Amazing results from QRP DXers
The results of the DX Marathon for 2012 are now online and when I saw the results in the QRP category I just shook my head in disbelief.
As we all know, 2012 didn’t present the best of RF conditions. Far from it, but the top two QRP DXers each worked all 40 zones in that 12 month period.
At the top of the list was my buddy Dan WG5G in San Antonio, TX who, along with those 40 zones, worked 257 countries in a single year with 5 watts! Dan has one heck of an antenna that puts that handful of watts exactly where he wants them, geographically-speaking. Spectrum-wise, his know-how sends the signal right into the headphones of the distant receivers.
Second place in QRP goes to Bill W8QZA in San Diego, CA. For the year, Bill worked all 40 zones and 221 countries. And he did it with a very modest antenna – a 3-element Yagi at only 32 feet (9.7m).
Both of these guys live on city lots with all the limitations and QRN that implies.
Bill has a pic of his antennas posted to his QRZ.com page. Look at it here and ponder the expertise that allowed him to do what he did with that set-up and 5 watts. Other QRP accomplishments from Bill:
- 70 countries on 80m QRP in a single contest weekend
- Most distant QSO: EA3OT on the Long Path, Jan 12, 1993, 20m SSB at 16:10 Z. 19,091 miles (30,724 km or 76.7% of the way around the world!)
- Fastest WAC ever: 13 minutes. March 4, 2000 on 15m SSB during ARRL DX Phone contest.
- Fastest WAC on 40m CW: 18 minutes, Feb 16, 2002 during ARRL DX CW contest. (It took me two years to get WAC on 40 the first time!)
- Fastest WAC on 40m SSB: 34 minutes, Mar 3, 2012 during ARRL DX Phone contest.
- Fastest WAC on 80m CW: 3 hrs and 51 minutes, Feb 20, 2010 during ARRL DX CW contest. CR2X-P40L-KL7WV-EF8M-KH6J-JA0JHA
- Long Path: I have worked every continent on the Long Path except my own, North America.
This won’t win me any friends in certain circles, but I gotta say it:
There are those QRO DXers on eHam’s DX Forum who take great pleasure in posting to the list every DXpedition they work and how few calls it took to get them. When no ultra-rare DXpeditions are currently on, they piss & moan about having nothing to work, implying (ever-so-subtly, mind you) that they’ve got all the juicy stuff already.
Meanwhile, guys like Dan and Bill are working anything and everything, piercing the east coast “wall” – and any other wall – with 5 watts…and yet remaining as humble as they are effective.
Contrary to so many other aspects of life these days, these guys who are accomplishing the most are crowing about it the least.
And while that speaks highly of their character, a lot of what is possible with QRP is lost on the masses, with so many non-QRPers thinking these feats are impossible.
I nominated Dan for QRP Hall of Fame last year – he’s the only QRPer on DXCC Honor Roll – and in a glaring example of what they’ve become ( a clique-ish “it’s who ya know, not what you accomplish” mentality), QRP ARCI not only refused to induct him – they didn’t induct anyone at all! Screw them.
Congrats to both of you, Dan and Bill, for an amazing year – and a lesson in humility.
.
.
Themocracy
John,
I have nominated a particular person for ARCI HOF for about three years until I decided to give up. I received an e-mail from a sympathetic semi-insider who explained to me why my nominations were going for naught. It was enlightning and disillusioning at the same time. I suppose we’re all innocent and idealistic at one time or another.
I’d love to hear the gist of the explanation you were given – privately or here. If privately, I’ll certainly keep it that way.
In addition to QRP HoF, the guys above ought to be on Wheaties boxes. Remember those?
The list of achievements listed is simply amazing. It never ceases to amaze me what can be achieved with low power and the right attitude and approach.
I see the list is based on 10 watts or less, it is a pity that the QRP community cannot agree once and for all on either 5 or 10 watts to define QRP.
I am not insinuating anything, but having awards endorsed with QRP is wrought with problems. Was the applicant honest? Was the power measured accurately? Should gain antennas be allowed? How do they deal with chancers? I am sure there are many other niggling questions.
Regardless of official recognition and “wall paper” working the world with QRP is very satisfying, almost magical.
73, Pierre ZS6A
I understand about the issue of possible chancers or cheating – a possible component in many awards.
