K3WW FD 1E

[Charles Fulp]

Third year in a row with the K2, a deep cycle battery and the home
antenna farm.
540 QSOS... all CW   in 15 hours of operation.  This is becoming my
yearly test of the emergency set up.
2 years ago when I first got the K2, I managed to finish at the top of
the 1E class list (they sort the entries by descending point totals in
the listings)
These last 2 years, I have done part time efforts.
I enjoy QRP field day.  The point totals usually exceed what you can do
with similar antennas and 100 watts.  I can get answers to CQs from the
home antenna farm, and with dipoles in the field can still find times
when CQing is productive.

There is a potential problem.  QRP operation is getting more popular  
for FD.  QRP in general is probably the fastest growing activity within
Amateur Radio (maybe digital stuff  actually is).  The scoring system
gives an almost overwhelming advantage to QRP, at least in the lower
transmitter classes where you can concentrate on CW.  (the 2.5 extra
mult for 5 watt battery may not be worth  the 13 db loss in signal on
SSB, but is considerably more valuable than 13 db on CW)
If most QRP operators abandon CQing, they will never work each other.  
Thus you can see 1200 CW QSOs from a 100 watt station and  700 from a
QRP station on 40 meters.  (note the QRP station ended up with more 40
meter points)  of course the QRP station that made 700 Qs on 40 was
pretty successful CQing  using  a 3 el wire beam.  Bottom line, you have
to call some CQs even when QRP.

The K2 is pretty much a perfect FD rig,  very conservative of battery
power, especially when receiving, and a first rate receiver.  The small
size is a plus for
taking it out in the field, especially to really remote locations (ditto
the low battery consumption).

Now if anyone wants to know how the K2 subjectively compares to the
IC7800 &/or the TT Orion ...we can address that off reflector.

73 Chas K3WW

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[Bill W4ZV]

Hi Chas,

 >Third year in a row with the K2, a deep cycle battery and the home
antenna farm.
540 QSOS... all CW in 15 hours of operation.

         But...your home antenna farm (3 stacked Skyhawks, a 40m
Yagi, 3 el SteppIR, etc) must be worth ~10 dB over temporary wire
setups. A single 180' wire at 60' fed with ladder line was a MAJOR effort
to erect temporarily given our rainy weather just before Field Day.  I
felt VERY lucky to have gotten it up between showers on Friday
afternoon (my XYL helped only with getting the central rope support
up and I did everything else myself).

 >Thus you can see 1200 CW QSOs from a 100 watt station and 700 from a QRP
station on 40 meters. (note the QRP station ended up with more 40 meter
points) of course the QRP station that made 700 Qs on 40 was pretty
successful CQing using a 3 el wire beam.

         Again, compare the gain of W2GD's 3 el wire beam to
a single wire.  W2GD had one of the strongest signals of
anyone on 40 meters other than locals and I was quite
surprised to learn they were only running 5 watts.  Gain
antennas on multiple bands for a temporary operation were
simply out of the question for me.

 >Bottom line, you have to call some CQs even when QRP.

         Bottom bottom line, it doesn't matter how much you
call CQ if you don't get answers!  If you don't have a
signal that commands attention, either through power,
antenna gain or location (RF-wise or rarity), CQ-ing does
not work in and of itself unless you get ANSWERS.

         All in all, I suppose I shouldn't feel too bad in having
about the same number of QSO's as you in 30% more operating
time, given our relative differences in antenna systems.  But
I've definitely had my quota of weak signal S&P-ing for awhile!
As I said, I'm now looking forward to being a Bumblebee at the
end of July when hopefully people will actually be trying to
hear those of us with weak signals!  ;-)  I left my central
support rope up so I can quickly hike up to the same site just
after church before the Flight begins at 1 PM EDT.  Hope to
see all you folks again then!

                                         73,  Bill  W4ZV

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