When thou

snoozeth, thou looseth.

I got home from work yesterday; and on the spur of the moment became bound and determined to send Steve KD1JV some funds for an ATS-4.  They went on sale yesterday morning at 11:11 AM.  By the time I got home, the run was sold out!  Actually, the spur of the moment thing came earlier in the morning; only to find that PayPal is blocked from our company's server.  I couldn't access it until I got home and by that time it was too late.  The bright side is that Steve said there may be another run issued the first week of December.  If so, I will bring my laptop and will make a run to the local McD's if I have to in order to get in on one.  My masochistic tendencies are obviously rearing their ugly heads again. SMT construction!

Today was yet another busy Saturday!  I rounded up 10 bags worth of leaves from the backyard this morning with the leaf blower.  Mother Nature did my front yard for me as we had a cold front come through yesterday with some gusty winds. No leaves!

My son Joey had his last rec-league soccer game today at Noon and his team won 4-0, finishing the season at 7-1.  There was an obligatory pizza fest at 2:00 PM at one of the local pizza places.

That left the grocery shopping left as the last chore for the day.  But before I went, I got on 20 Meters for a little bit and heard Ken WA8REI/P finishing up a QSO with VE1AB.  I tail ended the QSO and got on with Ken as I wanted him to know that he was booming into NJ at 589.  In all the times we have worked each other, I think that may be the loudest I have ever heard him.  Ken was cozied up in his motor home operating from a friend's cottage on a lake up there in Michigan.  It was great to work a fellow Polar Bear on the bands.  I only wish I had time to hunt for a few more.

Oh and yes, the grocery shopping got done; but the real buy there was an 18.5 pound turkey for nine bucks! Thanksgiving dinner, here we come.  I saw for the first time and was seriously tempted to buy - a tur-duc-hen.  For those of you who don't watch the food channels, this is a chicken stuffed inside a duck, which is in turn stuffed inside a turkey.  This poultry fest originated down in Louisiana, if I remember correctly and I would like to try it - just once!

The rest of the evening will be spent resting, once I finish putting away the last of the groceries.  Maybe I'll get back on to check the QRP watering holes for a bit.

I am hoping to get an hour or so tomorrow to run up to Washington Rock State Park tomorrow to activate it.  If I do, I will post to QRPSPOTS and will get some photos.  Nothing fancy, just the PFR3A and the Hamsticks this time.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Veterans Day 2011

 

Thank you so very much

from the bottom of the heart of

a very grateful nation!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Tag lines

A couple of years ago, Jim W4QO asked me in an e-mail if I would mind him using my QRP tag line - "QRP - when you care to send the very least!"  Of course, I said "Sure, go ahead". It's not like I copyrighted it or anything.  I didn't think anything about it until W3BBO brought the following to my attention.

This appeared in this week's ARRL's Contest Update by Ward Silver N0AX:

WORD TO THE WISE

Here are some various bits of homespun ham wisdom -

"QRP - when you care enough to send the very least (W4QO)"
"Aren't you glad you use QSK? Don't you wish everybody did?" (K8MP)
And not wanting to pass up the opportunity to chime in, "Not zero-beating stations means beating zero stations," by your editor.

I guess Jim saw it too (or someone had mentioned it to him), as he sent me another e-mail today saying, "I hope you don't mind that I use that".  I replied mentioning a quote of Ronald Reagan's - "There's no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit".

I'm just glad my little tag line (a take off on the old FTD slogan actually) is getting noticed.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Feeling strange

Physically, I'm fine.  My allergies are acting up; but that's nothing to write home about.

Regarding Ham Radio, however, I currently seem to be in a bit of a malaise, if you will.

"How can that be?", you might ask. I think that one of the major contributing factors is that I am severely lacking in one precious commodity - spare time.  Or maybe it's the time change back to Standard Time that occurred last weekend.  By the time I get home from work, it's already dark outside, making it feel later than it is.  After dinner, time is used up by reviewing homework and then maybe a small house chore or two (last night I had to install a new doorbell).  By the time I have time for radio, my body is more ready for the bed than my hand is ready for the key.

