[Lowfer] QRP, or what? (WAS: Crystal Ball Thinking)

[John Davis]

A question of terminology arises as we prepare to face a new ham band.

In traditional HF practice, QRP activists maintain some generally-agreed
very low transmitter power, then seek to stretch their range with efficient
antennas, hot receivers, and extraordinary feats of ear-brain DSP.

At LF, the 100W TPO limit will scarcely be QRP to the traditionalists.  And
yet, antennas of practical size will still be so poor that most folks will
have to strain to get 1% efficiency to emit 1W EIRP...which might, to some
folks, qualify as QRP.  More so, at least, than 1W plain ERP would've been
(grumble, grumble).

So do we sidestep the question of QRP/not QRP entirely?  If we do, what do
we call someone running the full legal limit all the time?  It's clearly not
appropriate to call them "California Kilowatts."

Will they be "Connecticut Kilowatts?"  And by comparison, what will we call
Part 15ers then?

Just a thought that cropped up about three days late---

73
John