EA1BP
Miguel Angel Dévora
Jiménez
Spain
Hello !!
I am Miguel, Student of laws at the University of Vigo. Born the 9th February
of 1977 in Vigo, Spain.
My hobbies are all kind of sports, but mainly basketball and sometimes to use
my mountain bike around the nice mountains of Vigo area; music (U2, The Rolling
Stones,...) and the beach, and of course the Radio.
Radio amateur since 1991 when I bought for first time a very little CB 40
channels transceiver in the Canary Islands.
I did not like local QSO and I jumped into the DX Band
of 27 Mhz with different callsigns (30 RK 03 -own callsign- and 30 AT 612
-International Dx Group-). I find in DX a good way to exchange knowledgement
about cultures and why not to improve my English.
During that time in the 11 meters (making only DX) I had a lot of fun.
In 1992 I get my ham novice callsigns, EC1AKV (HF) and
EB1FPZ (VHF/UHF). I took part in all kind of Contest, basically in HF (I dont
really like the VHF/UHF).
Six months later I get my general licence EA1BOI. With that callsign I took
part in most of the national and international contests, and lots of DX!! (I
LIKE THEM!). I take part in all kind of Contest but my favourites are CQ WW DX
Contest and WPX (SSB/CW)... QRS in CW, so be patient with me!! Hi Hi...
In 2000 I get my two letters callsign, EA1BP.
I have not a properly shack, so I am all the time transmiting in portable or
mobile operation. Its harder that at home but I prefered because you can stay
out and enjoy nice places (Lighthouses, IOTA islands, or just in the mountain).
Anyway I prefer it because in case I have it at home, I could spend the whole
day CQing or just looking for any DX anywhere. Now I have time for me and for
all people around me...
I Like QRP operations. QRP operations are funnier than QRO. QRO is easy, but
the sensation of having a normal QSO in QRP is very very special. We dont need
to wait for a nice DX to be proud of our antennas and equipaments. I invite you
to try it and you can tell me then... Dont think you cant make the DXCC or a DX
in this way, I have the DXCC just in two weekends... There are too many
advantages!!! Try it!!!
I have been colaborating in a Radio spanish magazine
called "QTC Magazine" (DX Bulletin).
My favourite bands are 28, 21 and 14 Mhz (WARC
incluided) and I transmit in SSB, mainly, and CW (No digitals).
My transceiver are :
Yaesu
FT-817 -
ONLY 5 watts!!
Icom IC 706
Mk2G
SGC 2020 (20
watts)
Ten Tec Scout (50
watts)
Pro-Am Antenna
for 10-15 and 20 meters)
Buddipole
Batteries 12 V
7ah.
Morse Key Mk-44
I hope to hear you in the bands...
Ah!!! Please be pacient if you dont hear me!!! I am in QRP!!!! ;-)
If you need my QSL send me your QSL via Bureau (URE) or directly and I will
reply it as soon as possible.
PLEASE, NO "Green Stamp", IRC or anything...
My address is : Miguel Angel D. Jiménez, Av. Gregorio Espino 3-4A, E-36205, Vigo (Spain)
Your friend,
EA1BP
Why QRP ????(Special
thanks to OZ1BXM)
1 - What is QRP ??
QRP is the use of low transmit powers
on the amateur bands. QRP gives its
adherents a special sense of achievement when they contact a far away station
while transmitting just a few watts. Output powers of 5 watts or less on CW or
10 watts or less on SSB are generally recognised as being QRP. QRPers build their own equipament from readily
available designs. Virtually any facet of amateur radio can be done with QRP.
If you are using low power you
should use the telegraphic "Q" code, that it says:
QRP - To lower ones power
QRP ? - Can you lower power ?
Oftenly you are running with more
power that you need, "Run ONLY the power neccesary to maintein the desired
comunications" (FCC Rules).
2 - QRP frecuencies
QRP can yield many solid contacts, even
when sunspots are few. You can mantein a QSO wherever you are in the bands, but
QRP clubs around the world have agreed
(with some variations) for the following frequencies for HF bands :
CW : 28.060 - 21.060 - 14.060 -
10.106 - 7.030 - 3.560 and 1.843 mhz
SSB : 28.360 - 21.285 - 14.285 - 7.090 and 3.960 mhz
3 - Avoid a defensive
attitude
· I can't work DX using only 5 watts and a wire dipole
· I have to be grateful for achieving just a few contacts with QRP
· It is impossible to participate in a contest with QRP
A defensive attitude is a big enemy
of QRPing. In fact, you can have a lot of
fun and work a lot of DX with flea power. The only difference between QRP and 'normal' power (100 W or more)
is your signal strength. Your QRP signal will always be 2-3 S-units weaker than the 'normal' signal. For
example:
100
w................................9 S-units
5 w................................... 7 S-units
This means, that under some (bad)
conditions, 5 w is simply not enough to establish communication, where the guy
using 100 w will be succesful. Having said this, all other factors are equal.
Your receiver, your antenna, your proficiency in CW, your knowledge and
experience regarding propagation are 1:1 comparable with your QRO counterparts.
Avoid a defensive attitude due to using QRP. Do not be selfconscious using QRP. Weak performance is not reflected
in the power level. Weak performance is being a bad operator, lacking
propagation knowledge or transmitting bad sounding signals. Your 5 watt signal
CAN be heard !!