Weekends are spent with soccer games, grocery shopping, raking leaves, not to mention trying to get the house ready for Thanksgiving guests.  Sheesh, Turkey Day is only two weeks away!

One help was reading a post from Dan KB6NU's blog entitled, "Carving Out Time for Ham Radio".  I realized that I just have to make some time for myself, too - even if it's just a half hour or so. It's not like I am lacking for projects to complete, or DX to chase or Code to pound out.

Experience is a great teacher; and I know these things run in cycles.  My funk this week will be replaced by excitement about something or other, real soon.  At least I have the Winter QRP Foxhunts to keep me motivated.  Tuesday and Thursday nights will be beacons of activity for at least until March 2012.

And as if knowing that I needed it, my good friend Jim W1PID has posted of another outdoor New Hampshire adventure - this always gets my Ham Radio "juices" flowing!     http://www.w1pid.com/shute_field/shute_field.html

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Got one at least !

Last night, I lucked out and worked John K4AVX as K6JSS/4 from Kentucky.

Tonight, I bagged my first Fox pelt of the 2011/2012 Winter Hunt season on 80 Meters.  I successfully worked Jim N0UR in Minnesota who was on duty tonight.  He was strong into NJ, and I guess I was decent into MN as I garnered a 599 from him.

The other Fox is Dale WC7S in Wyoming.  New Jersey to Wyoming on 80 Meters is going to be a tough road to hoe.  I'll keep listening as I think I can make out some of the Hounds baying at Dale; and I can even hear him but just barely..  I'm pretty sure the band won't change in my favor; but I still have my fingers crossed.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

No SS for W2LJ

Not too much doing on the radio for me this weekend.  I know that this has been a huge weekend for many, as it is ARRL Sweepstakes Weekend (CW).  But in all my years of Ham-dom, I've just not been a real Sweepstakes kind of guy.  I've jumped in and have participated in the past for needed states and pins. Don't know if the ARRL still offers; but it used to be that if you made 100 Qs, they'd send you a pin for participating.  I haven't even done that in quite some time.

Before the Sweepstakes began yesterday afternoon, I did manage to work K6JSS/5 in Oklahoma to keep that alive.  Today I was cruising the WARC bands, and I worked Ray HR9/WQ7R on 12 Meters and Jonas TF2JB on 17 Meters.  If you get a chance, check out Jonas' background on QRZ.com.  Very impressive.

This time change between Daylight Saving Time and Standard Time seems to affect me more and more each year as I grow older.  It never used to phase me as a kid; but now I find my sleep schedule getting thrown off just enough to be noticeable to me the next day.  Another side benefit of becoming even more mature, I suppose.

W2LJ Public Service Announcement - If you have smoke detectors and CO detectors in your house, using the time change as a reminder to change your batteries is a great idea.  I went around and changed the batteries in mine yesterday. Carbon Monoxide and smoke detectors save lives and the lives you might save could very well be your own!

Something to look forward to and something you might want to try, if you never have before.  This week begins the 2011/2012 Winter QRP Foxhunt Season.  Every Tuesday night will be an 80 Meter hunt and every Thursday night will be a 40 Meter hunt.  Yours truly has not volunteered for Fox duty this year, as I firmly believe that it is in the very best interest of the activity to cultivate new blood.  Back when I was a member of the Foxhunt Committee, I tried to instill that, with varying success.  I was and still am of the opinion that if you constantly use the same guys from year to year to year that you are A) running the risk of burning people out and B) not promoting the growth of the activity.  I have been pleased over the past year or two ot see new Foxes join the ranks.

