If you hears for the first time the term QRP, perhaps some questions occur. I hope that I can answer some of it on this page. And you will recognize, that also QRPer do not renounce the joy to reach a DX station. Many referring on this webpage apply of course also for the otherwise normal 100 W stations. However they should be considered strengthened by QRP stations. After all with 1 kW nearly each ham can reach a DX station in a pile-up.

 What is QRP operation?

 What should I consider with QRP with the operation mode?

 Which technical demands required the QRP operation?

 Antenna Rules of Thumb by Jim Duffey, KK6MC

 Where can I receive assistance?

 How can I find as QRPer DX stations?

 How can I "crack" a pile up with QRP?

 Thoughts on Working DX by Jim Duffey, KK6MC

 QRP Hall of Fame

What is QRP operation?
 
QRP is primarily an abbreviation from the telegrafie with commercial radio services. It means "Reducing you the transmitting power!" or as question formulated "Should I reduce the transmitting power?". The term QRP is used by the hams, for thereby to refer to the special mode of its radio station. It is the transmit mode with low power.
 
The question about the QRP output power seems to be a difficult question. If you ask this question to an OM or a YL with a 1 kW station, then he or she will answer you (certain) that 100 W are already QRP. That I already experienced. If you ask however the owner of one of the many 100 W stations, then he will perhaps answer you that are so for instance 10 W guarantees QRP. Everything which has fewer power, is for her to transmits uselessly. You can use it at the most still as signal generators. In order to bring light in the darkness and quarrels avoid, the clubs and QRP federations agreed on following power outputs: 5 W output for CW, 10 W output PEP for telephony. These values are however no lower limit. It goes also with still fewer power. Power up to 1 W calls as QRPP. There are not few stations, which used up themselves this power level.
Perhaps a small note besides. Those rather "dimy" lamps of a bicycle deliver a power of approximately 2 to 3 W. With approximately this power you can transmit also around the world.
 
There are many reasons, why someone makes QRP. Perhaps times a few examples:

 Many hams live in cities, in which they cannot structure large antennas. They follow therefore to their hobby in free nature. Since a QRP station is quite small in very most cases, this station fits together with a accumulator and something accessories easily into a backpack.

 In addition, interferences can occur by the own QRO station in the closer area. Already sometimes around these interferences to eliminate it helps, if you reduces the power.

 In addition, not least the question of cost plays an important role. A normal 100 W transceiver costs far more than one QRP station. Like that it was also not possible for me after the radio examination to put many bank notes for a station on the desk. My first station was therefore a QRP station. And I with QRP remained, since I saw that this power was sufficient.

 But there are not only negative reasons. So you can become also in the vacation with a QRP station QRV, without carrying forward a half freight vehicle full with equipment. With my past journeys as amateur radio operators a small transceiver and something wire fit always also into the luggage. A mast in form of a fiber glass telescope mast for a vertical you can carry forward in almost all cases without problems also with flights (when fishing rod camouflaged).

 Also the curiosity can drive someone to it. Many hams turn the power during a QSOs already times down, in order to see simple, with how much power it still goes. There amazing values come off. Sometimes this hams remains then with the adjusted power level. This is the most pleasing way.

 Or the coincidence has its hand in the play. After tuning the antenna you forgot to turn upward the output regulator at the transceiver. Only after the following QSO you notices that the automatic controller is still on 5 W.

It is possible to achieve with QRP each point of the earth. Believe it calmly! I "cracked" pile ups at 15 m in ZL from DL already with 5 W and an antenna on the balcony. Many more is also not possible. It requires something other operation mode and some technical demands for the used station, but you almost always comes to the target. This was however no individual case, which is to due to particularly good propagation conditions, proves the DXCC results achieved so far by me.
 
Everyone can make QRP operation. Many amateur radio operators shrink from themselves to build their own transceiver. But no fear. There are also finished QRP devices and kits for it. The knowledge that you acquired for the amateur radio examination, is in most cases sufficient for the building. If you gets yourself still something addition knowledge from QRP books, technical periodicals or of friends in the club, can go actually nothing more wrong.

What should you consider with QRP with the operation mode?
 
It is not possible to achieve the 5BDXCC with a matched wet tying lacing and an 1 mW transmitter. It is however possible to achieve with some watts each point of the earth. It believes calmly! Perhaps my following tips help you to improve your operation mode. Because it does not only lie at the used station. Some tips are references to the operation mode CW, but it can be passed just as also to SSB or the digital modes.
 
