Posted: 6/21/2012 9:33:14 AM EDT
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I've been thinking of getting into Ham but I face two problems, I don't have the room for a large set up or antennas and I also don't have a large disposal income. I did run across QRP and am interested in the small mostly homemade units.
A couple of questions I have are these units going to work in emergency settings? Can I use them with a general license? Thanks for the help. |
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Because I live in an area where outdoor antennas aren't allowed, I use an indoor antenna (magnetic loop). Because I'm using an indoor antenna, I use low power (QRP). Because I'm using low power, I use CW.
I'm using this transceiver right now because it's a good match for my magnetic loop. This setup works better than I expected it would actually. I could probably run my station continuously for a couple of weeks on my sealed lead-acid (SLA) battery. Even a Technician-class license is quite useful on HF with CW privileges on 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters. With a General-class license Bob's your uncle. |
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Hey Man
I can't be of too much help when it comes to QRP specific rigs/ equip. But I am broke, live in a very small house with 6 others and don't have any big antennas (Yet). Initially, I bought into the idea of the EMCOMM Box but more of a Portable/Packable Shack vs. the Spare Bedroom full of gear. My current shack consist of the following (listed with prices) 
Kenwood TS50s $450 Kenwood TM231 $60 (not shown) Samlex 1223 $75 LDG Z100 $80 MTM Spud box $40 total gear $705 Build Thread all but the Spud box were purchased from QTH Swap (used) or Local Ham Show (used) I post that to show how little the cost can be to get yourself on the air-with HF and VHF/UHF comms. as to the antennas I use. Ed Fong PVC Jpole for VHF/UHF $28 on ebay (60" of 1" PVC on mast) Random 75' Wire with 4:1 Balun hung in tree 8' off ground for HF freq. It's virtually invisible :) and works really really well for what it is. Japan, Italy, Spain, Canary Islands, and all over North America! simple 14 ga THNN wire from Home Depot. My Kenwood TS50 is a 100w rig that will go 10w, 50w and 100w. I like having that little extra if I need it. and as a fairly new ham (14 mo or so) it makes it easier to make contacts when you're learning YMMV 
Either way, good luck...check out Ham Test Online for the $20 Tech Special-it's worth that and it works to boot! |
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Quoted:
Because I live in an area where outdoor antennas aren't allowed, I use an indoor antenna (magnetic loop). Because I'm using an indoor antenna, I use low power (QRP). Because I'm using low power, I use CW. I'm using this transceiver right now because it's a good match for my magnetic loop. This setup works better than I expected it would actually. I could probably run my station continuously for a couple of weeks on my sealed lead-acid (SLA) battery. Even a Technician-class license is quite useful on HF with CW privileges on 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters. With a General-class license Bob's your uncle. Tell me about the r4030 thinking about a r4020. My birthday is coming up and my wife is going to be out visiting her parents and miss my birthday. I have offered to let her buy me a go kit to ease her guilty conscience. 
OP while QRP is fun and building radios is fun and working people on a radio you built is fun squared there are a lot of great used rigs out there for not a whole lot of money. If the source is reliable don't shy away from something just because it is 20 years old or in the case of my rig 35ish. |
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Tell me about the r4030 thinking about a r4020. My birthday is coming up and my wife is going to be out visiting her parents and miss my birthday. I have offered to let her buy me a go kit to ease her guilty conscience.
It's quite a step up from the MFJ-9040 I was using earlier.  The reviews on eham are mostly positive. It's small (5.7” X 3.7” X 1.4”), light (15.8 oz) and sips power (about 55 mA on receive). It even has room inside for 8 AA batteries. It would be a great radio for a backpacking trip.
https://www.tentec.com/downloads/manuals/r4020/R4020%20manual%203-24-10.pdf https://www.tentec.com/downloads/manuals/r4030/R4030%20manual%203-24-10.pdf |
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Quoted:
Because I live in an area where outdoor antennas aren't allowed, I use an indoor antenna (magnetic loop). Because I'm using an indoor antenna, I use low power (QRP). Because I'm using low power, I use CW. I'm using this transceiver right now because it's a good match for my magnetic loop. This setup works better than I expected it would actually. I could probably run my station continuously for a couple of weeks on my sealed lead-acid (SLA) battery. Even a Technician-class license is quite useful on HF with CW privileges on 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters. With a General-class license Bob's your uncle. What magnetic loop are you using? |
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Although I can understand enjoying QRP operating...I could never understand wanting a transciever that is made to only put out QRP power. I can always reduce my power output, but I can also increase it if the need should arise. Better to have it and not need it.....
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Worked DF1IAQ Germany last night 0058Z on 20m PSK31 with 5w QRP. (IC-703+)  
Didn't realize you had the 703 fired up too... I posted this the day before I drove to your place for Field Day. I had the 703 with me, but never even tried it. Too much QRM for QRP on Field Day. Struggling with one antenna on top of the painters pole and tripod was about all I wanted to manage anyway.
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Although I can understand enjoying QRP operating...I could never understand wanting a transciever that is made to only put out QRP power. I can always reduce my power output, but I can also increase it if the need should arise. Better to have it and not need it..... Kinda like Winter vs. Summer... You can always put more on, but there is a limit to what you can remove (thankfully) I may get there (QRP; not stripping) but as a 1 year Ham vet, I'm not ready yet! |
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Although I can understand enjoying QRP operating...I could never understand wanting a transciever that is made to only put out QRP power.
I operate on emergency power (a 33 Ah SLA battery) 100% of the time. Trail radios typically pull ~50 mA while regular radios typically pull ~1000 mA. I can operate for a couple of weeks without having to fire up a generator. |
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What magnetic loop are you using?
I'm using an MFJ-936B loop tuner, a couple of short heavy-gauge wires, and 26 feet of 4" aluminum flashing. The flashing is supported on a frame I made with PVC fittings from formufit.com and PVC tubing from Home Depot. A 26' loop works on 30m and 40m. You'd need a smaller loop for 20m and up. |
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this thread is filled with crazy people. ar-jedi The sane ones of us use QRP so the RF doesn't fry our brains.
It's the kid I'm currently worried about really. Thank you for the great recommendations. I'm going to have to look into them. My main goal is to be portable as for polar QRP, your on your own.
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My main goal is to be portable
In that case, portable single-band dipoles are very easy to build. And here is a design for a portable multi-band dipole. |