[amsat-bb] Re: what is QRP

[Jim Danehy]

QRP folks do not ESTIMATE . . . . go to a VHF UHF  convention and watch the 
antenna measurements  . . . . of course you can SPECULATE or GUESS  but that 
is the ambiguity that is introduced . . .  a more accurate means of 
measuring QRP is the measurement of output power that has been in use by the 
amateur community for the six decades I have been around . . . antenna gain 
measurement is not simple . . . it is the execution of the assembly and 
construction ( the devil is in the details ) of an antenna . . . keep the 
guess work out of it . . . there was an advertisement some years ago for the 
ALPHA  Amps . . .  "life is too short for QRP" . . . if the goal is to set 
aside a frequency or repeater for challenged signals (compromised antennas 
and low power rigs ) that is fine . . .  express it in the terms you want to 
convey . . . .  QRP for most of the amateur community is measuring 5 watts 
output at the rig . . .if you want : tell them HT use only with Arrow, Elk, 
eggbeater and vertical antennas  . . . . then you will effectively 
communicate your goal . .  if that is your goal . . . . QRP is not a 
relevant term  if you want to have a place for HTs with small compromised 
antennas . . . folks get lazy and use short cuts . . . unfortunately . . . .

Jim W9VNE


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nigel Gunn G8IFF/W8IFF" <nigel at ngunn.net>
To: "Jim Danehy" <jdanehy at cinci.rr.com>
Cc: <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 12:04 PM
Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] what is QRP


> QRP is not generally based on ERP.
> It's usually taken to be 10W PEP SSB or 5W carrier power max for other 
> modes.
>
> I think QRP on sats used to be considered to be less than 10W ERP.
> It's not difficult to estimate feeder loss and antenna gain.
>
>
> Jim Danehy wrote:
>> QRP is a measure of the transmitter output . . . on a practical basis how 
>> would an operator accurately measure the ERP  if you were using ERP 
>> (effective radiated power) as a QRP benchmark . . .  you would need 
>> instrumentation to measure the feedline losses and sophisticated 
>> instrumentation to measure the gain of an antenna . . . most of that type 
>> of instrumentation is beyond the average amateur radio operator . . . . 
>> but most do have access or use of a watt meter . . . . thus the simple 
>> way of calculating QRP . . . ERP is used primarily in satellite 
>> operations  because it affects the transponders (not FM repeaters) I have 
>> had several private emails in response to my comments about QRP . . . I 
>> have seen folks operate the CQ WW  CW contest in the QRP category with 
>> stacked beams or monoband beams . . . . I have never seen a definition of 
>> QRP that went into ERP . . . . they just use the transmitter output with 
>> all of the ambiguities that brings  . . .  have fun Jim W9VNE
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>
>
> -- 
> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
> Nigel A. Gunn. G8IFF   W8IFF (have also held KC8NHF, M0NHF, 9H3GN)
> 1865 El Camino Drive, Xenia, OH 45385-1115, USA   937 825 5032
> e-mail nigel at ngunn.net             www  http://www.ngunn.net
> Member of  ARRL, GQRP #11396, QRPARCI #11644, SOC #548,  Flying Pig #385,
> Dayton ARA #2128,  AMSAT-NA   LM-1691,  AMSAT-UK, MKARS,  ALC
> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
>