AA2U was inducted into QRP ARCI’s HoF for working 5B-DXCC with QRP power. Over 100 of those countries were worked at a power level of 100 milliwatts. Perhaps the same verification method could be used for WG5G…
And who’s to say that winners of contests operated it within their power limits?
I understand that cheating does take place – recent examples (with callsigns) have been published regarding cheating in recent CQWW ‘tests. However, the result of “you’re a liar until you can prove otherwise” approach is that some ops – QRPers in this example – will achieve no recognition while those who accomplished the same achievement more easily, (with QRO) will.
If this is the reason for QRP ARCI’s refusal to induct QRPers with such achievements, that relegates them to limiting inductees to commercial endeavors – ie, Martin Jue of MFJ, Enterprises et all. Give me a break!
Superb performance/results at the radio then, the essence of what QRP ARCI is all about and where the QRP rubber meets the road, is not valid for consideration?
I was pretty satisfied with 116 countries in 33 zones exclusively on 15 meters with an FT-817 and Cushcraft MA-5B from California.
That is quite impressive, Danny!
The only QRP’er on the DXCC Honor Roll would seem to be en obvious choice for a Hall Of Fame award – or some kind of acknowledgment, for sure. His achievement is inspiring and as you mentioned John, great PR for the world of QRP.
They’d probably have better luck getting well-deserved recognition elsewhere – like on blogs, forums, etc.
I’m awaiting a reply from General Mills (Wheaties). Not really…
You make a very valid point. Blogs and forums have a wide reach these days – as wide as (if not wider than) any club or organization.
Good evening John, Bill,Pierre, & the rest of the group, I ran across this when I was doing a search for an article titled – WG5G’S QRP CANNON – thought it might be another negative statement about my use of the large quad antenna. Tnx for all the comments, I really enjoy what I do, I just enjoy qrp, I have no reason to go qro, to me its boring – what is the challenge? Ive been doing this about 30 years now, sorta used to it, its amazing how many stations hear me, all of you qrpers reading this know what I mean, I tell you that marathon was the best thing to happen to this qrper in many years, Bill you know what I mean, it gave me a new challenge, How much did I want to win the marathon? How about getting up at 3am to check the pacific opening or missing the 9M0L Spratly operation & finally working 9M4SLL Spratly on the next attempt, to me it was like each day a new country was on, I truly had a blast. there were disappointments to, I must have had T6LG call CQ in my face 15 different nights, The thrill of hearing XX9 longpath on 10 meters, didnt get thru but sure enjoyed hearing the opening, Lastly, Tnx to John for getting this out in the open, Hey maybe when I reach #1 Honor Roll I can qualify HI HI. 73/72 Dan WG5G/QRP.
Hi Dan,
As a QRO’er I frequently get stomped on during a pile up. This is a situation where the DX comes back to me with my partial call, then another caller with his call sign not even close to mine stomps over me to get the QSO. As a QRP’er this must happen to you so frequently that you’re used to it :-) If I were in your situation I would get so mad getting stomped on all the time. How do you manage to keep sanity in an environment that one out of two DX’ers are bullies? The situation is only getting worse and even as a QRO’er I’m sick of the negative conducts seen on the bands.
The early days of being a QRP DXer/contester is much like undergoing the five stages of grief. Once you reach the Acceptance stage, you know when to cut your losses early and keep twiddling the receive VFO in search of other prey or better propagation. It’s a tactic that has served me well over the years (see my contest results at qrz.com).
For a long time, I had the attitude to just forge ahead and not let the lids get to me. But nowadays I find it easier to just turn take off the headphones and take a 5 or 10 minute break…I’m right there at the computer anyway, so I check my email, read the wx forecast, etc.
When I’m done, I check the pile-up again and start Round 2.
Good morning Jonathan, well I guess I am use to it, I try and focus on the dx and blank out all the bs, doesnt always work but I dont have much choice. I realize its part of the challenge. I still like to tune and catch dx calling cq, guess you just have to adapt to each situation. Yes it sometimes is so bad that I just wait and try later, well time to play in the ARRL CW DX TEST, 73 Dan WG5G.
Very nice pledge for QRP and the great results they archive.
Not that I am against using PA’s
As long it is used the correct way it is okay to me.