Anonymous wrote:

I'm a new ham using the FT-817ND. I wish I had gotten a 100-watt rig as
my first transmitter and gotten the low-power 817ND later. I do like
the idea of QRP (low power) operation but it requires patience and some
experience with knowing when the bands are open. Probably not the best
choice for a new ham.

As someone who is on the other end of the signal path, I can tell
you that 100 watts is not going to make much of a difference if the
band is not "open".

Your signal would be stronger and the two "S units" or so may bring it
above the noise (or not), but if I can't hear you at all, 5 watts,
100 watts, 1000 watts, or even 100,000 watts is not going to make
your signal show up somewhere there is no propigation to.

It WILL help for crowded bands, where hearing your signal a little louder
than the others, or at least not being lost in a pile-up, but that comes
back to skill and patience.

Timing is also critical, when I can hear U.S. stations it's around sunrise
and sunset here. Sunrise is when most U.S. hams are asleep (around 11pm-1am
EST) and just getting to work when the sun sets. You also can't guess it
by looking out the window, since I'm closer to the equator, days are
shorter in the summer and longer in the winter.

I know the bands do open, on contest weekends, they suddenly "come alive".

The other problem is the bands themselves. Our 80m band goes to 3850 and while
legally 40m now goes to 7200, in practice, it stops at 7100 where the zillion
watt SWBC stations make ham communications impossible.

Quite simply, you can call "CQ DX" on 75m or 40m and no one this side of the
world will hear you and if we do and reply, you won't hear us unless you are
listening where we may transmit.

So skill, patience, and timing are as important as the bands being open,
and IMHO more important than how much power you use.

You will also find that if you tell people you are QRP, they often make
things easier for you, such as "CQ DX CQ DX DE (or "this is" for voice)
callsign QRP". Repeat your callsign several times slowly and
phoneticaly for voice and for CW don't call CQ faster than you the
slowest speed you want to copy.

You also should LISTEN for a while so you understand what the other operator
wants. If you want quick contacts for points or QSL cards, don't answer a CQ
or call someone who likes to chat and vice versa.

Since this is an antenna group, having a good low noise antenna in a low noise
location helps. If all you hear is S9+ noise, you won't make many contacts.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/