Is there any advantages/Disadvantages to operating on QRP ?
John

Advantages
1. Reduced possibility to RFI, TVI to the neighbors
2. An ego booster if you can do the mostest with the leastest
3. A challenge of your skills
4. Fun to be the underdog (for some, others wud rather be top dog)
5. Enhances your skills as it can be more difficult to make contacts
6. You will soon find it is generally easier to make CW QRP contacts -- so
enhances your CW skills
7. Equipment is usually cheaper
8. Lot easier to operate on batteries or solar power than 100 watt rig
9. A great brag tape "I worked DXCC QRP" there is an ARRL award for QRPers
10. Fun to calculate miles per watt and improve your record
11. Less chance of frazzling your brain if close to the antenna
12. The dog will probably live if it chews on the antenna
13. Less chance the XYL will complain -- "Ur gettin in the telephone"
14. A snap at the height of the solar cycle on 10 and 12M ( little tougher
on the other bands)
15. At the DX club, a big gun flashes a rare QSL card (he/she runs a KW) you
show your QRP card - Gotcha
16. Easier to homebrew a QRP rig
17. Meets part 97 for using the lowest power necessary to make a contact
(Too many KW's on the band)
18. It is a David and Goliath thing
19. You are only down ~ 2 S-Units compared to running 100 Watts

Disadvantages
1. You can spend days trying to break a pileup of a rare station
2. For the determined and patient only (read that one again)
3. Just plain frustrating when you can hear the a station quite well and
they can't hear you
4. Ya better have a real real good antenna and low loss transmission line
5. Tough to be QRP on the low bands (80 and 160M, too much noise)
6. Other Hams will tell you QRP is for sissies ( but the enlightened know
better)
7. For the upper bands, at the minimum of the solar cycle -- man ya gotta
work work work to get contacts
8. Read number 2 again
9. Read Number 2 again

Off the top o da head answers


--
Gore Rilla -- ARRL QRP award



"Simon Smith" wrote in message
...
Is there any advantages/Disadvantages to operating on QRP ?
John

Simon Smith wrote:
Is there any advantages/Disadvantages to operating on QRP ?
John

Hi, John -

If you want a challenge, try qrp. If you want a *real* challenge, try
qrp on 160 meters this weekend in the ARRL 160M contest.

You might enjoy reading the qrp-l email reflector - it's the grand dame
or qrp lists: http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/qrp-l/

73 - Lee H, NB7F

Simon Smith wrote:
Is there any advantages/Disadvantages to operating on QRP ?

Advantage: Bragging rights! "I worked Easter Island with ONE WATT!"

Disadvantage: "Life is too short for QRP." :-)
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

"Cecil Moore" wrote Disadvantage: "Life is too short
for QRP." :-)

Close, Cecil. Actually, life is *not long enough* for QRP.
You have so much fun you wish it would go on forever. ;-)

73, John - K6QQ

John Moriarity wrote:
"Cecil Moore" wrote Disadvantage: "Life is too short
for QRP." :-)

Close, Cecil. Actually, life is *not long enough* for QRP.
You have so much fun you wish it would go on forever. ;-)

Yep, and that's about how long it takes to complete a
schedule. :-)
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp

Close, Cecil. Actually, life is *not long enough* for QRP.
You have so much fun you wish it would go on forever. ;-)

Yep, and that's about how long it takes to complete a
schedule. :-)

Telephones are for schedules ;-)

73, John - K6QQ

Hi Simon

Assuming you are not just talking about the technical "challenge" of
operating with low power.

Adv
- Less power consumption
- Less chance of causing TVI/BCI etc
- Transmitters of lower power tend to be cheaper than those of higher
power. You can also get away with a less "clean" TX (spurious o/p etc)
- Matching networks etc dont need to be able to withstand as high
voltage/power. (Also means cheaper)
- Almost zero chance of RF burns off the TX!
- Can run the setup off batteries for the camping trip away.

Dis
- Generally speaking a bigger investment in antenna height and design is
needed. Think about what direction it radiates and keep ground losses to
a minimum.
- Signals have more chance of being noisy so you may have to use your
ears to do a lot of filtering. This generally means you will have the
audio volume higher. (If you have a PC you might like to use it for DSP
noise reduction)
- You may have to spend some time supressing local noise noises so you
can hear the weaker (QRP) stations.
- In a "dogpile" of stronger stations people wont hear you so well.

If your license allows it you may want to try some of the narrow band
keyboarding modes (eg PSK31). You can easily carry on a QSO with 20W all
around the world.

Good luck!

Cheers Bob VK2YQA


Simon Smith wrote:
Is there any advantages/Disadvantages to operating on QRP ?
John

"Simon Smith" wrote -

Is there any advantages/Disadvantages to operating on QRP ?
John

No disadvantages. Great fun. A great advantage is a reduction in your
electricity bills.

You distinguish yourself from the CBers-Masquerading-As-Radio-Hans
who buy their gear from a shop ready-made and then have to send it
back there if ever it needs maintenance or calibration.

"Simon Smith" wrote in message
...
Is there any advantages/Disadvantages to operating on QRP ?
John