KB7INO's QRP Brag Page

My 2 best QRP contacts:

When I was in highschool (1989), from Long Island,  NY, I contacted Budapest on 30 meters with only a 1/2 watt on CW!

• The approximate distance was 4300 miles!
• The antenna was a 100 foot dipole with the center up about 20 feet.

During the 2003 10 meter contest, from Seattle, WA, I contacted Buenos Aires with a 1/2 watt on SSB!

• The distance was approximately 6900 miles!
• The antenna was a 50 foot dipole with the up about 70 feet.
• Specifically, I used NAH, for information please go to Home Shack and Antennas.
• This puts the Take Off Angle at less than 7 degrees!
  

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QRP WORKS!!!!
If you have good antennas

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Here is a map of the states I have contacted from my QTH with QRP.

• Red Squares are from 1 Watt to 5 Watts
• Blue Circles are 0.5 Watts

Having a good antenna makes a world of difference.




Let me repeat:
Having a good antenna makes a world of difference.

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So how come some guys work the world with QRP and other guys need at least 100 Watts, 3 reasons :

1. Antennas
2. Antennas
3. Antennas

Let me explain, most people when they think of RF power, they think of power out of the radio.
In actuality, you should be thinking of ERP(Effective Radiated Power) or EIRP (Effective Isotropic Radiated Power).

• ERP is referenced against a dipole.
• ERP is referenced against an isotropic radiator.
• The difference is 2.14 dB, or less than 1/2 a S-unit.

ERP is power out of the radio minus cable loss and plus antenna gain or minus antenna loss.

Most QRPers make the attempt to run efficent antennas, so they actually might be putting out more power than a QRO guy!

Example of a QRPer:

• Power our of radio is 5 Watts on 20 meters
  
• Cable loss, we'll assume to be 0 dB (or no loss).
• Antenna is a full size dipole at least 1/2 wavelengths in the air.
• Antenna length is ~33 feet
• Antenna height is ~33 feet
• 1/4 wavelengths should be minimum, I recommend at least 1/2 wavelengths
• TOA is ~30 degrees
  
• So the the total power is ~ 5 Watts

Example of a QROer:

• Power our of radio is 100 Watts on 20 meters
  
• Cable loss, we'll assume to be 0 dB (or no loss).
• Antenna is a store bought shortened antenna that  low to the ground and has a lousy ground plane
• Antenna system loss is probably ~20 dB ( or about 1/100th of the power!)
• So the the total power is ~ 1 Watt

So the QRPer actually puts out more power ERP.

If you think this is incredible, think about it.
Most QRPers put up full size efficent antennas.
Most other people utilise shortened antennas.

• Any antenna handbook will tell you that a shorted antenna is less efficeint.
• There benifit of a shortened antenna is this : a lousy antenna is better than no antenna.

Many hams have tried experiments, effecient antennas and QRP vs lousy antennas and high power... the QRPers usually fair better.

What to do if you live in an apartment or in a community with CC&Rs.

• Go camping and put up a full size antenna.
• Go to the park for a day
• Buy a house in an area that will allow for good antennas.
• I did this!
  

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