[CQ-Contest] QRP

[David Gilbert]

I like operating QRP and have done do so in several contests (and always 
during Field Day), but frankly I just don't understand the rationale for 
setting aside special band segments for QRP'ers to call CQ, or for 
awarding a greater number of points for working a QRP station during a 
typical contest.  Aside from being unwieldy, it seems to me to defeat 
the challenge and recognition of operating QRP.  Why claim QRP status 
and then expect to get special treatment that blurs the distinction?

Field Day does indeed award differing points depending upon transmitter 
power used, but almost all other contests have a QRP category that 
recognizes the extra difficulty of running low power.  Having a 
peer-level QRP category is, in my opinion, a LOT less arbitrary than 
determining an appropriate point multiplier for QRP contacts.  Using 
Field Day as an example, a station running 100 watts or 1000 watts has 
almost no chance to score higher in points than a similarly equipped 
station running 5 watts using the ARRL multipliers, which is one of the 
reasons I always run QRP in that event.

Besides, as others have pointed out, antennas are going to have a major 
impact on signal strength for DX contacts anyway.  It just gets silly 
trying to assign handicap values to level the playing field for every 
significant variability.

Dave  AB7E