In my first ARRL international DX contest, I used 5 watts. My exchange 599 005 gave no problem for the receiving station. It was obvious, that I was using QRP.
As a milliwatt and low power enthusiast, I often use the Lowest Possible Power, in each QSO. When I hear a station calling CQ, I look on the S-meter to determine the power with which I will answer.
The higher the S-meter reading, the lower my power can be.
When using the lowest possible power, I do not call CQ myself.
In later years, I reduced to 500 mW. The use of 500 mW in a QSO was no problem, because I will often get an immediately correct response, but the problem was my exchange. How to indicated, that I was using only 500 mW.
Over the years, I found out, that when I was using 500 mW, I best could use the exchange 599 001. The value 001 is the lowest value, that can placed in a Cabrillo file.
But don't think that all problems are gone with 599 001. Some stations keep asking pwr?, because they think thay 001 is a number or they respond with 100? or even 1kW?. In that case I will respond with "599 1W 1W".
* I met operators, that fall out of their chair, when they realized, that my exchange 599 001 indicated, that I was using only 1 watt.
Two seconds of silence and an additional "1W FB", from a station that is transmitting not a letter to many, I consider a huge compliment. hi
Please notice that when you use low power, that any QSO between Canada or the USA with Europe with 3 Watts or less, is good for 1000 Miles per Watt.
Good evening Bert, I was just on the contest as it was starting for the first 1/2 hour. It was crazy out there with KW stations calling the DX. I think I am going to give it a short Saturday.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenHello Mike, I glad that I don't hear, with what enormous powers these stations are calling. If I knew, I would not dare to answer with just 1 watt. hi
BeantwoordenVerwijderenBut on the other hand, if the receiving end of the "big gun" is in balance with the power he is using, everything will be all right. 73, Bert