[Amps] QRO vs QRP

[Jim Thomson]

The same is true for a noisy band.  160, 75, and 40 are particularly 
prone to QRN and the warmer the weather the worse it gets.  If 75 is 
open in the evening, thunderstorms from Georgia to Florida, to Texas can 
be S-9 or louder up here in the central part of Michigan.  That's when 
you hope for some one out there to call you that is running power. OTOH 
if you call CQ running power when the band is noisy in your area you are 
likely to miss quite a few answers from areas with less noise.  In the 
massive pileups power may be a considerable help for the one running it, 
but timing and technique will trump power quite often unless the station 
is running REAL POWER. OTOH some one in the pile up running power, but 
with poor timing and technique is a hindrance to every one. 
Still if it gets the station with poor timing and technique out of the 
pileup quicker then the rest of us benefit.

Remember that power like many things is a double edge sword

73 and good luck,

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