[amsat-bb] QRP Days for FM Birds?

[Matthew Chambers]

I second this idea and would love to have a day I could get in with my
mobile setup since I don't have an arrow yet. I would love to try to get in
with my FT8900 at 5 or 10w with 2m and a 70cm 1/4 whips on the roof of my
car.

Matthew Chambers, CBT, NR0Q
Owner/Engineer
*M Chambers Communications Engineering LLC*
PO BOX 855, Moberly, MO 65270
Mobile (660)415-5620
www.mchambersradio.com



On Thu, Mar 19, 2020 at 3:54 PM Hasan al-Basri via AMSAT-BB <
amsat-bb at amsat.org> wrote:

> Why Not?
>
> I remember in "the old days" of Sat ops we used to have exactly that. A 24
> hour period where EIRP was limited.
> It was once a week on the same day. It started UTC 0000 and ran for 24
> hours. Then the normal free-for-all resumed. People, in those days, had
> enough self-respect and restraint to actually observe the QRP Day.
>
> It was the "honor" system. But it did allow a lot of marginally equipped
> stations to make a lot of satellite qsos. Even as recently as two years
> ago, I can remember standing next to my EggBeaters (7' off the ground),
> with a piece of coax going from my 5W H/T to the duplexer and up to the
> eggbeaters. I was able to make a qso then. Now, in most cases, it would be
> futile.
>
> I don't know if something like this could be organized for the FM birds,
> but if so, *it would need backing and publicizing by AMSAT*.
>
> It would be wonderful to hear people easily using the bird for even a few
> hours running nothing but an HT at 2.5 watts output and a hand held Arrow
> (or the equivalent of that say 10 watts to a simple 1/4w vertical)
>
> If we assume the handheld yagis have 10 dBi gain on 70cm, then the EIRP
> would be 25 watts.
>
> For home stations, the same idea. No more than 25 watts Effective Radiated
> Power (RF Output + Antenna Gain - Feedline Loss)
>
> A simple 1/4 wave vertical might be 2 dBi, so 10w would be in the ballpark.
>
> The goal would be to keep uplink power limited to 25 watts effective
> radiated power.
>
> QRP day could be a celebration of sorts, if it became popular ...there
> would be a sort of peer prestige thing take place, as opposed to worshiping
> the mighty grid.
>
> A grass roots approach won't work. It has to be led by people with some
> standing and credibility, and for AO-91 and AO-92 it would have to be
> AMSAT. It would require some real effort on their part, not just a by-line
> in the weekly news.
>
> Once it took hold, some self policing could probably keep it going.
>
> Just and idea for the FM birds. It might be fun. It might give more rovers
> and portable Ops a chance.
>
> The linear birds don't need it, as the strength of the user downlink signal
> is to be kept to no stronger than the CW beacon and we can easily identify
> the offenders.
> 73, N0AN
> Hasan
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