I am generally involved with "low impact" ham radio. This means my investment in equipment, time and antennas are on the modest scale. This does not mean I don't look forward to someday having bigger antennas and more time to enjoy this fascinating hobby.
Ham operators use radio frequencies throughout the spectrum. These give each us different advantages depending the desired mode of communication and distance desired. When the sunspots are high it is quite easy for those of us with small stations and low gain antennas to make global contacts particularly on the 10 and 15 meter bands. These are located at 28 and 21 MHz. Other lower frequencies bands are best for closer-in contacts. VHF and higher frequency bands except when aided by satellites are most used for local communication. Ham radio is a varied hobby offering more opportunities than most of us have time for even if we had the money to acquire all the equipment. This page will focus on "low impact" ham radio that can be enjoyed with moderate expenditures of time and money.
My station has grown to two primary rigs. The first has been in use since 1989 - a Kenwood TS-140 operated up to 100 watts. This basic rig covers all the bands from 160 thru 10 meters, and has been used across CW, SSB, FM on 29 MHz and digital modes. It is used with a manual antenna tuner and a home constructed TICK 2B electronic keyer. The second transceiver was added a few years ago - the Elecraft K2 which outputs up to about 10 watts. This fine rig includes a built-in keyer and adjustable CW filter. The K2 was selected for the experience of building (from a kit) this high performance full function rig. My K2 is serial number 2117 and it includes the optional SSB and 160 meter boards.
I also operate several simpler QRP transceivers (HW-8, 38S, TT1340 and a 40m homebrew rig). I have used these rigs to make DX contacts using less power than a nite light bulb!
I also have an HTX-10 transceiver that operates SSB/FM on 10 meters with about 25 watts output. A few years ago when sunspots were high this rig was operated mobile with a small whip antenna. Many stations were worked in Europe and South America, along with contacts to Hawaii, Japan and Papua-New Guinea! As I estimate this antenna to have about 5 dB or so less gain than a full size vertical, that makes these QSO's roughly equivalent to QRP!
I also use low power transverters from Ten Tec to operate on 6 and 2 meters. Contacts have been made using ducting, sporadic E, aurora, and meteor scatter. Sporadic E-skip propogation is a less predictable, dynamic occurance. It is literally working with a moving target - in this case the E-layer of the ionosphere. Normally signals from approximately 500 to 1500 kilometers don't return to earth from the F-layer at these frequencies - but they do quite well with sporadic E. This mode of propagation often wakes up six and ten meters to exciting contacts. Because it is a moving target at any given time propagation will only be open to a small region at a time, often moving with time to another region.
This is more than enough equipment to keep me busy in many types of ham radio activities.
Contacting distant (DX) stations. Probably the most fascinating aspect of ham radio is making impromptu (or even scheduled) contacts with individuals in distant lands. Ability to work DX is strongly influenced by the sunspot cycle and seasonable variations. With my low impact station it is rather easy to work Europe every morning and the Far East every evening at the sunspot maximum. Even when sunspots are low, DX can regularly be working on 40 and 30 meters using CW when the higher bands are unavailable due to no propagation.
The most important tip for low impact stations is to work CW. Be alert on all bands since low power is less of a handicap on the higher bands. Also note 30 meters where power limits enable the low impact ham station to be more competitive in this more friendly band where there isn't as much congestion.
Building Equipment A real highlight of this hobby is the experience of building your own equipment and putting it to communication use. See my QRP and Home Construction Page.