[Elecraft] Alligators and Bats

[Ron D' Eau Claire]

Jim wrote:

>  As soon as I would tell the other station I was QRP, they wouldn't come
> back to me.  I couldn't understand why.  Now I do.  As a result, I
> usually don't share that I am QRP until near the end of the QSO.
>
> I suppose that if I identified myself as a QRP station when I answered
> his call (i.e., de W4BQP/QRP) it would give him a choice, but then I
> would have fewer QSOs than I now do. Maybe I will try it and see what
> happens.

I'm sorry to hear that, Jim, but I have experienced it too when I'm rolling
along with some of the QRO crowd that hangs out around 7.025. Someone
disappearing is rare, but they will cut the QSO short the moment they notice
the signals starting to QSB a bit, etc. Many of those ops like to sit back
and chew the rag while puttering around the shack. They aren't really much
interested in putting on the cans and concentrating on reading a weak
signal.

Frankly, I enjoy chewing the rag while puttering at the bench too as part of
my operating 'diet'. So I like to be polite and 'turn up the wick' when it's
called for. OTOH, I've had a lot of great rag chews with QRP and QRPp
signals, especially on 40 meters around 7.040.

With the QRP and QRPp crowd, I'll usually back off the power to match their
signal when we hook up. Out of respect for the gang, I'll also cut my power
down to 5 watts or less when calling on or very close to 7.040 or one of the
other recognized QRP frequencies.

I like the flexibility to do the same with the QRO gang by increasing my
power as well.

Ron AC7AC
K2 # 1289