QRP Bashers - unite!

There's another QRP thread on e-Ham. Of course, this brings out the QRP bashers. Here are some comments that really make me chuckle; and just goes to show there are a lot of Hams out there with provincial attitudes that just "don't get it".

From N4DSP:

"To each his own but for me Life is too short for qrp."

Now THAT'S original!

From W3TUA:

"QSO's are few and far between in most QRP setups so you won't get your heart rate racing anytime soon. It's perfect for the faint of heart. ;-)

I tried QRP for a few years. When the opportunity arose, I bought some nicer 100-watt transceivers, good antennas, and a KW amplifier. My conclusion is that you can knock down a wall with a hammer but a wrecking ball brings better results."

He tried QRP for a few years? Geez, in my last three years of operating, which has been 100% QRP, I've made over 4000 QSOs. I wonder what his problem is?

From K5UJ:

"I knew this would wind up as a QRP v. QRO thing before I even read the article. I'm not going to bash QRP. You want to operate QRP, be my guest and have at it, all QRP all the time. I only ask that:

1. You don't preach about it to me with zeal, ignoring my lack of interest.

2. You don't decide that the U.S. power limit should be 100 w. and petition the FCC to change it to that.

3. You don't scream that N no. of people near me are in danger because of RF.

4. You do not operate phone below 20 meters. "

Fair enough! It shouldn't be a "religion". I agree with this gentleman.

From K6AER:

The dirty little secret of QRP is they almost never contact another QRP station. The station on the other ends up doing the heavy lifting with mono banders up high and QRO power so the QRP station can hear above the local noise with their minimalist antenna.

Oh man! I wish I had know this before wasting my time all these years! Hey, by the way, is this the same guy who starts all those "urban legends"?

From W9OY:

"The point is its the guy doing the receiving who is doing all the heavy lifting. Why is the goober running a watt doing all the bragging? Seems to me a guy who had a big gun tower and all the beams would understand in the case of QRP its the receiving station not the transmitting station that is dominate."

Ah, yes ..... W9OY the veteran QRP basher! First on the thread to start with the derogatory name calling too! I guess it takes a "goober" to know a "goober"!

Another comment from K5UJ:

"The solution (which never fails) is to put your amp in bypass and turn your exciter PA pot down to ~5 w., maybe less if you have a really good antenna, and let the QRP station do some work. Every time after one or two exchanges, you'll get, "Have to go, dinner's ready" or "I have a tv show I want to watch now." Tell him you're giving QRP a try too and watch how fast the honeymoon turns into divorce."

Darn! After his first post, I had such hopes for this guy! This post just goes to show that even when they try to be civil, QRP bashers just can't help shooting themselves in the foot. Geez, if I had a nickel for everytime I have worked another QRPer, I'd be able to afford that K3!

From W5JON:

"On every QRP, "I worked this DX station" brag page, it should be required to list what the guy at the other end was running. I would just love to see the percent QRP to QRP contacts.

I really enjoy reducing my power to the level of the QRP station that calls me, and switching to a dipole. Chances are within a minute or two he is signing out. I Guess it is no fun digging my S9 signal that just went to a S2 out of the noise."

Another veteran e-Ham QRP basher heard from. Another QRO guy that not only "doesn't get it"; but also shows he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Finally from AB8AL:

"I just don't understand why QRP'ers keep patting themselves on the back and talk about honing skills and blah blah blah. Any contact a QRPer makes he should be thanking the station on the other end for pulling his weak signal out of the noise. QRP stations do NONE of the work then claim ALL the credit."

Tell us how you REALLY feel, okay?

I love these guys! They're so single minded, so cocksure of themselves; that I guess they don't realize how stupid they sound. So much for keeping an open mind and exposing yourself to all that Amateur Radio has to offer!

73 de Larry W2LJ