QRP is an operational output level.
Before you QRP operators get to proud making your WAS at 5 watts please give credit to all the stations you worked who bought good transceivers, located their stations in low noise areas and spent big bucks putting up efficient antennas to hear your puny signal and then bought amplifier so you could hear their signal with your minimalist, endfed wire, tossed over the tree.
Coming out of the last sun spot cycle I contend 100 watts to be QRP.
There’s always a jerk in the bunch. Spare me the sarcasm. That’s what ruins the hobby.
The last few years in this “poor” solar cycle running QRP I’ve been able to work many DXpeditions and all over the world breaking pile ups to work those stations. I spent the entire 2019 year strictly QRP 24/7 7days a week 365 days of the entire 2019 year period and I managed to work the world and documented it taking video. Grant it, not easy to do and difficult indeed, but choosing the right antenna systems and working portable in the right locations was a strategic move and it paid off. Sometimes I get them in the first call, maybe third and sometimes the 15th call, but contact was made.
Weather I was running 5watts from my Yeasu FT817, or running 100 watts using the same exact antenna system the only difference was a weaker signal, but that’s a choice. Had nothing to do with only specifically the antenna systems the DX was using. Had everything to do with the antenna systems I put up. That’s running a yagi, or my EFHW. Where and how you install your antennas properly is all part of the game.
Anyway, every QRP’er has every right to be proud of running, enjoying and experimenting with QRP and being successful at it while those who like everything easy and dull continue to use their 100watts.
73