QRP Corner
Via Facebook from Pete M3KXZ – (Ed: this just goes to show that you can work CW DX QSOs with a simply station)
Great fun on 20m this morning, sitting on the beach at Ovingdean just east of Brighton.
Set up my 1/4 wave wire vertical with elevated counterpoise on an ultra light and cheap carbon fibre fishing pole (weight 300g, cost £13). Feedpoint is a BNC to binding post adapter (cost £2) with an ugly choke just wound on the feed line.
Rig Lab599 TX500 running 5W.
First QSO was with Brian ZL3XDJ who I heard CQing on 14034. Wonderful chat, with fantastic signal both ways. Brian’s antenna an elevated 1/4 wave vertical just like mine.
When we finished I went up to 14058 and started CQing. I was found fairly quickly by Manabu JI2MED. He was a terrific 599 to me, and I was 569 at his end. He was beaming long path with his LFA antenna, so QSO distance was over 19,000 miles. We chatted for ages with no problem.
I was then called by Phil VK3VB. Another fantastic QSO.
Propagation then started to shorten and I finished up with a couple of EU QSOs; Josef OK1FMJ and Piet OE6PAF.
I am constantly amazed at what QRP and very inexpensive but highly effective home made antennas can do. And of course a decent location helps.
Pictures below from this morning.
73 M3KXZ
Last modified: 27 April, 2026
