Milliwatt eQSL's

In the CQ WW DX CW contest I made a lot of milliwatt QSO's. (35)

I had great fun with very low power.

Here are a few eQSL cards with the corresponding 

Miles per Watt info.

E70T - 36 mW - 745 Miles - 20690 Miles/Watt

LZ8E - 80 mW - 1153 Miles - 14400 Miles/Watt

OZ1IKY - 80 mW - 392 miles - 4900 Miles/Watt

SV1ME - 360 mW - 1334 Miles - 3700 Miles/Watt

YL2VW - 80 mW - 826 Miles - 10330 Miles/Watt

Curious for the low power QSO in the CQ WW DX CW 2024 -  Then Click here

Funny and nice eQSL's

 

eQSL from Archangelsk. Hi.

Rig:            FT-817
Antenna:    End-fed

eQSL's from the HA-DX 2023

Here are some eQSL card from the HA-DX contest 2023.

The cards show QSO's that are made with low power or very low power.

The QSO's are made with more than 1000 Miles per Watt.

IK2UEX 36 mW 13446 MPW

IV3KKW 80 mW 6600 MPW

 

EA1WH 360 mW 1995 MPW

HG6O 360 mW 1930 MPW

OK7T 360 mW 1151 MPW

My RIG: FT-817  (3,6W  -->  360 mW)

I use a 10 dB Attenuator to reduce below 360 mW.

My antenna is a Storm or Wind proof End-fed.

eQSL's for 1000 Miles/watt QSO's in OK/OM contest 2022

I had great fun with low power in the OK/OM contest 2022.
On 14 MHz I made QSO's with 360 mW and 4 watt.
I use 360 milliwatt, when the signals are strong.
With 360 mW to OK or OM every QSO is good for more than 1000 Miles per Watt.
Within a few days after the contest, I received eQSL's.
All QSO's are made with CW S&P on an Sloping Endfed antenna.

More than 1000 Miles per Watt eQSL's

OM5NA - 360mW - 596 Miles - 1657 Miles/Watt

OM2VL - 360mW - 620 Miles - 1722 Miles/Watt

OM8FR - 360mW - 698Miles - 1940 Miles/Watt

OM3DX - 360mW - 747 Miles - 2074 Miles/Watt

CW related eQSL's

In the last batch of eQSL card I received two CW related eQSL's.

I use a Bencher and a Morse Machine for CW (Morse code)

EA1G on 20 m with 1.7 W in the UBA DX CW contest

EA4OR on 20 m with 2 W in the UBA DX CW contest

eQSLs for 80 mW

It's great fun to make CW contest QSO's with very low power.
When the S-meter goes up, I lower my power accordingly.

In the last batch of eQSL's I found a 3 eQSL's that confirmed QSO with 80 mW.

  EA7TH   1151 Miles & 80 milliwatt gives 14390 Miles/watt

  

UB3A  1302 Miles and 80 milliwatt gives 16270 Miles/watt

YO3APJ     1088 Miles and 80 milliwatt gives 13600 Miles/watt

SWL R4A-1227 confirms 36 mW QSO

It's great to receive a QSL of a SWL station. In the last batch of eQSL's I found a eQSL from Valentin R4A-1227 that really knocks my socks off. This eQSL is very special, because of the very low power, that I used. I made a QSO with MU0RGU. The signal was very strong, so I decided to answer with 36 mW. The QSO was heard by Valentin R4A-1227.

36 milliwatt

R4A-1227  -  36 mW  -  1734 Miles  -  48,180 Miles per Watt

Miles per Watt
This SWL report and the QSO with M0RGU are both good for more than 1000 Miles per Watt.
PA1B to  R4A-1227  over 1734 miles to LN28gm with 36 mW gives 48180 Miles per Watt.
PA1B to  MU0RGU: over  378 miles with 36 mW gives 10496 Miles per Watt.

Thank you Valentin for the very special eQSL. FB.

Received eQSL's with very low power

The last weeks I answered a lot of eQSL's.
In the INBOX I found many eQSL of QSO's, that were made with 5 W down to 5 milliwatt.

In many contest QSO's, I often reduce to the lowest possible power.
I start with a power that is probably to low.
When my signal is not heard, I increase my power with a small step.

