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 Previous: Bicycles and Radios |  Next: Amateur Radio Volunteers on Flood Duty in New England |
By Anthony A. Luscre, K8ZT
Contributing Editor
May 14, 2006
As a service to new readers of both the ARRL Web site and "QRP Community," we "begin at the beginning" with an introduction to QRP.
Defining QRP
Quoting from my first ARRL Web column, "More than likely, you've heard of QRP--running low power, 5 W or less--to make contacts. You may have worked someone who was QRP or even thought about trying it yourself. To find out more about QRP, there's no better way than to take a tour of the 'QRP community.' The QRP community is a neighborhood loaded with great resources for everyone--from beginners to old-timers. As your tour guide, I'll be pointing out the highlights--and I'll apologize up front because there's so much to see, we just can't cover it all--at least not in a single column."
What is QRP Operation?
QRP is technically one of the many Q signals simply meaning "reduce your power" or (with a question mark added) "Can you reduce your power?" The term has taken on a much larger meaning.
Counterproductive?
 Wilderness Radio's SST (Simple Superhet Transceiver) QRP CW transceiver is a good example of a QRP Minimalist's delight. With its small size, only two knobs and a spartan exterior, this rig can easily and safely slip into a pocket or backpack. |
 The Rock-Mite, from Small Wonders Labs is an example of simple, inexpensive kit that rewards the builder with a lightweight QRP CW transceiver. Its small size fits into a custom case you can buy at your local convenience store-- an empty Altoids tin. |
 Here are four examples of multiband, multimode QRP transceivers. For more information on these full-featured QRP rigs you can read one of my previous columns. |
In our more-is-always-better society, it seems counterproductive to use less output power than your license allows you. Well, first you might want to reread the FCC rules for Amateur Radio operations. Part 97 requires amateur stations to use "the minimum power necessary to carry out the desired communications." Although good operating practice, this is not the motivation for most QRPers. Most QRPers have other incentives for low-power operation including the challenge, less chance of RFI, lower-cost equipment, easier to homebrew QRP radios and many others.
Four Different Flavors of QRPers
Just as in most cases where we try to impose arbitrary categories on people, many QRPers share traits from more than one of the above categories.
Next Time
Coming up in the second part of this column, I will discuss what got me started in QRP, QRP organizations and clubs, operating awards and QRP resources in print and on the Web.
Reader Feedback and Author's Comments
As I write this, I am preparing for the 11th Four Days in May® (FDIM) sponsored by QRP-Amateur Radio Club International (QRP-ARCI) and the Dayton Hamvention®. Week. If you are going, I hope to meet you there. If you are not sure, go! You will not be disappointed. It's lots of fun and a chance to meet hundreds of fellow QRPers and hear a stellar lineup of speakers and, oh, by the way, the biggest world's biggest hamfest is just down the road.
Editor's
note:
Anthony Luscre, K8ZT, an ARRL Life Member, lives in Stow, Ohio. He has worked
in the field of medical microbiology for 18 years and is now a Technology and
Computer Coordinator for a local school district. Luscre is an avid QRP
operator having earned DXCC (current count is at 293), WAS and WAC using no
more that 5 W output. Readers are invited to contact the author via e-mail or visit his Web site.
| Previous: Bicycles and Radios | Next: Amateur Radio Volunteers on Flood Duty in New England |
