[amsat-bb] Re: ERP is not QRP apples and oranges

[Jim Danehy]

AMSAT started using the term QRP when they probably should have used ERP or more accurately "estimated" ERP . . . after all the goal is to allow those with lesser powered rigs (HT) to have a channel on AO 51 where they could be more competitive with restricted power . . . maybe a better interpretation of ERP should be ESTIMATED  RESTRICTIVE  POWER  rather than EFFECTIVE  RADIATED  POWER which in amateur radio is more speculative than accurate as I have attempted to point out in prior posts . . . unfortunately when I run 5 watts output on AO51   "QRP" channel I only have one set of satellite antennas to use . . .I could . . .( might be interesting ) use my Bird  25 watt  2 meter slug . . . on the other side of the attenuator (which I built years ago  10 db) so I could use 1/2 watt Uplink to my 10 db antenna or 50 watts estimated ERP . . .before I do that I think I will attempt my last ham goal, EME  . . .  

Jim W9VNE 


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Jim Danehy 
  To: n3tl at bellsouth.net 
  Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 9:40 PM
  Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] ERP is not QRP apples and oranges


  AMSAT started using the term QRP when they probably should have used ERP or more accurately "estimated" ERP . . . after all the goal is to allow those with lesser powered rigs (HT) to have a channel on AO 51 where they could be more competitive with restricted power . . . maybe a better interpretation of ERP should be ESTIMATED  RESTRICTIVE  POWER  rather than EFFECTIVE  RADIATED  POWER which in amateur radio is more speculative than accurate as I have attempted to point out in prior posts . . . unfortunately when I run 5 watts output on AO51   "QRP" channel I only have one set of satellite antennas to use . . .I could . . .( might be interesting ) use my Bird  25 watt  2 meter slug . . . on the other side of the attenuator (which I built years ago  10 db) so I could use 1/2 watt Uplink to my 10 db antenna or 50 watts estimated ERP . . .before I do that I think I will attempt my last ham goal, EME  . . .  

  Jim W9VNE 





  ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: n3tl at bellsouth.net 
    To: Jim Danehy ; amsat-bb at amsat.org 
    Sent: Friday, December 19, 2008 8:17 PM
    Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] ERP is not QRP apples and oranges


    Amen, brother.

    Something occurred to me earlier today in thinking about this ongoing discussion that includes a few different threads.

    Given all the information I can find about the nominal transmitter powers of the satellites I have worked [AO-7, AO-16, AO-27 (currently inactive), AO-51, FO-29, SO-50 and VO-52], at least half of every satellite contact I've made has been QRP - the half coming this way from space. Most of mine - but not all - have been 2-way QRP.

    73, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all,

    Tim - N3TL


      -------------- Original message from "Jim Danehy" <jdanehy at cinci.rr.com>: -------------- 

      ERP is not QRP . . . . . . I never saw anything in FCC exams about QRP or 
      > ERP but it has been a long time for me since I was last examined . . . 
      > folks are confusing ERP and QRP . . . 5 watts out QRP driving an amp . . . get real . . . it is 5 watts out of the final stage feeding the antenna . . . the gain of the antenna does not have anything to do with QRP it has to do with ERP . . . one is apples and the other is oranges . . . the original issue arose out of someone feeling that folks using the AO 51 QRP channel were not using QRP . . . well I use 5 watts on the QRP channel but I only have fairly big yagis for satellites . . . If the goal is to have HT users with compromised antennas use the "QRP" channel then drop the QRP designation and ask the users to keep the power to 5 watts out from the final stage of the transmitter and then WHAT ? ? ? 5 watts many can compute but that is it . . . ERP is guess work by most . . 
      > . that is my point . . . seems senseless to me but surprising the responses . . 
      > . ERP is not QRP different concepts . . . apples and oranges . . . . 
      > 
      > Jim W9VNE 
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