According to Dale WC7S, they are still looking for volunteers.  So if you've participated as a Hound and it has crossed your mind to become quarry - go for it!  I guarantee that you'll have a blast and I guarantee that you will raise your skill level as a result.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Don't that beat all ?!?

The Zombie Shuffle for 2011 is history.  Tonight, 20 Meters has a noise level of 1 bar on the K2 and the noise level on 40 Meters is about 2 bars.  The complete and total opposite of last night.

Of course! (Darn mask must have scared away the noise!)

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

CQ Boo disappointment

I sit here typing this, the K2 is spitting out a string of "CQ Boos" for the Zombie Shuffle. It appears that I am going to be confined to 80 Meters tonight as the "local neighborhood QRN" has kicked in and I'm getting 10 over S9 noise on both 40 and 20 Meters.  So far, since local sunset, I have had a sum total of 7 QSOs.  Not exactly how I thought it was going to go.

But the highlight was working two exceptional friends among the six that I had the privilege to work. First, fellow Polar Bear and good friend WA8REI who was operating portable in Michigan.  It's always nice to hook up with Ken, who has a superb fist.  And I was happy that I was able to wish him a "Happy Bearthday" which occurred yesterday for him. Then I was able to work Jim W1PID who always has a superb signal into NJ.  It's hard to imagine that 5 Watts can sound so loud!  I will have to record Jim's signal one of these days so I can have some ammo for the guys who INSIST that QRP signals are necessarily weak

There was a new wrinkle added to the Shuffle this year, you had to send, as part of the exchange, how many years you've been licensed.  This year makes 33 for W2LJ. It's been interesting to hear just exactly how long some of my friends have been licensed.  Even with 33 years under my belt, I feel like a Newbie compared to some of them!

At the very end of my session, I did manage a single, solitary QSO on 40 Meters with Jim W4QO.  It was only due the fact that he was 599 +++ into NJ.  Here's some video/audio that I recorded after our QSO.  This will give you and idea of the noise levels that I sometimes get here on 40 Meters.

.Oh, by the way, here's a self portrait if the Zombie behind the key!

Ain't he handsome?

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Halloween Fright

So far, power has only been out twice and for a few seconds at a time. Antennas are still OK, except the the one End Fed Zepp (which I hardly ever use) is drooping a lot.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

AA7EE = good job

Dave AA7EE, fellow QRPer and blogger writes about how a member of the T32C DXpedition team read his blog and commented on their 80 Meter QSO.  Good job on both ends, IMHO, and his blog entry is definitely worth the read.

A fantastic job was done by the T32C team - and as far as I am concerned they have lifted the bar for DXpedition operations.  I am afraid that in my own mind at least, that it was their effort that I will use as a comparison for other DXpeditions that I encounter in the future.

And a really fantastic job by Dave, too.  He is currently in possession of three monoband rigs, a NorCal 2N2/40, a Ft. Tuthill 80, and an NT7S CC-20.  He made contacts with T32C with each rig, each time using less than the "QRP Full Gallon" of 5 Watts.

A decent antenna and a good QRP operator on one end and a utterly superb DXpedition team with fantastic ears on the other end made for a "once in a lifetime" memory.  These are the things that you fondly and warmly remember, even after many, many years behind the dial.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

K6JSS/3

I am happy to say that Maryland is in the log after a very nice QSO tonight with Mike W3MC who was behind the key as K6JSS/3.  Mike was kindly enough to meet me on 80 Meters, where he was very loud.  Mike was running his K3 at only 5 Watts (of course) but his open wire fed dipole resides at a lofty 90 feet up!  That is truly amazing.  I have a tough time imagining having trees that tall in my backyard.

I was looking at the AccuWeather forecast for the upcoming weekend,  and I see where my part of New Jersey stands to get 1 - 3 inches of snow on Saturday into Saturday night.  I haven't finished the leaves or put the glass in the storm doors yet!  What's going on?

