Amps
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [Amps] QRO vs QRP

To: Jim Thomson <Jim.thom@telus.net>
Subject: Re: [Amps] QRO vs QRP
From: Roger <sub1@rogerhalstead.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:37:48 -0500
List-post: <amps@contesting.com">mailto:amps@contesting.com>

Jim Thomson wrote:
> <snip>
>
> Remember that power like many things is a double edge sword
>
> 73 and good luck,
>
> Roger (K8RI)
>
>   
I think we are in agreement.
Years ago we had a group that would get together on the bottom end of 75 
phone.  In the afternoons we were just far enough apart for the Northern 
most stations to hear the Southern most we had to run power.

When we first started up though, we mostly ran 100 watts in the 
afternoon, but with the onset of evening we would get crowded out ...So 
we started running power and no more problems with getting crowded out. 
However there was no such thing as an MP3 or even personal computers in 
those days. 

We more or less had what amounted to a daily schedule for many years. 
Occasionally others would check in and the group grew although IIRC 
there were never more than about 8 or 10...probably not quite that many 
as I can only remember 6 regulars. I remember the same problem hearing 
the lower powered stations and I only remember one guy extolling the 
virtues of low power and the evils of high power. 

One night after many years of operating the same times and same 
frequency +/- a tad some guy called in madder than a hornet and about as 
tactful claiming we were on some net frequency. I don't think it was a 
change in propagation as we'd been there for some many years. We could 
not hear a sign of any one on the net and even asked if they were 
hearing us.  I think this guy had probably heard of the net and wanted 
to listen. Being far closer to us than them he probably only heard us, 
either that or he was one of those watchdogs that tries to keep the 
frequency clear whether they were using it or not.  At any rate we 
moved, but I don't recall any of us ever hearing a net on that frequency.

Basically the only way we could keep the group going was to run power 
and in the summer time static crashes "to me" it appeared to make a much 
larger difference that the roughly 1 1/2 S units should have accounted 
for.  OTOH s-meters being what they are...

At least one of our old group (besides me) follows a couple of the 
reflectors so I'm going to try to remember to ask him about that the 
next time I see him.

73

Roger (K8RI)
> ##  Our small group on 75m  agreed to have all it's member's run at least 1 kw
> output.  The idea was, then everyone could hear everyone else. Then along
> comes the odd break in from the 100 w  fellows [summertime static crash's] 
> who none of could hear very well.  One of the 100 w stations broke in, and 
> gave us all this 14 minute  stinging lecture, about the evils of QRO, I why 
> the
> legal limit should be 100w max, blah blah.   The fellow was Q1  copy,  so we
> just talked right over top of him.   The normal deal, when that happens, is, 
> we record
> them, then send them a MP-3  file, so they know what they sound like at our 
> end. 
>
> ## Then once in a while, some 3 watt pep  station breaks in, [trys to] and 
> go's
> on and on and on about  how wonderful real qrp is.    The fix for this is,  
> we all
> switch the linears to bypass mode,  then reduce the xcvr power output to say
> 2-5 w pep.   The QRP  fellow immediately complains that he can't HEAR any of
> us !    We  do the same technique in summer time, with the 100w stations, we 
> all drop to
> 100w, then they complain , "i can't hear, can u pse turn the amp back on" 
>
> ##  sure, ant's  are great and everything, but most folks are maxed out, then 
> what?
> How do u get another 10 db on 160m... you  can't !   If ur inverted v on 75m  
> is up 60'
> and that's all you can do, there is no way to get any more ant gain, ur maxed 
> out.
>
> ##  some will say, 'u can't work em, if you can's hear em'     To that I 
> say.." you can't work
> em, if they can't HEAR you"   Amps are great, one small box, that provides 
> another 10-12db
> of gain on ALL bands !  [only on TX]     Ok, it doesn't work on RX... well 
> that's the other fellow's
> two edged sword.  It's actually cheaper for both stations on a noisy 75m band 
> to have an amp,
> vs each station trying to figure out how to increase ant gain by 13 db .
>
> Just my 2 cents.
>
> later.... Jim  VE7RF  
> _______________________________________________
> Amps mailing list
> Amps@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
>
>   
_______________________________________________
Amps mailing list
Amps@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>