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KPA500 - just 500 watts?

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Dave Perry N4QS

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

I agree with Bill that working QRP stations can be a lot of fun. Like when
I received this email:

Hi Dave! Just a heads up that I was using 300 milliwatts to a G5RV (@80ft)
with a Small Wonders Lab Rockmite 20 to work you @ 2304 on 14.059 - will qsl
via lotw...TU for digging me out! You are the 2nd best distance I have with
this little rig... NICE EARS OM!

72 de k7hv/qrpp

I distinctly remember working him. He was very weak, but I was able to pull
him out. Little did he know -- I was using a K3!

Dave, N4QS

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill W4ZV" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 5:08 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 - just 500 watts?

>
>
> Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
>>
>> And I think a lot of the "skill" should be credited to the ops on the
>> other end who manage to pull out the QRP stations.
>>
>
> I agree. Most of the credit should go the the station that copies QRP
> stations. It's one thing to generate a weak signal but entirely another
> to
> be able to *receive* weak signals. IMHO the latter is MUCH more difficult
> ...and more satisfying to me personally.
>
> I enjoy operating QRP from portable sites using makeshift antennas but I
> give 99% of the credit to the guy on the other end.
>
> 73, Bill
>
> P.S. I run 1.5 kW on Topband but always get a thrill working QRP callers.
>
> http://www.eham.net/articles/10078
>
> --
> View this message in context:
> http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KPA500-just-500-watts-tp5959017p5960939.html
> Sent from the [QRO] mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
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Alan Bloom

Re: Dollars per watt

In reply to this post by Vic K2VCO

Ah yes, Hashafisti Scratchi. It's amazing how politically incorrect he
was. You could never get away with that nowadays.

Al N1AL

On Tue, 2011-01-25 at 13:23 -0800, Vic K2VCO wrote:

> This sounds like a story by Hashafisti Scratchi or Larsen E. Rapp.
>
> On 1/25/2011 12:52 PM, Alan Bloom wrote:
> > On Tue, 2011-01-25 at 08:04 -0800, Vic K2VCO wrote:
> > ...
> >> Speaking of dollars per watt, I'm presently using a homebrew pair of 813's which produce
> >> 800 watts (QSK but no 6M) and I have less than $400 into it. $0.50 dollars per watt.
> >
> > Many years ago I heard of a guy who built a linear amplifier using a
> > single 811. He ran it in grounded grid with tons of negative RF
> > feedback (grid lifted way off RF ground with a small capacitor) so that
> > the gain was only a little greater than unity.
> >
> > As I recall, the input RF driving power was 900 watts and the output
> > power was 1000W, the other 100W being supplied by the 811. But since
> > amplifiers are rated by output power rather than [output - input] power,
> > his dollars per watt came out at something like 5 cents/watt. :=)
> >
> > Al N1AL
> >
> >
>

Gary Hinson

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

In reply to this post by k6dgw

> Many countries have lower limits ... 400W in G, VK, and ZL, I
> think

Almost right, Fred. We Kiwis have the luxury of a whole dB more, or 500W
out in old money, but since it's measured at the transmitter output rather
than measured or calculated at the antenna feed point (as in the UK), some
of us max out well below 500W of radiated RF even with a legal-limit amp.

As a long time member of the G-QRP-Club, I'm currently enjoying WSPRing to
Europe on 40m with 1W out of the K3 giving roughly ½W into the vertical and
a very slightly warm long run of coax. Admittedly I'd be bored stiff if it
wasn't fully automatic, so I leave it running while I Do Other Stuff,
working or sleeping in fact.

The KPA500 sounds ideal for me *provided* it is as reliable as, errr, oh,
death and taxes. Amp reliability is every bit as important as size and
weight for DXpeditioning and contesting.

72
Gary ZL2iFB

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AC7AC

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

In reply to this post by Pete Smith N4ZR

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.

Rick Dettinger-3

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

In reply to this post by Guy, K2AV

I do. "Casual" QSO's are the only kind I was speaking to. The only
ones I have interest in. I have no interest in dealing with crowds,
weather on the air or at the mall.

