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QRP Fox Hunts. by Andy Zwirko – K1RA http://www.k1ra.us/. Overview. What is QRP & QRPp? What equipment is involved? Who are the QRP centric groups? QRP Fox Hunt Sponsors and Event Rules & Players of the Competition Where & when do they occur? Audio & video of K1RA 80m (2008/9)
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QRP Fox Hunts by Andy Zwirko – K1RA http://www.k1ra.us/
Overview • What is QRP & QRPp? • What equipment is involved? • Who are the QRP centric groups? • QRP Fox Hunt Sponsors and Event • Rules & Players of the Competition • Where & when do they occur? • Audio & video of K1RA 80m (2008/9) • Stats from Winter 2008/9 season
QRP & QRPp Explained • Q-signal - Shall I decrease power? • QRP is usually defined <= 10 watts • In most contests QRP <= 5 watts • QRPp is usually defined <= 1 watt • Opposite of QRP is QRO – Increase power • QRO is usually defined > 100 watts • Powers of 10 • 1w, 10w, 100w, 1000w - 10db increments
QRP Equipment • Commercial 100w transceiver • Throttle power output ~5 watts • Transverter output 1-100’s milliwatts • Commercial QRP transceivers • 9-12vdc battery powered, 5 watts max. output • Portable, self-contained, multi-mode • QRP Kits & Home brewing • Simple CW Transmitter Xtal control • VFO based transceivers SSB&CW • DDS, Digital and SDR based tx/rx
Commercial QRO Rigs • 100+w – Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood, Elekraft • Throttle power output to ~5 watts • Tap transverter output 1-100’s milliwatts
Commercial QRP Rigs • 5w – SGC, Yaesu, Icom, Tentec, Elekraft • 9-12vdc battery powered 5 watts max. out • Portable, self-contained, multi-mode
QRP Rig Kits • 5w – Elekraft, TenTec, Hendriks, Softrock, EMtech, JUMA, NorCal • Battery powered 5 watts max. • Portable
QRP Centric Organizations • International QRP groups • American QRP Club (AmQRP) • http://www.amqrp.org/ • QRP Amateur Radio Club International • http://www.qrparci.org • Flying Pigs QRP Club International • http://www.fpqrp.com/ • Local VA QRP groups • Northern VA QRP Club • http://www.novaqrp.org/ • Virginia QRP Society • http://www.qsl.net/vqs/
QRP Fox Hunt Organization • http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org • http://groups.yahoo.com/group/qfox/ • Members of other QRP groups who had an interest in creating a competitive QRP event • Main mode of interest in CW (morse) • Test operator skill at copying multiple weak signals • Exercise station capabilities • Competitions occur on HF bands • 80m/40m during winter • 20m during summer
QRP Fox Hunt Events • A QRP Fox Hunt is a series of 90 minute Amateur Radio events during which low-power (QRP) stations, or "Hounds," attempt to make contact with specific QRP stations designated as "The Fox." • Time – 0200-0329 GMT (-1hr if during DST) • Dates – 80m Tues & 40m Thurs nights (winter) • Months – 1st week in Nov. -> 3rd week in Mar. (winter) • Dates – 20m Tues nights (summer) • Months – 1st week in Jul. -> 1st week in Sept. (summer) • Op +/- 10Khz of 3.560 MHz & 7.040 MHz & 14.060 MHz • 2 Foxes per night (one high/one low)
QRP Fox Hunt Details • OnlyFoxes call CQ FOX • Fox will initially listen UP ~1 KHz (split / pileup) • All others (hounds) attempt to contact (bag pelt) • Exchange RST, State, Name and Power • Only Foxes submit a log to the sponsor
QRP Fox Hunt Details • Hounds can form teams of up to 5 members • Foxes, Hounds and Hound Teams scored at end of season • Score based on successful contacts (pelts) • Pelts “given” by Foxes and “bagged” by Hounds
QRP Online Resources • QRP Club Resource list • http://4sqrp.com/resource/qrp_clubs.htm • http://home.windstream.net/johnshan/links_ss_qrpc.html • http://www.ac6v.com/qrp.htm • QRP Kits • http://www.qrpkits.com/ • http://www.nikkemedia.fi/juma/ • http://emtech.steadynet.com/ • http://www.tentec.com/?s=kits#trx • http://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Manufacturers/QRP_Kits/ • http://www.qrparci.org/component/option,com_weblinks/catid,17/Itemid,23