I show here, a few eQSL's that were made with 36 mW and 80 mW and an Inverted V

36 milliwatt 

F5IN  -  36 mW - 295 miles - 8200 Miles per Watt

F6HKA  -  36 mW - 464 miles - 12886 Miles per Watt

80 milliwatt 

OH2BV  -  80 mW - 953 miles - 19111 Miles per Watt

ES5Q  -  80 mW - 955 miles - 15117 Miles per Watt

R7AB  -  80 mW - 1602 miles - 20020 Miles per Watt

My FT-817 makes 360 mW on the lowest setting.
I reduce 360 mW with an attenuator of 10 dB to 36 mW.
On the setting for 1 W, my FT-817 gives 800 mW.
After the 10 dB attenuator, only 80 mW goes to the inverted V.

QRPpp eQSLs

Here are some eQSLs' from the last batch.

The QSO's are all made with QRPpp and while using the Lowest Possible Power.

QRPpp is the (not official) term, that I use for a power of less than 100 milliwatts.
Also known as two digit milliwatting.

Making QSO's with very  low power is not that difficult.
It´s all a matter of propagation.

The changes in propagation can be hugh.

So when the S-meter goes 20 dB up, the power can be reduced by 20 dB.

Look for a station that is calling CQ,with an earsplitting S⁺⁺ signal.
Answer with low power, with the excellent timing, that you always use.
Don´t suspect anything, but be prepared, after you give your call.
Most of the time, other stations are answered.
But than suddenly, when the frequency is clear, then you will be heard.
It´s possible that you are surprised, that you hear your call, being send immediately correct.
And before you know it, you also get an exchange. What was that? What number did he gave? hi.

9H1XT    1205 Miles   3.6 mW   334841 Miles per Watt

IV3ZXQ   550 Miles   22 mW   25002 MPW

SM5QU   740 Miles   36 mW   20549 Miles per Watt

SV1ENG   1318 Miles   98 mW   13453 Miles per Watt

S56M   588 Miles   80 mW   7349 Miles per Watt

OE2008S   445 Miles   98 mW   4698 Miles per Watt

See me smile, from ear to ear, after such a QSO.  

eQSL avalanche

Last week the number of eQSLs in my eQSL inbox had risen to more than 100.
Between these QSLs were many 1000 Miles per Watt QSL's.
For these QSL's, I determine the distance and calculate the Miles/Watt.
I mention these numbers in the comment field of the individual eQSL.

Last week I replied many eQSL's.

  F6KDF  435 Miles and 8.5 mW gives 51128 Miles/Watt

It took me a few days, to reply manually,
on the eQSL site.
So I was glad, that I had reduced that number
to about 10 remaining eQSLs.

But when opened my eQSL inbox a few days later, it knocked my socks off.
There were 208 eQSL's in my inbox.
This number is very large to reply manually.

A doubling in a couple of days.
And what if that number doubles again?

eQSL from Chili

Recently I received an eQSL from Nicolas XQ1KZ from Chili for a more than 1000 MPW QSO.
We made the QSO in the CQ MM DX contest in 2012.
The distance is 6910 Miles. With 2.7 Watts this gives 2559 Miles per Watt.

I used an Inverted Vee.
Thanks to Nicolas XQ1KZ for a new DXCC in QRP.

CQ WW WPX CW 2012

When I started in the CQ WW WPX CW Contest I was convinced, that I would not get the same high score as last year. But afterwards, it turned out to be better than expected.  I had more time to spent on the air, because this year I had only one birthday during the contest.

Working with the lowest possible power is great fun, but when a running station is answering one station after an other, I have to change my way of operating by increasing the power to a much higher level than is needed for a QSO with the lowest possible power or to come back later. The last is usually the best tactic.

When I hear a strange call, I don't pay much attention to the DXCC or other details, but I try to work him as fast and as accurate as I can.  I first worked ST2AR "from the banks of the river Nile" and later made a dance of joy, after checking the details on QRZ. In the last 10 minutes of the contest I could make a QSO wit HK1NA and BV7S.  

The total of DXCC worked is more than 40. I already received about 27 eQSL cards for QSO's in this contest.  I always try to be accurate, but VK turned out to be an other more common DXCC, when I received the eQSL card.