73,
Rick Dettinger K7MW

>
> /QRP *IS* a waste of time in a contest. Save it for casual QSO's
> when you know the other end can copy you.
>
>

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Igor Sokolov-2

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

In reply to this post by Guy, K2AV

I run my Expert 1k-FA at 600W driving it with K3 set at 15W. When I hear
/QRP station I switch from 600W to 15W. My statistics is that less then 50%
of the /QRP callers hear me then.
When in the contest /QRP station calls I often come back to him with my
call/QRO to show him that this power information is redundant

73, Igor UA9CDC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Guy Olinger K2AV" <[hidden email]>
To: "Rick Dettinger" <[hidden email]>
Cc: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 26, 2011 4:55 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 - just 500 watts?

>I can't begin to tell you all the times on 40m from NY4A in a DX contest
> that the /QRP was all that I was getting, just because I could recognize
> the
> pattern. And, in Murphy-esque form the QRP station would waste all the
> QSB
> peaks on /QRP. I don't know why they bother. All the work is on my end.
> *I* should get extra points for copying QRP stations, as in the Stew
> Perry.
>
>
> If you want people to copy you on the other end when the path is minimal,
> do
> NOT send /QRP on your call. We ALREADY know you either aren't running any
> power, or are antenna-challenged, or the path is almost not there, or any
> or
> all of the above.
>
> /QRP *IS* a waste of time in a contest. Save it for casual QSO's when
> you
> know the other end can copy you.
>
>
>
> On Tue, Jan 25, 2011 at 5:09 PM, Rick Dettinger <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> I agree with the first two. I appreciate a clean output from my
>> transmitter and I would much rather use a bug. More fun!
>> But /QRP is not redundant, if that is what I want to communicate, then
>> I use it. I don't see it as a bad operating practice. I find that it
>> encourages other QRP ops to give me a try. Those are often the most
>> enjoyable contacts. 2 way QRP.
>>
>>
>> 73,
>> Rick
>> K7milliwatt
>>
>>
>> > I will never
>> > understand why many still use straight keys, badly formed cw, and
>> > unnecessary verbiage (like "/QRP", for example).
>> >
>> >
>> > 73, Pete N4ZR
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
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>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
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Jan Erik Holm

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

In reply to this post by Grant Youngman

Yes do you want to buy one?

/Jim SM2EKM
---------

On 2011-01-25 20:09, Grant Youngman wrote:

> A listen on the bands during most contests, makes it pretty clear which of the 3 is most normally left out :-)
>
> 4cx15000 anyone?
>
> Grant/NQ5T
>
> On Jan 25, 2011, at 12:59 PM, Lu Romero wrote:
>
>> John, what follows is "The W4LT Big-Time Radio Corollary of
>> Contesting (or DX'ing):
>>
>> ---------
>> Antenna
>> Brains
>> Power
>>
>> Pick two of the three.
>> ----------
>>

Richard-3

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

In reply to this post by AC7AC

I've seen some really hacked carpentry done with power tools.

If I had to compare weekend warrior power tool work to master craftsman
hand tool work, I'd go with the hand tool job.

Rich
NU6T
(here it comes....)

On 1/25/2011 8:16 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> Using a straight key (or bug) is like using a hand plane and chisels to make
> furniture. The end result will never be as perfect as something done with
> power tools, but the satisfaction is in the challenge of learning to do the
> best job possible with something that demands physical skill.
>
> I am immediately alerted whenever I hear a bug or straight key on the bands.
> I find keyers boring by comparison. Not that I won't work someone sending
> machine-perfect CW and enjoy the contact, but to me it's like listening to a
> "computer voice" instead of a real person speaking.
>
> I quite agree that the skill in working QRP goes to the receiving station. I
> get a much bigger personal thrill out of achieving Q5 copy from a guy
> running 100 mW than I do when someone reports Q5 copy when I'm running 100
> mW.
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Pete Smith
> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 1:33 PM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 - just 500 watts?
>
> And I think a lot of the "skill" should be credited to the ops on the
> other end who manage to pull out the QRP stations. That said, operator
> skill is particularly important for any QRP station - I will never
> understand why many still use straight keys, badly formed cw, and
> unnecessary verbiage (like "/QRP", for example).
>
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
>

kevinr@coho.net

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

The Woodwright or the New Yankee Workshop?