Who can select, should select always the band with the highest usable frequency. It is an enormous difference to be with 5 W on air an the 80 m band or with the same output power on the 10 m band - first is usually toilsome and on an open 10 m band you can reach QSOs with all continents within a short time.
 
On the weekends often contests organized. That may make you happy or not. However the stations have straight at the end of the contest better ears and will answer you. In order to reach the same station in a normal QSO, one make an effort to do the same one. But do not hope for more than a fast exchange of the rapport. It is a contest. Even if you should not like the contests for some hours, so changes to the WARC bands. There are stations during this time, which also rather go to the turmoil out of the way. And sometimes there is a rare bird under it.
 
Fundamentally only you should calling CQ if the frequency is really free! It always worked with me, the apparently free frequency somewhat longer to hear (approx. 1 to 2 minutes). Sometimes you does not hear a station due to the dead zone or other conditions. Then the second station mostly returns after a QSO passage after this time. Nevertheless it can happen that one is displaced by an not occupied frequency during the CQ call, because not everything is take up this rule or don't hear the quiet signal. Also it can be frustrating to call CQ with a QRP station somewhere on the band. Exceptions for it are the proximity of the QRP frequencies.
 
To calling CQ for 1 minute promises more success than an endless set of many minutes. A CQ call according to the type

  CQ CQ CQ DE DK3RED DK3RED
  CQ CQ CQ DE DK3RED DK3RED K

is in most cases sufficient. Do not be subject to the temptation to betray in the CQ call that you uses a QRP station! Switch to receipt and observe 5 seconds the frequency. In the hearing time use the RIT for searching the surrounding range, not however the VFO knob. Otherwise somebody, who waits perhaps only for the next passage, does not find you any more.
 
If you found a QSO partner, the talk should be arranged also varied. The first passage should containe the honest rapport, the location and the name.

  ... DE DK3RED =
  GD DR OP =
  RST 349 349 QTH NR BERLIN NR BERLIN NAME INGO INGO =
  HR HOMEMADE STN =
  HW? =
  ... DE DK3RED KN

A rapport, which does not correspond the real situation, will not make the QSO more interesting or longer - rather the opposite is the case. With a real rapport your interlocutor recognizes, that it is not any old QSO. With the additional information concerning my station I already often formed a bridge to the next passage. Apart from rapport, location and the name of the operator you are gotten in the next passage so perhaps also the request for more information about your station equipment. How you see, I did not betray yet that I use a QRP station. That comes at the earliest in the second passage.

  ... DE DK3RED =
  ALL CPI HR DR ... =
  NICE SIGS BUT SUM QSB =
  PSE RPT UR QTH =
  STN HR NORCAL 40 NORCAL 40 WID PWR 3 W 3 W
  ES ANT VERTICAL VERTICAL ON BALCONY =
  HW? =
  ... DE DK3RED KN

During the whole QSOs you should not bore your interlocutor with things, which he told you before. If he says to you e.g. that he uses a longwire, then return not UFB UR LW, but ask it for example, how long and/or how highly he has it strained. Or if you want to experience more over its location, then ask him for it. Trust you!
 
But all interesting ones is exchanged sometime and one departing from each other.

  ... DE DK3RED =
  NW QRU =
  WL QSLL VIA BURO =
  MNI TNX DR ... FER NICE QSO =
  HPE CUAGN ON AIR =
  BEST DX ES 72 DE DK3RED SK

Directly after the termination of a QSO you should hear the used frequency always again. Very often during the QSO interested listeners appeared themselves, whom now also wants a QSO. After a QRP QSO dispatching of a QSL card should be natural. Your QSO partner earned itself it after the recording of your weak signal fairly.

Which technical demands required the QRP operation?
 
In principle a QRP signal should be clean! It does not help anyone, if the own CW signal going into the air with buzzes, clicks and chirps. Corresponding to it a SSB signal should be sended with a solid frequency and well modulated. Everything else compounded the recording at the strived QSO partner. A quiet, but clear signal is always better to receive than a loud one, which is to be taken up only with difficulty. If you uses with CW an electronic key, you can forget the wight controller confidently. You should pay attention to the rules for structure of a CW character. An 1:3 relation of dots and dashes facilitates very the recording. Spaces in and between the individual characters should correspond also to the rules. An endless worm of dots and dashes displeased only the listener and he will turning at his VFO knob.
 