The FT-817 has a highest power of 2.7 W after a serious mismatch, so QRP here is 2.7 W or less. This loss of 3 dB can not spoil the fun. I spend most of the time on 20 m and 15 m. The conditions on 40 m were not so good. But I had much fun with low power. Many of the QSO's are good for more than 1000 Miles per Watt.

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

HB9STEVE with 1000 MPW

HB9STEVE is a special event station to commemorate the life of Steve Jobs.
The station was active during November 2011.
Check out the info of HB9STEVE on QRZ. (click)

I received the special QSL via eQSL. To check the locator, I have sent a e-mail to Fulvio HB9DHG, who quickly responded.

Fulvio wrote back, how he enjoyed operating with the special call HB9STEVE:
It was a fantastic experience. One month and more than 8200 QSO's,
especially the 3600 QSO's in just one weekend (the CQ WW CW).
I'm happy you're in the log.

When I heard HB9STEVE in the CQ WW DX CW contest on 14 MHz, it I took my a while to figure out the "long" Call. Since I try to use the lowest possible power in any QSO, I reduced to 360 mW, before answering. The border of Switzerland is only 330 miles away, but luckely Fulvio (HB9DHG) and his team were located in the southern part of Switzerland, so we breached the 1000 Miles per Watt boundary. With a distance of 446 miles and a power of 360 milliwatts, this QSO is good for 1240 MPW. Thank you, dear Fulvio and team.

eQSL voor 50 mW QSO

Ik had al een tijdje niet meer in mijn eQSL inbox voor mijn vorige call gekeken. Er zaten een flink aantal eQSL's voor de OQRP-contest in. In deze contest doe ik vaak mee met mijn zelfgebouwde 7 MHz QRPp Transceiver met een vermogen van 500 mW. Dat is dus VLP.

Er zat ook een kaart in voor een 50 mW QSO met Wolf DL6JZ.

Het QSO is gemaakt in WAG contest in 2002.
Met een afstand va 369 mijl is dit QSO goed voor 7377 Mijl/Watt.

Het kan soms vreemd lopen.
Want met slechts 23 QSO's met 500mW (4), 50 mW (18) en 25 mW (1) bereikte ik de eerste plaats voor Nederland met QRP en ontving een prachtig Award.

More than 1000 MPW eQSL's from the CQ MM DX contest.

Using the lowest possible power in a contest QSO is not so difficult as it seems. In the CQ MM DX contest I was suprised by the excellent propagation, which made it possible to work with stations in South America and North America with just 1 W or 2.5 W.

2 Way QRP QSO with Brasil

After 8 QSO's with 1 W and 2.5 W, I heard PY2WC calling CQ, so I tried 2.5 W.
I fell off my chair when Waldir answered: SAQ, which means that he was using QRP and this was a 2 way QRP QSO. It was only after a few QSO's, also with 2.5 W, I realised that I could have made the QSO with a lower power.
More than an hour later I heard Waldir again and made a second QSO, but now with 1 W (980 mW). Thank you Waldir for a new DXCC in QRPp, thus less than 1000 mW.

Tip: Just make a second contest QSO, with a lower power if you can.
My most memorable very low power QSO with 0.85 mW with RT6A is a Dupe. hi

Confirmed "More than 1000 MPW" QSO's

This list shows only the 1000 MPW QSO that are confirmed via eQSL.
I actually made many more 1000 MPW QSO's in the CQ MM DX.

After I receive an eQSL, I determine the distance using the QTH Locator and the Miles per Watt.
I place the 1000 MPW info in the comment field of the return eQSL.
E.g. 2.5 W and 6062 miles to GG66un gives 2425 miles/watt - 73, Bert

Power Overview

Most QSO's were made on 21 MHz.
Although I made many DX QSO's 34% of the QSO's were made with QRPp.
And 70% with more than 1000 MPW.

The Soapbox:

In total I made 56 QSO's in the CQ MM DX contest. I worked SA, NA EU and SA. I had great fun.
My RIG is a FT-817 and the antenne is an Inverted Vee.
I always use QRP, but never a fixed power of 5 watts.

Thanks to all the excellent operators that made this contest QSO's possible.