I like operating QRP and have done do so in several contests (and always
during Field Day), but frankly I just don't understand the rationale for
setting aside special band segments for QRP'ers to call CQ, or for
awarding a greater number of points for working a QRP station during a
typical contest. Aside from being unwieldy, it seems to me to defeat
the challenge and recognition of operating QRP. Why claim QRP status
and then expect to get special treatment that blurs the distinction?
Field Day does indeed award differing points depending upon transmitter
power used, but almost all other contests have a QRP category that
recognizes the extra difficulty of running low power. Having a
peer-level QRP category is, in my opinion, a LOT less arbitrary than
determining an appropriate point multiplier for QRP contacts. Using
Field Day as an example, a station running 100 watts or 1000 watts has
almost no chance to score higher in points than a similarly equipped
station running 5 watts using the ARRL multipliers, which is one of the
reasons I always run QRP in that event.
Besides, as others have pointed out, antennas are going to have a major
impact on signal strength for DX contacts anyway. It just gets silly
trying to assign handicap values to level the playing field for every
significant variability.
Dave AB7E
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