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QRP Contesting

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Matt285:
Hoping to get my Hendricks PFR-3 out and work the last part of the CQ WPX CW contest. I'm not big into contesting, but it might be a good way to make some QRP contacts. Wasn't sure if anyone else is participating?

pinto vortando:
My experience with QRP is that during a normal day you may call and call and not even make a contact.
However, during, say, Field Day you can make many contacts with just 1 watt and a simple antenna.
So, go for it.   Just be aware of what is required in the exchange as it can be rather rapid fire. 

Matt285:
Yes. I worked QRP exclusively for about five years during better band conditions. I typically don't even bother to call CQ. If I do decide to I have an external memory keyer I built years ago, so I can just push a button and sit back. I prefer a short exchange.

Josh:

--- Quote from: pinto vortando on May 24, 2019, 1140 UTC ---My experience with QRP is that during a normal day you may call and call and not even make a contact.
However, during, say, Field Day you can make many contacts with just 1 watt and a simple antenna.
So, go for it.   Just be aware of what is required in the exchange as it can be rather rapid fire.

--- End quote ---

It depends. I had a IC-703 (this rig highly underrated) feeding a two turn loop of wire wrapped around a window frame via a short run of coax/ferrites and it did ok on nvis 40m ssb with 10w out. Really wish Icom would make a sdr version of the 703. And yes, I learned to always call cq and not answer cq, even on jt65.

Matt285:
That's interesting. I do call CQ with my 100 watt rig, but only occasionally when QRP. I can see your point though. If your the one calling then theres not as much competition in comparison to trying to work a station with multiple ops trying the same. I remember when the 703's came out and were $429.99. I seem to remember a problem with the early generation 703's, but cant quite remember. I wanna say the finals went out in them fairly often. They still hold their value pretty well on the used market when you can come across one.

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