As a matter of principle QRPers should also use a large antenna in a large height as possible! There QRP does not differ from QRO. It is guaranteed also possible to become apparent with an indoor antenna or a loop. However the number of QRP QSOs will rise, if you uses a better antenna. It objects that you may not structure an antenna, applies with me only rarely. On the one hand you can build up a wire nevertheless somehow outside of the room, on the balcony or to a road-side tree which is situated opposite. On the other hand you can in most cases stow its QRP station away due to its size in one backpack and become active with enormous antennas in free nature in such a way. I am QRV with a antenna on the balcony, which I build up only if I use the station. This "from time to time" use had means induced (otherwise rather heartless) landlord to giving in. If he had not agreed, then next the tree in the garden of the neighbour would have been the target for a long wire.
 

Where can I receive assistance?
 
In principle with each ham. I met still nobody, who did not help me on a question (also special QRP questions). If you want to ask others QRPers, the QRP meetings, the QRP clubs and working groups or familiary other QRP stations are a very good address for it.
 
Additional you can meet QRPers on the amateur radio bands themselves. There are frequency ranges on the amateur radio bands, on which you will find strengthened QRP stations. These are the QRP frequencies. These are non of the IARU determined areas, although they at least for the region 1 were held now also in writing. They formed rather from the operation. Thus also no right to the exclusive use of these frequencies exists. It should be understood rather as "activity center" and not as frequency channels.

 CW: 1843, 3560, 7030, 10106/10116, 14060, 18096, 21060, 24906/24910, 28060, 144060 kHz

 SSB: 3690, 7090, 10140, 14285, 18130, 21285, 24950, 28360, 144285 kHz

 FM: 144585 kHz

If you see an antenna somewhere in free nature, on a camping site or in another unusual place, it concerns itself mostly over QRPers. Ask the owner calmly. But caution! Most discussions with QRPers last for a long time. But they are in addition rarely uninteresting.

How can I find as QRPer DX stations?
 
Only rarely over the DX cluster!
If a really rare station were called there, there is mostly a large "run", with which QRPers mostly must attach. It is however always worthwhile itself to hear the first 25 to 30 kHz of a band repeatedly after DX stations. If you working on the QRP frequencies, then turns every few minutes over this area. That lasts not for a long time. Quite often I so already got DX stations in the log, which began even only with their CQ or with those the pile UP were still small. Why the DX stations are there I cannot say. They are however mostly there.

How can I "crack" a pile up with QRP?
 
With patience! Since it is not possible to put still fast few hundred watts more on the antenna you must be able to be occur in something else. As the first you should take of the notes for a operation mode and for the technical demands already specified. Beyond that you should sound oneself times the behavior in a pile up. It in most cases gives after the last passage of the DX station (with TU or K terminated) a mad confusion. Then something silence, because all hear whether they are called. Then it goes again from the front loosely. This break is the chance for quiet stations. If the DX station does not make a split operation, then it is advisable to call additionally something off the frequency. Most stations call directly according to experience or briefly apart from the DX frequency. There however nobody hears a QRP station. 500 or 1000 Hz beside it are already somewhat calmer it. Also with split operation you should not select the thickest tumult. Since the pile up is mostly quite broad, you should select yourself a calm place to the edge. QSK is there very helpful. Which you should not make however, calling is during a passage or continuous calls. That leads with some stations to the ignore of the call (and to the own annoyance).
At some beautiful stations I already sat almost one hour on the station, before I was heard. Don't give up too early! QRO stations are doing sometimes exactly the same.
 

QRP Hall of Fame
 
The QRP Hall of Fame (QRP HoF) is an honor bestowed by the QRP Amateur Radio Club International (QRP ARCI) on people who have made outstanding and long running contributions to the QRP community.
 
The call for nomination letters goes out in the autumn, the voting on candidates is done in the spring, and the new inductees (if any) are announced publicly at the QRP event "For Days in May" within the Hamvention at Dayton/Ohio. Although administered by the QRP ARCI, membership is not required to be nominated or to submit a nomination on a worthy individual. The inital round of inductions was done in 1992. The program was revitalized in 1996 and there have been people inducted almost every year since.
 
(drum roll) And here are the QRP Hall of Fame members (fanfare):