[FARC] FT-897D QRP

[kirktal7237 at msn.com]

I'm intrigued by near-QRP power level operation.   I may bring the rig and 
buddipole to field day and try it out.  Of course I've never done a field 
day and have no idea how to operate in one.   From what I am hearing now on 
HF  I  can't imagine HF band conditions being so good that 5 watts can 
actually enable one to make long-range SSB phone contacts.   I'm looking 
forward to it.

73
KB3ONM
Kirk

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Joseph M. Durnal" <joseph.durnal at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2008 4:33 PM
To: "Frederick, Maryland ARC" <farc at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [FARC] FT-897D QRP

> Most folks define QRP operation as 5 watts.  The lower the power, the
> more you depend upon conditions.  Durning last year's Maryland & DC
> QSO party I made contacts with several QRP statoins on 75 meters.  A
> lot of them were strong to very strong because conditions were good.
>
> 73 de Joseph Durnal NE3R
>
> On Thu, May 1, 2008 at 3:37 PM,  <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
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> FARC mailing list
>> FARC at mailman.qth.net
>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/farc
>>
> _______________________________________________
> FARC mailing list
> FARC at mailman.qth.net
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/farc
>