The only good thing about this time of year is that 80 Meters comes back into play.  80 Meters is one of my favorite bands and it's nice to be able to hang out there.  I always seem to have a relatively low noise floor on 80 Meters during the months when darkness comes early.  Even when 40 Meters succumbs to that weird and unpredictable neighborhood QRN, 80 Meters remains relatively free and provides refuge.

And it IS very noticeable that it is getting dark early.  By the time I finish my commute home from work, the sun has already set.  In another week, that will be happening even quicker with the change back to Standard time - I will probably be leaving work in the darkness.

I hate to rush time; but the sooner Winter comes and goes, the sooner Spring will get here.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Zombie confusion

I see several guys on the various QRP e-mail reflectors asking if anyone plans to participate in the Zombie Shuffle this Friday night.

Guys ..... it has been moved this year!

As per Paul NA5N:

Gang,

No, I have not forgotten about the Zombie Shuffle. It has been distressing trying to figure out how to work it around all the contests at the end of October and first of November. After some email suggestions, and asking a few regular participants, and the fact that Halloween is on Monday night this year, we have decided that this year's Zombie Shuffle will be held on: SUNDAY NITE, OCTOBER 30.

Traditionally, the Zombie Shuffle started out as a "Friday Night Special," and held on the Friday night before Halloween, but never Halloween. The past few years, we've been slammed by the CQ World Wide DX Contest, which begins Friday evening. At least for this year, we will try Sunday night to avoid CQWW and not interfere with family plans for Halloween Monday night.

Hopefully, most of you will find this convenient and fun with more open bands and far less QRM. I apologize to those of you who will find Sunday evening inconvenient.

I hope to get the rules published and posted this weekend.

72, Paul NA5N 

So there you have it from The Source - the Zombie Shuffle is this coming Sunday night - not Friday!

72 de Larry W2LJ

QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Halloween fun

I saw this linked on the "As The World Turns" Website and had to share. I'm not a big fan of Halloween; but this is cool!



Don't forget - this coming Sunday is the Zombie Shuffle - not this Friday.  W2LJ is Zombie # 858, so keep a ghoulish ear open for me.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Stark difference

I didn't get much time on the air today; but I did hear both T32C and TX7M on the bands.

Wow!  What a difference in operating philosophy.  T32C was still pounding away at what - maybe 23 WPM, and sending their call after each and every contact.  You definitely knew who it was that you were chasing. The other thing I noticed during my various QSOs with T32C was that they also rang true when they sent "T32C UP 1" or "T32C UP 2".  I'm not sure, but I'd be willing to bet that helped to keep down the massive sprawl that occurs in and around these DXpedition frequencies.

TX7M, on the other hand, was sending probably at a speed of about 25 - 26 WPM (very copyable) and was sending their call only every now and then.  I was hearing something more like, "OM3XYZ TU 73 UP".

Different strokes for different folks, I guess; but the impression I received was that the T32C experience was less frenetic, and more "in control".  Perhaps a bit more polished and definitely less pandemonium. YMMV.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Holy Flea Power, Batman!

I turned on 17 Meters tonight, hoping to hear K6JSS/KL7 from Alaska on.  In all honesty, the band is quiet but once again, T32C is there loud as a bell.  In fact, the op was working simplex - not split, and he wasn't getting many takers at all.  15 - 20 CQs between callers?  You can tell this DXpedition is coming near an end.  I'm sure the team has to be ecstatic with the job they have done.

So, I decided to try something.  I cranked the power on down to 900 milliWatts and put out my call.  They came back to me first shot!

Just who is on this DXpedition anyway ..... Steve Austin with his bionic ears?  I figured I was going to give it a max of about three tries; AND if he came back with only a W2?? or a W2L??, I would not strain their ears any further with my somewhat selfish experiment.  But there it was, first try and full call.  That's over 6,000 miles per Watt.  And yes, all the credit goes to the wonderfully amazing ops at T32C.

