QRP rig

Dave Ingram K4TWJ was a master in the QRP world. Sadly he is a SK.

QRP? Life's too short?

This "tongue in cheek" video pokes fun at people who don't believe QRP really works! Certainly with POTA operations a few watts seem plenty. Another later video does it will SSB. 

Running QRP

Some say life is too short for QRP. 

There is no doubt that running high power to a beam will be copied more often than QRP. It will also break pile-ups more easily. 

However, running QRP is often much better than you might think as this video shows. 

The difference by ear between high power and QRP is often much smaller than you think. Try it! In another video he tries it with SSB.

QRP transceiver from Sweden

 

This appeared in SPRAT 31 and I believe earlier in RadCom. I must have missed it.

QRP drawbacks

Because of my poor voice, I mainly use WSPR and FT8 these days. Especially with FT8 there are couple of things making QRP operation harder these days.

Firstly, it is quite possible to be "clobbered" by a stronger station. Often this station is inaudible and a person does not know he or she is co-channel with a much stronger signal.

Secondly, in some places, the noise floor can be high due to all the noisy electronics many people use like switched mode power supplies in TVs, PCs and the like. Over time the noise floor, especially in towns and cities, is well above what it was even 30 years ago.

You are far less likely to be "sat on" by a stronger station with WSPR than FT8, but cycle times are nearly 2 minutes rather than  just 15 seconds.

RGO-One QRP HF transceiver

This was found on the internet the other day. 

It looks a very handsome rig, although I do not think it was ever mass produced. 

I have never seen it for sale.

Forty-9er transceiver

This was a design for a tiny QRP CW transceiver for 40m CW.  This short video shows the radio with a digital display, which was non-standard. 

See https://www.norcalqrp.org/files/49erOrigMnl.pdf

Kits are still available.

QRP CW

 

Recently, there was a 50mW CW QSO on 20m using this homemade TX. I forget who designed and built this.

QRP radio

 I am a great QRP fan. This video may inspire you. Without any amplification on RX I expect the RX is deaf, so best not call CQ, but answer other people's calls.

QRP Fun

This video is 7 years old, but it might inspire you. Basically it is a 1 transistor transceiver by Dave Ingram K4TWJ from the book "International QRP Collection". 

I would expect the RX to be deaf so probably best to use on a sked rather than calling CQ on a frequency already occupied by a station that you cannot hear.

Getting harder?

In all the years I have been involved in amateur radio (it started in 1961!) my main interest has been QRP (low power). 

In recent years the local noise level especially in urban areas has gone up, mainly because we have more gadgets and chargers. These often use switched mode power supplies which can produce a lot of noise. Taken together these can increase the noise floor. The result is weak signals can be buried in the noise.

Sadly, this means QRP operation can be harder. 

The problem is not so much the low power but the noise floor at the receiving end. If you have an electrically quiet QTH, you can still dig these signals out. Such sites are becoming rarer.

Probably there is a power below which it gets much harder.  At very low power it is easy to be clobbered by a stronger station as well. 

Thinking of the future, I suspect 5W QRP will be a good choice.

Ultra-simple transceiver

Many years ago I set out to see just how simple a viable transceiver could be made. It was published in GQRP SPRAT. It certainly works! Others built it and have worked some remarkable DX. It is also on my website.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-feter-transceiver .

QRP operation

Ever since I started in amateur radio I have enjoyed QRP.  DXCC was worked with 10W SSB on 10m with a low dipole in the 1980s.  

These days with FT8 basic QSOs are even easier. In my experience 5W FT8 or less and simple antennas are all that is needed to work the world. Of course 1000W and a big beam would make things easier, but where is the fun?

There is a whole array of QRP radios available either as kits or ready built. I guess the choice now is greater than ever.

Pititico 1 transistor transceiver

You may be interested in this (and other) videos on the Pititico transceiver on DX Explorer. 

As there is no amplification of the audio on RX I imagine it is not very sensitive so probably safer to call stations you can hear. Putting out a call you might squash another station already there that you cannot hear!

Does QRP SSB really work?

DXCC with 10W SSB was worked here on 10m back in the 1980s, so DX is rarely chased these days. Interesting to see this video comparing 5W to 45W on 40m SSB. There is a difference, but loads of contacts at 5W.

What’s this?

Whilst rummaging through drawers in my shack trying to find a power supply for an unused PC, I came across this TX. I have no recollection of making it, but it looks like an OXO QRP CW transmitter. It must date from the 1990s or early 2000s. 

Pititico ultra simple transceiver

As far as I can tell this ultra-simple transceiver has a passive receiver. It was designed initially by PY2OHH and this version appeared in this Canadian club magazine. Others have made versions for other bands. 

Clearly with such an insensitive receiver, it is better to call others calling CQ as you may not hear others on the frequency. The RX sensitivity will depend how good the headphones are.

See https://www.calameo.com/read/0076654746ade7e23a716 .

See also https://hackaday.com/2024/07/12/tiny-transceiver-gets-it-done-with-one-transistor/ .

Someone else trying my designs

 It is always good to see others trying their hand at my designs. DX Explorer has a video of him breadboarding my 2 transistor 80m transceiver. My designs are always a starting point. Pretty sure you will be able to improve them!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-xbm80-2 .

QRP radios

There’s a wide choice these days in QRP radios unlike years ago . I expect this is, in part, due to the popularity of SOTA and POTA activations where small size and weight are important. One example is the transceiver shown in the photo.

QRP portable

This photo was taken many years ago in my mother’s garden. Also, judging by what hair I have, which was still black, I would guess this in the 1980s. As I recall, I was using the 2m 200mW PEP MX2 with a 1W 10m homebrewed transverter all powered with a 12V 1A sealed lead acid battery pack. As I recall, I got all over the world with this set-up. The antenna was a base loaded whip on the grass.