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IONOSPHERE INCREASES.  MORE LOWER FREQUENCY SIGNAL ENERGY WILL BE ABSORBED
COMPARED TO QUIETER TIMES, AND LESS WILL BE REFRACTED.  NOISE LEVELS AT
THOSE FREQUENCIES WILL INCREASE AS WELL.  LOW POWER OPERATING AND MOBILES
AS THE IONOSPHERE BECOMES MORE REFRACTIVE, IT BECOMES EASIER TO MAKE
CONTACTS WITH LOW POWER AND COMPROMISE ANTENNAS.  SOME MAY RECALL THAT
DURING THE PEAK OF CYCLE 22 IN THE LATE 1980S AND EARLY 1990S, WE SAW A
VARIETY OF INEXPENSIVE 10 METER TRANSCEIVERS FLOODING THE MARKET.  THESE
<  QST DE W1AW  =
WERE LOWER POWERED RADIOS THAT TYPICALLY PRODUCED ABOUT 25 W OUTPUT.
CONDITIONS WERE SO GOOD ON 10 METERS THAT YOU COULD WORK MUCH OF THE WORLD
WITH THESE RADIOS AND A SIMPLE DIPOLE ANTENNA.  QRP OPERATORS HAMS WHO USE
5 W OUTPUT OR LESS WILL BENEFIT GREATLY FROM IMPROVED CONDITIONS TO COME.
QRP OPERATING HAS BEEN POPULAR FOR YEARS BECAUSE THE RADIOS ARE SIMPLER
ESPECIALLY KIT RADIOS AND, AT SUCH LOW OUTPUT LEVELS, THEIR SIGNALS ARE FAR
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