BTW, equipment here was the K2 to the Butternut HF9V.

This QRP and radio stuff continues to delight me!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Internal Debate

Last night, I saw K6JSS/KL7 on QRPSPOTS at 24.906 MHZ.  I ran down the basement and heard Jim AL7FS in conversation with a Japanese station.  Jim was a realistic 329, maybe 429 at peaks and the JA station had a lot of polar flutter on his signal.  It was great to hear not only Jim, but also the JA stations he was working.  It makes me think that there maybe hope that I will be able to get K6JSS/KL7 in the log this week.

I see that Wayne NK6R mentioned that orders for the KX3 MIGHT be taken in November or December; however no delivery time was mentioned and I doubt it will be immediately. I have come to the conclusion that I will not be in that initial round of folks putting in orders.  It's going to take me quite a while to save and sell off items (i.e "fund raise") in order to have enough money to make this purchase.  I really, really want one; but "common sense" keeps kicking in.  You know, the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. I have a K1 and a K2 and a PFR3A.  Just how many radios do I need, anyway?  Realistically, the K1 and PFR3A are my portables and I can only use one at a time as it is.  And yes, I know I can sell them and put the cash towards the KX3; but I still have MAJOR regrets on having sold my HW8 so many years ago.  I have a real hard time parting with gear that I built myself.

Having a full time job (Thank the Lord!) and a wife and two young kids plus a house, my portable operations time is severely limited as it is.  To purchase a KX3 so that I could use it a handful of times a year out on the trail - does that even make sense?  Does it need to make sense?  Also, as much as I would like a K3, my life is fine without one.  There are Hams out there with a lot less, who would kill for what I already have. Maybe I just need to grow up, be happy with what I have and not even think about it.. 

It doesn't help to keep looking at that picture up top!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Kudos to CQ Magazine

What?!?  Wasn't he complainin' about having to pay for WorldRadio just week or two ago?!?

Yes, I was - but when credit is due, credit is due.  I received the newest issue of CQ on Wednesday and didn't have time to go through it until yesterday, while I was sitting and waiting while having the Jeep's oil changed and tires rotated (for free!).  This issue is devoted to Emergency Communications, and while I know a lot of you could probably not care less about that, it was a wonderful read, anyway.  This issue is a good weapon to have in your back pocket the next time you get hit with that "Amateur Radio is obsolete and has outlived its usefulness" lie.

And, as if THAT wasn't enough, there were two fantastic columns - one on building by Joe KØNEB and the other on QRP by Cam N6GA. These guys write so well, that I wish they had columns every month!  But that's a terrible burden to place on them as I know how difficult it is to come up with original material for a monthly column. (Correction: Joe DOES write a column each and every month - sorry for my error, Joe!)

The new issue of QST, received the same day, did not capture my attention like CQ did.  Although the article on homebrewing a DSP speaker is appealing.  But Rich Moseson W2VU does come up with a superior publication month after month - and I will probably let the moths out of my wallet and will sign up for the "new" WorldRadio".  BTW, just so we're clear on this - I don't work for CQ or any of its affiliate publications. I'm just a satisfied (most of the time) customer.

Unfortunately, I have not been on the air at all this weekend.  With the arrival of Autumn, and the leaves on the ground and the wet weather we have been having this past week, my leaf mold allergy has kicked in big time.  I don't feel ghastly (yet) but I don't feel like myself, either and sitting behind the radio just isn't as appealing as it normally is.  That, and like John K3WWP, I think I have a kidney stone on the move, too.  Maybe later today, I can hand out some points in the QRP ARCI Fall QSO Party.

I have been looking at more cases for the PFR3A and am also considering this one.

http://www.seahorse300cases.com/?caseclub=on

I like the fact that I can get it in yellow and that would match the PFR3A.

For those of you who like to participate in the Zombie Shuffle, Paul Harden NA5N has indicated that it will be held this year on Sunday night, right before Halloween. This should avoid conflict with the CQ WW DX Contest which begins that Friday night.

