> Insights one and all?
>
> Hal
> N4GG
_________
Since I have two SS CW plaques for winning SE Division QRP, I'll add some
comments specifically directed to QRP and low power ops:
1. You need a beam -- the 'classic' 70-foot tower with a tribander and
shorty forty is a fine SS setup.
2. With low sunspots 40 may be the big money band. That shorty 40 will get a
workout (see #4, too). Note that daytime operation on 40 has increased with
SO2R, so an occasional check is worthwhile.
3. 80 could be very important if not too noisy. One key to rate, whether one
radio or two, is to keep finding new stations -- readily done by changing to
a band with different skip length. In successive CW SSs, I used a vertical
and a delta loop on 80. Performance was completely "by the book" -- with the
vertical, I worked more distant stations, and with the loop, I worked more
close-in stuff. Both were about equally useful for rate and score; guess I
need both!
4. Got an old tribander? Got wire for a dipole? From the SE, you need to
cover everything from due W to NE. To keep from wearing out the rotator (and
waiting for the antenna to turn), have an extra antenna for 40 and 20,
oriented broadside due North or NNE. Low height is fine.
5. There are LOTS of easy QSOs at short skip and one-hop distances -- All
those W5 ops plus SMC, MWA, MRRC, CCO, PVRC, FCG, TCG etc. Spend most of
your time on the bands that are open to these high activity areas. Carefully
ration your multiplier hunting time (or operate U class).
6. QRP and LP stations have a tendency to S&P too much. As you S&P, you'll
find a clear frequency now and then -- jump on it and start CQing! The first
time I woke up and started doing this (QRP), I calculated that it added 30
or 40 bonus QSOs to the log.
73 from Up North,
Gary, K9AY
Hey, I still have the GA record for SS CW QRP -- somebody needs to take it
away from me... ;-)
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