[Elecraft] getting started with QRP

[Matt Zilmer]

On Sun, 4 Jan 2015 11:34:41 -0700, you wrote:

>Hello all and happy 2015!
>
>I am not new to amateur radio but I am new to the world of QRP.
>I recently received a KX3 and would like to try it out.  I live in Colorado
>and I have access to both a Buddipole and an Alexloop antenna.

I'd recommend a wire antenna.  See below.

>
>I have a few questions as a QRP newbie:
>
>1) what are the most popular QRP bands for monitoring and what are the main
>calling frequencies (day and night)?

30m and 20m seem to be fairly active.  I operate CW when QRP, and
14060 / 10106 are good watering holes freqs.  I use a wire antenna
when portable, and it always works well.

The antenna has a 23 foot radiating element and a 16 foot
counterpoise, so it's off-center fed.  I've used it on 40, 30, 20 and
17m with pretty good success (it can be a little hard to tune on 40m).

  Using a convenient rock attached to the radiator end, just throw it
over a tree with some amount of rope leader then pull the counterpoise
out and tie it to whatever's available - usually a tree limb or ground
object.  This antenna is fed with ladder line and terminates into a
BL2 balun set to 1:1.
>
73,
matt
W6NIA
Matt Zilmer, W6NIA
--
"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will
spend the first four sharpening the axe." -A. Lincoln