QRP operation

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

My first HF radio was a used Kenwood TS-140S as I wasn't sure if I was going to like HF operation, I fell in love! I went out and bought a Kenwood TS-590SG and use it barefoot, 100 watts with my Hustler 5BTV antenna.
I am going to try POTA activating and again not sure if I am going to like it, I do like hunting and have over 400 unique parks so far. Rather than get a small HF radio to go to the parks I figured I would start with my TS-140 and a battery and a 20m ham stick. I was thinking of running QRP with POTA so decided to set up the 140 next to my 590 in the shack. The 140 has sliders for the various controls so it is a bit hard to tell your output, I used a meter to try to get at 10 watts and have been making POTA contacts around the country. Most as expected were given 44's or 45's but some were surprisingly strong, had a 56 to WI, Wisconsin (of course from my shack here near Gillette stadium there seems to be a pipeline to WI and MN.

I did do some QRP stuff with the 590 as the RX audio on that is really sweet while the 140 has a very scratchy RX even with the same antenna.

 

[ToddDubya]

My first HF radio was a used Kenwood TS-140S as I wasn't sure if I was going to like HF operation, I fell in love! I went out and bought a Kenwood TS-590SG and use it barefoot, 100 watts with my Hustler 5BTV antenna.
I am going to try POTA activating and again not sure if I am going to like it, I do like hunting and have over 400 unique parks so far. Rather than get a small HF radio to go to the parks I figured I would start with my TS-140 and a battery and a 20m ham stick. I was thinking of running QRP with POTA so decided to set up the 140 next to my 590 in the shack. The 140 has sliders for the various controls so it is a bit hard to tell your output, I used a meter to try to get at 10 watts and have been making POTA contacts around the country. Most as expected were given 44's or 45's but some were surprisingly strong, had a 56 to WI, Wisconsin (of course from my shack here near Gillette stadium there seems to be a pipeline to WI and MN.

I did do some QRP stuff with the 590 as the RX audio on that is really sweet while the 140 has a very scratchy RX even with the same antenna.

I've worked a guy in CA who was running QRP from a park. Weak but definitely readable. I forget the math, but I think a decade change in power is one S-unit. Someone will be along to correct me if I'm wrong.

Another time I was in a pileup and someone got through on 1000 watts. He had the guy walk down to 100, 10, and 1 watt and he still got through. I could hear his signal get weaker, but he probably went from 20 over to S-8. Big whoop.

I think POTA is popular in WI. Some states I never see, SSB anyway. I tried like hell to pick a guy in HI out of the noise once, and have never seen anyone activating in AK.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I have been pretty lucky with my 100 watts, Australia 6 times, New Zealand last week (33 both ways a tough QSO), Reunion Island and more.

With my 10 watts I did Alabama today and parks all over the east

 

[ToddDubya]

The other beauty about chasing parks QRP is you can just add "QRP" to your call and get picked up right away. I've heard some people will turn down the power and use that to break gigantic pileups.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

The other beauty about chasing parks QRP is you can just add "QRP" to your call and get picked up right away. I've heard some people will turn down the power and use that to break gigantic pileups.

I had tried that a couple times but getting the buttons and knobs before they were back to calling for anyone was a pain. I decided to set the TS-140 as a QRP machine and when I am trying to get a station in a state I already have I will use the 140. I am just over 400 unique parks so am fine with missing some calls.

Several points. First the 140 has a lot of noise making it hard to hear other stations if they are weak, I will use my SDRplay or a local kisiSDR for RX. I will put QRP both before and after my call WX1USN. BUT with POTA "park to parks" and often QRP's will just call QRP once or twice no call, if it is a big pile up no one can really tell if you are calling with callsign. I find if QRP is called as the pile up ends, just before the OP comes back it may get noticed. I made 12 QRP contacts at 10 watts on the TS-140 yesterday including AL and FL. The signal strength the reported was anywhere from 44 to 56 (that one was WI which seems to always be strong to New England)

 

[ToddDubya]

I had tried that a couple times but getting the buttons and knobs before they were back to calling for anyone was a pain. I decided to set the TS-140 as a QRP machine and when I am trying to get a station in a state I already have I will use the 140. I am just over 400 unique parks so am fine with missing some calls.

Several points. First the 140 has a lot of noise making it hard to hear other stations if they are weak, I will use my SDRplay or a local kisiSDR for RX. I will put QRP both before and after my call WX1USN. BUT with POTA "park to parks" and often QRP's will just call QRP once or twice no call, if it is a big pile up no one can really tell if you are calling with callsign. I find if QRP is called as the pile up ends, just before the OP comes back it may get noticed. I made 12 QRP contacts at 10 watts on the TS-140 yesterday including AL and FL. The signal strength the reported was anywhere from 44 to 56 (that one was WI which seems to always be strong to New England)

Yeah, most people just say "QRP", no call. When there's a big pileup I'll skip a few QRZeds to see if I can tell whether they're grabbing the first person or the last. I really like the guys who say "Space out your calls and I'll grab a few", then they'll do 5 QSOs and ask again.

Something to try with the noise is to cover the speaker. My Yaesu 857d sometimes has too much noise, even with the filtering on. But if I set something on the speaker (it's a top firing built in speaker), it blocks enough of the high frequency hiss to make it easier to hear. I have a small square of leather I use, or a coaster, anything to deaden the high frequency sounds.

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I also usually listen to how the pileups are handled...