[PaQSO] QRP lament from the Midwest

[William N. Goodman, CPA (K3ANS)]

I firmly believe that we stations who work QRP stations deserve bonus
points.  We must spend extra time and effort to dig them out of the mud.
They get the thrill, we do not. We need better antennas and receivers. Many
QRP stations also have inadequate antennas, so their signals are very weak.
I usually have no problem hearing QRP stations with good antennas.   QRP
stations like to answer strong stations, often those running 1.5 KW, who are
usually busy in fast runs. The typical QRP station slows down the contest
QSO rate.

I never forget spending 15 minutes trying to copy a weak station in a DX
contest on 75 meters, who I eventually logged from England, no great
multiplier.  He later wrote me a nice thank you letter explaining that he
was running around 10 watts to a dipole inside  his basement apartment in
downtown London!  No wonder I struggled.  It was a thrill for him, but a
waste of time for me.  I persevered in trying to copy him, since I am a
gentleman and hoped it was a rare multiplier.

QRP stations in the PA QSO Party should not get a 2 X multiplier for their
scores.  The other sides of the QSOs should get at least 2 X multipliers.
Allow QRP stations to be in a class of their own, for friendly competition.

I have nothing against QRP, but if the FCC gets wind of the QRP success we
may all be forced to lower our maximum powers.  Then non-hams and commercial
radio interests with average receiving wires when tuning across H.F. bands
will hear little activity and assume the ham bands are inactive.  They will
play those bands to the FCC and congressmen,  and we may lose assigned
spectrum.   We should all endeavor to be loud and protect our turf.

We suffer the same problem in the DX windows of the H.F. bands.  Hams with
little understanding of DX tune up and call CQ on top of DX stations because
they cannot hear them.  They are amazed when many DXers jump back at them
and tell them the frequency is already in use.  Sometimes they cause
additional QRM arguing with the DXers claiming that the frequencies are not
in use because they cannot copy.

Major DXpeditioners have often stated that they must be LOUD to control the
frequency.

Harley Davidson motorcycle owners use the same concept. They state that loud
mufflers save lives.  They make sure everyone knows they are on the road!
(I ride an equally big or bigger Honda Gold Wing with very quiet mufflers.)

73, Bill, K3ANS>>

----- Original Message -----
From: <DougHDH@aol.com>
To: <paqso@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 24, 2002 11:33 AM
Subject: [PaQSO] QRP lament from the Midwest


> Hi All,
>
> Several of you are trying to decide if QRP is right for you.  As a
> representative of hams west of the Wabash River, please keep in mind that
QRP
> on 40 meters just doesn't cut the mustard into the Midwest and west,
> particularly during the day.  We have a hard enough time trying to draw
folks
> up to 20 meters.
>
> Same is true of mobiles QRP unless they are on 20 meters.  If they are SSB
> mobile  on 40, we almost never hear them - if they are QRP, we DON'T hear
> them.
>
> Give us a break - but have fun whatever you decide and we will do
likewise!!
>
> 73,  Doug W3HDH/9
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