QRP mode?

Iain McLachlan

How can I lower the power below 1W?

QRP isn't much of a challenge when WSPR is still doing >5000 miles on 1 watt into a mag-loop sitting on the window ledge! I want to reduce the power, not generate heat with attenuators.

Cheers.

Duane_AC5AA

I don't know if it would work or not, but have you checked out the transverter output?

Tim - W4TME

There is no way to operate less than ~1W without a pad or using the 0dBm transverter output.

Jim Gilliam

Remember QRP on your end requires a magnificent antenna system on the other end.

Iain McLachlan

I've heard that comment a fair bit, but it's not that simple. 

Iain McLachlan

That's 30dbm down. I guess that, that's the answer, that it's a fixed lower limit.

Is this a hardware issue Tim?

Jim Gilliam

Maybe so, but I continually hear QRP'ers bragging about how they worked station X with 1 Watt, while the receiving station is the one who should get the credit.

Iain McLachlan

No, but I will now!

Iain McLachlan

Signals are sent, not attracted.

K6NOK- Bill

Jim
I expect all of you guys to have a magnificent antenna system, because mine is so pitiful.

Ken - NM9P

Having attended presentations at Dayton by the GQRP and other low power enthusiasts, I have learned that most serious QRP'ers are passionate about squeezing every last drop out of their low power stations, and that includes building some fantastic antenna systems.  In fact, a QRP station with a great antenna will outperform a 100 Watt station with a sub-standard antenna system.  

5 Watts is only 13 dB below 100 watts.  This is just a hair over 2 S-units.  
1 Watt is only 20 dB below 100 Watts.  This is about 3 1/2 S-units.

There have been many days when the QSB fluctuated by more than that in a 30 second cycle.  QRP and QRPp are certainly doable, especially on the higher bands.  I admit it can be very tough on 160 & 80.  Though there have been many times that I have had stations refuse to believe that I was only running 5 Watts from my FLEX-1500!

KY6LA_Howard

To Quote my friend Harvey K6QK (SK) when I asked him about doing QRP via my SteppIR MonstIR

"Life is too Short for QRP"

Ken - NM9P

Yes, but using that logic who would ever have kids?  You can just adopt them when they are already **** trained and have a job!  hi hi!  

OTOH...I would love to try some QRP on a MonstIR!  That would be awesome.  Then after a while I would crank-er-up!

KY6LA_Howard

Great idea about adopting **** trained kids with a job... I wish we had been smart enough to do that 40+ years ago...

I did a lot of QRP with **** antennas when I was a kid because that was all i could afford....

One of the joys in life is no longer having to repeat unpleasant stuff that you were forced by poverty to do...

Today I just point the beam, turn on the 2K-FA and Voila - I am usually the first response from any DX Station...in fact, I get really worried now if I am not the first one they come back to....really helps the rate and scores in contests....

K6OZY

My QRP Flex solution is a Flex 1500.  LOVE IT!  It's also low power consumption so its very field usable.  The 6000's still take quite a bit of power even at 1W.

AA3RQ-Geof

My first three contacts with my Flex 6500 and a long wire were all QRP (5 watts) DX. Canada and Russia on 40m, and France on 15m. I wasn't really trying for DX, it just happened.

np2g

I'll vote for that. Life IS to short for QRP Isn,t 1.5kw qrp ??

Mike W9OJ

Life is too short for radio.
Use the telephone.

Iain McLachlan

Well, that worked as expected. Nothing. There must be something wrong with those magnificent antennas at the other end. ;o)

Iain McLachlan

Tim, is this a hardware issue?

Iain McLachlan

If radio was, to me, just a case of 'point a beam and in they come'... I'd find another hobby. QRP and **** antennas... sounds like fun to me. And I don't live in poverty. I'd doubt anyone else using SmartSDR does either.

Iain McLachlan

Yawn...

Iain McLachlan

I've just found my old 1500. I meant to sell it but clearly didn't. Time to dust it off methinks...

I can't remember if its power is variable though. I'm confused with my 5000a which IS going in the auctions.

Ken - NM9P

I ran some experiments a while back (10 months or so ago) and was able to QSO a friend 0.8 miles away on 10 meters easily with my antenna connected to the transverter jack on my 6500.  You can follow the thread below and see the power calculations that I did with Eric and Steve's help.  

https://community.flexradio.com/flexradio/topics/milliwatting_with_the_6500_what_is_the_transverter_...

Tim - W4TME

Not really.  The radio was designed to operate between 1 and 100W.  Not below 1W.

Iain McLachlan

Hi Tim. I'm a bit confused by your reply. So it's only a software limitation then?

Mike va3mw

I have contest friends who when a qrp station calls them they reduce their power to minimum which often results in the qrp station saying the can't hear the station that was originally high power.

KY6LA_Howard

Life is far too short for QRP!

Iain McLachlan

If that QRP station were to reduce the power sufficiently, then your "contest" friend wouldn't be able to hear the QRP station either.

Iain McLachlan

Life's too short for posting on forums. )

Iain McLachlan

 "The 6000's still take quite a bit of power even at 1W."

That'll be the PC in the radio.

The 6000 solution means using two computers and one radio. It's quite an inefficient way of using power.