Rules for a QRP success :
1) Use efficient antenna. Half wave
dipoles or better is preferred. It is very easy to build a ground plane antenna
with some aluminium tubes, a yagi, or a quad with PVC... The antenna is the most
important thing of a DXer so...
2) QRP are Skills, Know your capabilities and. Dont
expect a DX everytime. It could be nice to work them but dont forget that you
are not alone and lots of operators are running 100 w or more to work a DX...
Just be pacient, wait and choose the best moment to call.
3) Have frecuency-agile equipament.
4) Use "tail-ending" to
advantage. When your signal is weaker than average (Such as when operating QRP), this is the most effective way of
obtaining contacts. Simply tune across the band, noting the contacts that are
ending. When all stations sign clear, call one of the station. They willl most
likely reply to your call, even if only to give a signal report.
5) Good quality signal. A
transmitter that clicks and chirps is harder to copy at the other end than a
signal from a clean and stable transceiver.
6) On CW, know the relationship
between your transmit and receive frequencies. Its is possible for a station to
miss your call if you are transmitting on the wrong frecuency.
7) Have an efficient
transmit/receive switching system.
8) Use the best receiver you can
afford.
9) Enter contests to boost your
operating skills. High power is not necessary to participate in contest.
10) Don´t be afraid to call CQ.
Sometimes you can get nice surprises... You can check that propagation is open
listening the beacons, or listening other operators...If they can, you too!
4 - Learn and use CW
CW is the preferred mode for most QRPers. To be a good skilled CW
operator requires practising, both off-air and on the bands. It takes several
years to acquire the needed skills. A good off-air training program after
having passed the morse test is a very good idea. You set your own speed both
in sending and receiving, and you feel safe because no one hears your mistakes.
A complementary way of practising is to be on the air. This part gives you
operational skills. You will learn to deal with interference and fading and to
read unorthodox (i.e. bad) CW, which is sent by some stations.
Don´t forget that 5 watts CW is equivalent to 100 watts SSB.
5 - Listen carefully
Listen carefully on the bands and identify every station you hear. Listen both
for the strong and the weak stations. I am often pleasently surprised when
getting a response from a weak station which I call. If you are the only
station on his frequency, your signal strength is not important.
European stations like me are often fooled into not calling a weak DX-station
because we hear loud local stations nearby. We believe, that our signal is too
weak for the DX-station to hear. But the DX-station may not hear the same as we
do, because the loud locals may beam towards us and may not even be heard by
the DX-station. So don't avoid the weak DX-signals. Give them a call!
6 - QRP awards and Contests
There are various awards and contest specially fro the QRPers, but in most of the popular ones there is a
QRP category (CQ WW, WPX, ARRL 10,...).
Contest participation is recommended if you want to increase your DXCC list
during 48 hours than several months of normal hunting on the bands... You are
weaker in QRP than the rest of the operators but
most of the contesters are running good antennas to take part on it, and DX is
easier to work than in a normal operation. Contest participation is recommended
if you want to increase your country total quickly. Lots of rare countries are
easier to work in a contest, because the pile-ups are smaller, especially on
the second day.
Some hints for those having little experience in contesting but wanting to increase
their country total:
· Try a minor contest before targeting a major.
· Hunt for new countries and for unconfirmed countries. Don't worry about your
eventual low score.
· Don't be afraid of a station sending fast CW. Take your time to read the call
and the contest exchange. Write down the serial number. When you jump in, you
know what number you will be given. Send your contest exchange at a comfortable
speed without errors.
· Change band according to the propagation. Choosing the right band at the
right time is a science in itself. But a multiband effort will probably
increase your chances of success. QRP are skills !!
· Be active on both days of the contest. Saturday may show good propagation
while Sunday yields bad results or vice versa.
· Submit your log in the QRP class or as a checklog.
7 - Build your own
equipment
The proudness being on the air using
a piece of homemade equipment can not be described, it is a good feeling. You
should allow yourself to experience this. In these days of "credit-card-bying-power",
nothing beats to control airwaves by your very own homebuilt equipment. Let me
suggest to start with the antennas (Dipoles, verticals, quads, yagi...) and
then you can build a watt-meter, an antenna-tuner, a transmitter or even a complete
transceiver! .
QRP are advantages :
- Transceiver are theorically cheaper the a 100 watts.
- Most of the transceiver are small and light, so you can put them in a bag and
ready to have fun with a small battery and a simple dipole. You don´t need more.
8 - Operating: How do
I avoid weak performance on the air?
Generally, it is not necessary to sign /QRP when calling a station. If he hears you, you
will usually get an answer. Your callsign, your clean and pleasant sounding
signal and your good operating technique are more important than your signal
strength.
Sometimes it is an advantage adding /QRP to your call in order to attract attention! Use it!
When the initial contact is established, it is not necessary for the QRPer to send his report, name and QTH
three or more times. Under normal band conditions, this info should be sent
once or twice. If repeating unnecessarily, you anticipate your signal being
difficult to read. If it actually is difficult to read, the other station will
tell you by requesting the missing information.
The same applies to contest exchanges. Send exactly the same short exchange as
the high-power operators. Again, if something doesn't get across, the other
station will request it.
See you in my log !!!!
