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Re: Topband: QRP

To: Tom W8JI <w8ji@w8ji.com>, Art Snapper <art@nk8x.net>
Subject: Re: Topband: QRP
From: Michel Spelier <on7eh@skynet.be>
Reply-to: Michel Spelier <on7eh@skynet.be>
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 2015 13:55:13 +0100 (CET)
List-post: <topband@contesting.com">mailto:topband@contesting.com>
Hello,

Living in a country, where 10W has been the upper limit set by the regulator in
the early 160m days,
I have been puzzled with this question for a long time...
Given the progress on antenna and Rx-capabilities (over the years) and say
typical transceiver output power (100W),
how come it has become so rare to witness (experience) low power to low power
QSO's (over the USA to EU path)
during major topband contests (winter time on both continents) ?

What has happened to the topband conditions the last couple of decades?
IMO it is hard to believe this is due only to environmental noise increases?!

73,

Michel, ON7EH



> Op 15 december 2015 om 9:12 schreef Tom W8JI <w8ji@w8ji.com>:
>
>
> > Has anyone achieved DXCC on 160 meters using QRP?
> >
> > Or is anyone even close?
> >
> > 73,
> > Art NK8X
>
> Power ratings were DC plate input power up to the early 1980's. A Heath
> SB220 was a legal input amp rated for 1 kW dc input CW, and 2 kW PEP input
> on SSB. That was 1 kW dc input all modes, or about 600 watts output on
> meters.
>
> 160 used to be 200 watts, 100 watts, or even 25 watts DC plate input at
> night because of LORAN depending on location and what 25 kHz section of the
> band you were in. That was roughly 120, 60, or 15 watts RF output depending
> on location and band segment.
>
> Many DX countries were only allowed 10 watts plate input power, or about 6
> watts RF output, on 160.
>
> That means there were many stations who had early DXCC, by today's
> standards, ran QRP. Full legal power used to be QRP.
>
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