QRP QSO

[NO2A]

I just had an amazing qso with AA1TJ,Mike in VT. He was running an all homebrew transmitter/receiver,with the transmitter featuring a pair of 2N123 transistors dated July 1959! Total output power 50mw on 80m! I was running 100 watts. Miracles do happen,even with my low 80m dipole.   

[KW6LA]

Yes, Low power can be amazing ! Had a contact with UA0IT Andy, ( Russia ) on 5 watts / mobile/ CW. Now I could gloat over my home brew big gun Bug Catcher antenna .
This bigger truth is condition were exceptional, and the other Ham was using a very good antenna.  It is random and fun but like Alan ( K0BG  mobile setup mentor ) says,
It does not have a lot of merit as to skills or efficiency. I am not retired yet, so I run QRO to make a quick contact or two with limited time. My favorite kit, Oak Hills Research
and my Ten Tec  Argosy. Have Fun with QRP-P.

[W1JKA]

  Happy to hear that you and other hams are realizing that QRP DX contacts are made every day (especially 2 way QRP), by using simple proven wire antennas and following your basic day/night propagation for your band of interest.I have regular 40/20 meter cw skeds with other QRP ops in Washington state,Brazil and european Russia from here in Maine with 5 watts,a homebrew windom at 25 ft. with no tuner.Nothing difficult about it, just wish more hams would try it. Jim

[AD4U]

QRP can amaze you.  I recently got a 559 signal report on 20 meter CW from Australia while running one watt from SC - about 11,500 miles.  My transmitter is home brew running from a 12V battery.  I imagine it would be even easier and the signal report would have been better if 10 mmeters would have been open at the time.

Dick  AD4U

[AA4GA]

I've worked 116 countries since the end of last February, all at 5 watts or less, with the largest antenna being an 80m doublet up 45'.  Sunspots help!  ;-)

Go to aa4ga.com and click on "QRP DXCC" and see some really big QRP totals!

73 de Lee

[KB9BVN]

Mike is one incredible QRP operator.  He builds some of the funky-est stuff and gets it on the air.  He's a great inspiration.

72 es OO