K3WW with 100000 Miles per Watt

When I went into the ARRL international DX contest, the first station that I heard was K3WW. K3WW is a station with Excellent Ears.
The signal of Charles was stronger than the usual S8.
The signal was over S9, so I decided to try a lower power than the usual 360 mW and I switched to 36 mW, using a 10 dB attenuator. I expected that I had to use more power, but to my surprise we made the QSO with just 36 mW in CW, using an Inverted Vee.
My FT-817 only gives 360 mW instead of 500 mW after a serious mismatch, but I still have great fun with low power and 1000 MPW.

The distance between my QTH JO22na and K3WW in FN20ii is 3725 miles.
With 36 milliwatts this gives 103000 Miles per Watt.
Thank you Charles for the fine QSO. Hpe cuagn in the next contest.

A61Q United Arab Emirates

After reading about disappointing conditions in other Blogs, I did not expect, to make any QSO's today. But I went to 18 MHz and I did heard EV1R. At first I wanted to use 2.7 W, but then I realized that the signal was rather strong, so I used 360 mW. With 360 mW and 941 miles this QSO is good for 2613 Miles per Watt. hi
After this QSO I stayed on 18 MHz and made a QSO with EA5AR using 2.7 W. Ric gave 549 with QSB.

United Arab Emirates
Then I heard A61Q calling CQ DX on 15 m. With a distance of just more than 3000 miles, according QRZ, I choose a power of 2.7 W.

Now several stations were answering and at first I mingled with these other stations, but without success. With 2.7 Watts, I am not the "Pile up King", so I decided to wait for the right moment to give my call and in the mean time I listened to the mode of operation. This payed off, much sooner than I expected.
For me the United Arab Emirates (A6) is a new DXCC in QRP. With 2.7 W and 3189 miles this FB QSO is good for 1181 Miles per Watt. hi
Thanks to A61Q with his excellent ears

I just found that A61Q uses eQSL. So I will send an eQSL. hi

ARRL 10 meter contest 2011

During the ARRL 10 meter contest the propagation and the activity was very good. This combination yielded in 72 QSO's. Most QSO's were made with the Lowest Possible Power. Because of family obligations, I only participated for for about 3 1/2 hours each day. Before 1200 utc, I could work only stations from the east and after 1200 utc from the west. All QSO's were made with a power of 2.7 W to 36 mW. Many of the QSO's with low power are good for more than 1000 Miles per Watt.

I was very pleased to meet Steve NY3A over 3800 miles from PA. His signal was strong. I answered his CQ with just 80 mW. I was surprised that he could hear me, but no doubt, because the response was immediately correct. WOW.
But also QSO's with 2.7 Watts can be remarkable. I was thrilled by the Excellent Ears of KI1G, UA9FGJ and EA8OM. I answered their weak signal and they came back immediately with a correct response. WOW again.
In my log, I use EE to designate a station with Excellent Ears and IC in case of an unexpected Immediately Correct response.

The most difficult part of using the lowest possible power, is to choose the power. If I choose a power that is too low, I loose much time. When a station is time and again calling CQ, that is no problem. Then I use low power and increase the power every time I notice, that my signal is not heard.

By using low power, 53 of the 72 QSO's (74%) are made with more than
1000 Miles per Watt. All QSO's with 1.8 W or less are 1000 MPW QSO's.
And also all 23 QSO's with 2.7 W to the USA.

OK-OM DX Contest

Last weekend I participated in the OK-OM DX contest. Saturday I started on 80 m and made 23 QSO with 2.7 W. Sunday morning I made just more than 10 QSO's on 40 m. The propagation was disappointing on 40 m. Often I can use just 80 mW on 40m in the morning. But in nearly all the QSO's, I had to use 2.7 W. Only one QSO could be made with 360 mW.

Then I went to 20 m. It was fabulous. I started with 360 mW and later I could reduce to 8 mW in a QSO with OM3IAG. The stronger the received signal, the further the power can be reduced.
I received OL2W and OK7T with 20 dB over S9. This is S9 through the 20 dB attenuator. I noticed that OL2W and OK7T are great listeners with Excellent Ears and both really took the time to answer my 8 mW signal.

The frequency must be absolutely clear, when I answer with this low power. I was hunting for OM3RRC, calling him more then 10 times in vane. Suddenly I was the only caller and he immediately answered to my 36 mW signal. hi

YO DX HF contest 2011

I participated in the YO DX HF contest.
The nice thing about a DX contest is that everyone can work with everyone, generating a lot of activity, so many QSO's can be made.
I used the Lowest Possible Power in each QSO. I adjust the power before I answer a CQ. The higher the S-meter reading, the lower the power can be.
I used a power of 80 mW to 2.7 W into an Inverted Vee.

Results
Nearly all QSO's are made within Europe.
Outside of Europe I made a QSO's with Bud AA3B.
I was suprised that it could be made with just 360 mW.
Bud's station has Excellent Ears.
The second QSO outside Europa was Mongolia (JT), with 1,8 W.

This tabel shows the DXCC countries and the used power.

1000 MPW QSO's
All QSO's with 360 mW or less and the 3 QSO's with 800 mW with YO, are more than 1000 MPW QSO's, Considering the distance from my QTH to each of the DXCC countries. But that is not all. The QSO with JT over a distance of 4128 miles with a power of 1.8 W is good for 2293 Miles per Watt. Wow.

Over the years I developed a strong "more than 1000 Miles per Watt" awareness. I have made a list of DXCC countries, with the distance to their nearest border, from my QTH. Whit the list at hand, I can look up the distance to that DXCC country, to adjust the power accordingly. For exaple, the distance from here to to Romania is 800 miles.
So every QSO with 800 mW (or less) to Romania will be a QSO with more than 1000 Miles per Watt.

Award
When we were on holiday in Portugal in 2007, I participated in the YO DX HF contest. I made 80 QSO's from the balcony of the hotelroom.
Later I received this (top of the page) beautiful Award, for the 1^st place in Portugal SOSB 20m. hi

QSO with RU1A with 8 mW

As a milliwatt enthusiast, I often make QSO's with the lowest possible power.
In the IARU HF World Championship 2011 I met RU1A.
Their signal was S⁺⁺+20 dB. Thus S⁺⁺ through a 20 dB attenuator.
When I was answering for the 10th time or more, and my signal was still not heard, I wanted to increase my power. But then I realized (again) that the signal was very, very strong. So I kept answering with 3.6 mW and my perseverance payed off.
He did hear my with 3.6 mW, but he did not copy my call, so I immediately went to 8 mW. Then my call was copied immediately and the QSO was made.

Большое спасибо to the fine operators with their Excellent Ears at RU1A.

This is the card that I received for a QSO with just 1 mW in 2004 .
Click to read more.

Sun spots or no sun spots, it is still possible to make QSO's with very low power.
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