> Riccardo Asked:
> I would appreciate very much if QRP operators would share their experience
> about typical DX activity on 160 at QRP level (DXCC, WAC, Europe-US
> contacts, contest placement, etc.).
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I have operated 7 or 8 160M contests at 5 watts, as well as DX contests with
QSOs on 160. All but one was done with either a shunt-fed 75 ft. tower on a city
lot, or an inverted-L of the same height at the present far-suburban QTH. The
one exception was a guest op at W4WA with his full-size 1/4-wave vertical and 6
Beverages.
>From Colorado, I could work nearly all states and 4 to 7 DX countries in each
contest -- Central America, Caribbean and the Pacific. From Georgia, more
countries are workable, mainly by being closer to the Caribbean and South
America, plus a few European "big guns" if conditions allow.
>From W4WA, in the 1998 ARRL 160 contest, I worked only 6 countries, but
conditions were not great. However, two of those 6 countries were Belgium (OT8U)
and Germany (DJ7AA). I got partial copy from three more European stations during
that contest.
You need a good transmit antenna for QRP, but I want to emphasize that hearing
well is just as important. Many stations operate at low power and are not loud,
but they can hear well. I have much success with QRP when calling weaker
stations -- no pileup!
My opinion is that QRP is a lot of fun in the contests, but for everyday
operating on 160, it is a big challenge. I usually operate 100W when I am a
"casual DXer" between contests, and turn on the amplifier when it's needed!
73, Gary
K9AY
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