. Your videos are awesome. Thanks!

[mdouble]

I am not a ham operator, but am looking at getting into this as a hobby, and also for emergency preparedness. The technical information available for various radios is simply overwhelming for the uninitiated. This is especially true when considering radios of different power levels. After stumbling onto your channel, and listening to several of your videos I quickly began to appreciate that power isn't everything with HAM radios. In fact I can see many advantages to smaller DC powered portable units, especially in emergencies. I found your explanation of QRP radios to be very informative and helpful. I feel much less confused than I did even 10 minutes ago. Thanks very much

[Perspectologist]

Great explanation! I’m a new ham and just discovering your videos. I am still learning about all areas of the ham radio, but QRP seems really interesting to me. I am looking forward to learning more through your videos. Thanks for making these videos.

[johndeluca]

Great points.
I've been doing HF SSB for five years. My portable radio is Yaesu FT-857D (100w). This radio has performed beyond my expectations including 12, 500km to Namibia from a picnic table and 12.8m random wire antenna in Saratoga, NY. My interest is primarily trans-oceanic DX. I set it once to 100w and it's been that way for 5 years. I should drop to 25w and reserve 100w for breaking into the most distant DX pileups when competing with the big guns. Maybe even venture to 5w. Baby steps!

[dwatson]

My dad was a Tv repair man, he had an awesome set of tools. (Bill and teds excellent adventure) I can remember as a child he bought a CW practice kit for me and him to learn code. I believe he was interested in becoming a ham but I don’t think he ever got his ticket. I think he would have been a great Elmer. I have always thought about it and really like the QRP aspect of the hobby. Building my own equipment is also high on my desires list. I have radios and SDR equipment, I like to listen. I like to listen to code and try to pick out what I can. I’m trying to learn it but finding time is difficult. Maybe one day....thanks for the videos.

[chrisf]

Stumbled on this video by accident and it changed my whole view on QRP. Thank you! The past two days i haven't dropped below 10w and most of the time I'm running 5w. Made 10 CW QSO's on 5-8w and most three of them they thought I was running 50 or more (5NN). WOW! Longest QSO on QRP has been 1, 400 miles. Looking forward to more videos. Thank you again!

[davidstehman]

Thank for such a clear article demo'g how the power differences relate to signal strength! I've been a ham 49 years and somehow never had this clear a picture. well done video. I just worked from WA to MD on 5 watts. So exciting!

[ellisc.foleyjr]

Another gud example of why QRP works, I can't count the times I've run QRP and had the op on the other end pretty much call me a liar that i was running QRP "you can't be!. you're hitting me 599! or 59 on fone! no way are you qrp.and unfortunately that was mostly back in the day before computers and internet, visual and audio files were available. so he/they had to take my word for it. I can still remember the thrill of hearing my 1st Eu QRP station, it still boggles my mind. and I"ve been at it for over 48 ys so far. tnx agn Cliff for all that you do for qrp and keeping us old timers in the loop. 72 gud dx de Ellis/WA1RKS

[BobYounger]

The key to your point is that your signal level must be above the noise floor of the receiving station (with the exception of some digital modes). Too many stations these days operate with a noise floor of S5 or higher; but you have no idea what their noise level is when you're trying to make a contact (reply to a CQ). On the other hand, if you're calling CQ and operating QRP, then only those stations with a noise level below your signal will hear you and be able to respond. Once nice thing about QRP is that the power requirements and consumption is low enough to make operating remotely practical. One just has to be content with QSOs with stations the have low noise levels.

[reidtillery]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I've been interested in QRP since the beginning, but I thought it was like tilting at windmills. With Winlink, I can get through to an HF station on 100 watts. You've given me a renewed enthusiasm for QRP, because now I think I can get through on 6 watts, which my soon-to-be-ordered Yaesu 818 will have. With an 818, a Signa Link, my laptop, and a 20/40 linked dipole, I think I'll be in business. Can't wait to test it out in some remote location.

[bradcarroll]

I built my first rig a heathkit hw-8 back in the 1970's and with a random length antenna and a homebrew antenna tuner made thousands of contacts on 15m CW with 1.5 watts. There is a lot to be said for being able to toss everything you need into a backpack and setting up a fully functional station on a stump in the middle of the woods. I could run all afternoon on a few flashlight batteries

[thenightraven]

Excellent video, and reminded me of my old ham radio teacher who was a QRP fanatic. Keep up the good work.
M1ARX

[nrbd]

I was up on W4G/NG-006 (Coosa Bald) with a 17m QCX Mini and QRP Guys EFHW. I got a 339 from ZL2IFB (8200 miles away). Another time I was running the same QCL with the QRP Guys LED SWR checker and forgot to switch it from TUNE to OPERATE. This attenuated my signal to about 1w. I got a 339 from a chaser in AZ, about 1550 miles away.

Nothing like over 1500 miles per watt!

[AntonioBarba_TheKaneB]

With my Yaesu 450D I can talk to all Europe on 10W and a wire antenna on 20m. I don't even need the full 100W, I just need a better antenna to reach further than that!

[MattExzy]

I'm not a ham per se, but about the *only* thing I find attractive to the craft in general is the QRP aspect. Not sure why... something about the minimalism in terms of power used, compactness, but also some of the increased complexity in terms of getting things right. Oh, and the number of cheap kits out there, some designs have been around for decades, and they're so tiny, portable and just neat. Jolly good all-round.

[hobiedog]

What a great explanation, as I have heard several guys say, " QRP is not for me". You have got me thinking now....I really want a KX3

[vumes]

My 15 year old Yaesu 817nd still rocks, recently I made a contact with a station in Malaysia who was a contester in the recent wpx SSB contest. 9M2S was 2860 Kms from Chennai India, good enough for 4 watts SSB.

[DougPaulsonDoist]

Excelent presentation of a little goes a long way. 2thumbs up Cliff.