On Tue, 25 Jan 2011 21:11:03 -0800, Rich NU6T <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I've seen some really hacked carpentry done with power tools.
>
> If I had to compare weekend warrior power tool work to master craftsman
> hand tool work, I'd go with the hand tool job.
>
> Rich
> NU6T
> (here it comes....)
>
> On 1/25/2011 8:16 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
>> Using a straight key (or bug) is like using a hand plane and chisels to
>> make
>> furniture. The end result will never be as perfect as something done
>> with
>> power tools, but the satisfaction is in the challenge of learning to do
>> the
>> best job possible with something that demands physical skill.
>>
>> I am immediately alerted whenever I hear a bug or straight key on the
>> bands.
>> I find keyers boring by comparison. Not that I won't work someone
>> sending
>> machine-perfect CW and enjoy the contact, but to me it's like listening
>> to a
>> "computer voice" instead of a real person speaking.
>>
>> I quite agree that the skill in working QRP goes to the receiving
>> station. I
>> get a much bigger personal thrill out of achieving Q5 copy from a guy
>> running 100 mW than I do when someone reports Q5 copy when I'm running
>> 100
>> mW.
>>
>> Ron AC7AC
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: [hidden email]
>> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Pete Smith
>> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2011 1:33 PM
>> To: [hidden email]
>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 - just 500 watts?
>>
>> And I think a lot of the "skill" should be credited to the ops on the
>> other end who manage to pull out the QRP stations. That said, operator
>> skill is particularly important for any QRP station - I will never
>> understand why many still use straight keys, badly formed cw, and
>> unnecessary verbiage (like "/QRP", for example).
>>
>>
>> 73, Pete N4ZR
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
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>
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

In reply to this post by Richard-3

Rich (and Ron),

You are comparing apples and oranges. Master craftsmen use power tools
as a 'tool' to get the job done easier and faster. They also are expert
in the use of hand tools to do the same job. The skill is not in the
tools used, but at the hands of the user. There are just as many
"botched" jobs using power tools as there are using hand tools.

Those of us who have done professional woodworking have a saying -- The
difference between an amateur and a professional is that the
professional knows how to fix his mistakes (sometimes that means
starting over).
BTW - carpentry does not equal woodworking - two different fields - the
carpenter measures to the nearest 1/8 inch, but the woodworker is
concerned about which side of a of a 7mm pencil mark to cut on.

Similar analogies apply for CW and the proper use of power.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/26/2011 12:11 AM, Rich NU6T wrote:

AC7AC

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

In reply to this post by kevinr@coho.net

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.

Phil Hystad-3

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

In reply to this post by AC7AC

Ron,

Apparently you are not a woodworker. There isn't a machine on the planet that
can do a better job of finely cut dovetails by hand or a surface of a cabinet
polished to a mirror smoothness with a hand plane.

I do a lot of hand joinery as my other hobby and although I am not as skilled
as some of the greats, I have done work that I could never do as well using
my powered tools -- and, I have a fairly elaborate wood working shop, certainly
more money invested then in my ham radio gear.

73, phil, K7PEH

On Jan 25, 2011, at 8:16 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts? [END of Thread]

Administrator

Looks like this one has been beaten to death and is drifting afield... Time to end it for now.

73,
Eric
Elecraft List Moderator

www.elecraft.com
_..._

>
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Benny Aumala-2

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

In reply to this post by k0wa@swbell.net

Do not forget 6m.
Pain barrier seems to be 1kW.
Full legal power (or higher) HF-amplifiers do not have 6m.

KPA500 will be instantly on.
Tube-type amplifiers (e.g. exellent ACOM1000) take 3 minute
heating time. After that the opening on 6m might be history.

Benny OH9NB

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Jim Brown-10

Re: KPA500 - just 500 watts?

In reply to this post by Bill W4ZV

On 1/25/2011 3:08 PM, Bill W4ZV wrote:
> I enjoy operating QRP from portable sites using makeshift antennas but I
> give 99% of the credit to the guy on the other end.

I strongly agree.

> 73, Bill
>
> P.S. I run 1.5 kW on Topband but always get a thrill working QRP callers.

Same here. I have a lot of land, lots of nice antennas, including
Beverages, so I can hear pretty well. I particularly like the Stew
Perry contest, where you get extra points for working QRP stations, and
the ARRL DX Contest, where the DX station sends his power as the
exchange. Each year, I'm pleasantly surprised to work a fair number of
5W and 1W stations from JA on 80M and 40M!

I'm a member of NCCC, one of the top contesting clubs, and one of our
recent Presidents, N6WG, ONLY runs QRP. There are top contesters in AL
and MN who often runs QRP.

73, Jim K9YC
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123