[FARC] FT-897D QRP

[Bob Moroney]

Kirk,

Strictly speaking, you're not running QRP unless your output RF is 5 
Watts or less. 

That rule applies if you're claiming QRP status in a contest, but the 
term QRP is also used much more loosely to describe any low-power 
operating, up to say, 10 or 15 Watts output.  This loose definition 
makes sense since the "Q" signal QRP means to "reduce power", and given 
that your rig is capable of putting out 100 W, if you're running at 20W, 
you've definitely reduced power.

So the FT-897 is not inherently a QRP rig, but since you can run it at 5 
W or less (just as you can your TS2000) if you want, you can "do" QRP 
with it. 

The enforced reduction to 20 W when running on battery pack power is 
just to conserve battery life and give you more operating time on a 
pack.  You'll get even more battery life by reducing power further down 
below 20 W, and you may also find that you get more time out of a pack 
after it's gone through a few charge-discharge cycles. 

A "real" QRP rig doesn't just put out 5 W or less, it also has a very 
stingy current draw in receive.  I don't think any of the portable Yaesu 
rigs (FT817 or FT897) can claim that.  The Icom IC703 is better, I 
believe, but still not up to the standards of some of the Elecraft, 
Wilderness Radio and other QRP radios. 

On the antenna, I would say that you'll get "better" results overall 
with the Buddipole, simply because you can adjust (i.e., "play") with 
its configuration and orientation much more readily than with a regular 
wire antenna. 

Tomorrow at the lunch get-together we should talk about getting your 
Buddipole on the air.  We definitely need to push some RF through it 
prior to the Scout program...

73, Bob K9CMR
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
kirktal7237 at msn.com wrote:
> Just got an Yaesu FT-897D for portable use with the Buddipole antenna.  I'm running it on two NiMh battery packs which contrary to Ham radio dealer literature only provide 4 hours of continuous operation at 20 watts on HF not 8 hours.  The FT-897D automatically switches to 20 watts maximum RF power when using battery packs, I have no control over this.  
>
> Now I haven't set up the Buddipole antenna yet, but I am using the FT-897D with my 40 meter inverted V dipole.  This dipole has given fair to marginal performance at 100 watts with other radios depending on band conditions.  Today using the FT-897D on 40 meters I made my first contact using 20 watts.  I reached Joliet, Illinois and got a confusing signal report.  Very weak signal but good audio, with 0 to 1 S-units on the meter.   The guy could barely copy me over the background noise.
>
> So this radio is evidently a QRP rig, not that there's anything wrong with that, and I was just wondering will I need some type of gain antenna like a beam to make this rig work?  I've been told that the right antenna with gain can be a good substitute for brute RF power and put out a fine signal.  Any thoughts on this?
>
> See you all at the luncheon tomorrow.  
>
> 73
> KB3ONM
> Kirk  
>
>