Lastly, for those of you who like to operate QRO, take a look at this.  THIS is a QRO station !!!!



72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

New housing for my PFR-3A

When I built my PFR-3A and applied the decals, I sprayed the housing with a clear coat of Polyurethane in order to protects said decals.  Unfortunately, in my haste to use the radio, I didn't let that clear coat dry for as long as I should have.  I thought a few days was enough; but apparently it wasn't.

As a result, when I stowed the radio away in my rucksack, something else came in contact with the housing and left a rather unsightly mark.  This mark isn't just on the surface, it is into the urethane.  It didn't disturb the yellow paint, it just left an unsightly scuff in the overcoat. When I run my finger over the scuff, it feels like a gouge. I am enough of a perfectionist and enough of a "Type A" personality where that really, really bugs me.  I take great care (or thought I did) to make sure my equipment doesn't get beat up.  My K1 on the other hand looks mint, and I built that back in 2003.

So I contacted Doug at Hendricks QRPKits and sprung (sprang?) for a new housing, which arrived today.  I will apply the decals; but I think instead of applying clear coat, I will buy one of those Pelican type cases with the form fitting foam and will make that the PFR-3A's new home.  I believe it has been mentioned on QRP-L that inexpensive knock offs of those Pelican style cases are available at Wal-Mart.

And then, there's this:

http://www.utility-cases.com/b8.5x6.0x3.0.htm?caseclub=on

This would work and the price isn't bad at all.  Any suggestions out there?

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Simple pleasures

One of the best things in Amateur Radio (outside of working a "new one") is just having a nice, simple, unhurried and relaxed QSO.  I was fortunate enough to hook up with Milt WA4FNG on 20 Meters tonight and to have one of those (kind of).

Courtesy of WA4FNG and QRZ

I called CQ on 14.062 MHz, and Milt answered my call with a very nice 589 signal (Imagine that - a 589 QRP signal!).  Milt was using his TenTec Corsair 2 - pumping a full QRP kilowatt of 5 Watts into a dipole at 60'.  Wow!  I wish I had some trees in my backyard that were 60' tall.

Milt's call was instantly familiar and a quick check into the log revealed that I had worked him in a couple of QRP-ARCI Sprints as well as handing him New Jersey for K6JSS/2 back in August.  But we never had a ragchew.  And we were on the verge of that this evening, but the band had other ideas. So while we were still copy-able to each other, we decided to call it quits.  Discretion being the better part of valor, I guess.  That was a shame, as I would have really enjoyed a longer QSO with Milt; but that's something that I can still look forward to at some other time.

Speaking of QRP ARCI Sprints ........ keep in mind the QRP ARCI Fall QSO Party is this coming weekend.  Not a Sprint by any means, but a very fun event that can be as serious or as relaxed as you want it to be.  I look forward to these - a lot!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!

Like a moth to a flame

I admit, sometimes I see things on e-Ham and I get drawn into the fray.  Not often, but if I see something that I feel strongly about, I will say something. I really shouldn't, and should stay out of the argument, but like the title says ..........

My grandfather (my Mom's father) once told me when I was young, "If you get into an argument and you're not sure of yourself, it's better to keep your mouth shut.  But by the same token, if you're right AND you know you're right - don't be afraid to speak your mind".  That advice raged through my mind as I read the following, entitled "Dust Off the Old Amplifier' by Mike Higgins K6AER:

"I know the conventional wisdom is if you can’t hear them you can’t work them but there is a corollary to that saying and it is; ”If they can’t hear you they won’t call you.” This is a call for those of you who own an amplifier to use them when you call CQ. For those of you that have never tried to call CQ, CQ is what you do when you don’t hang around a net all day to make a contact. It is more honest than asking for a radio check.

At this point I expect the replays descend into a class warfare battle between the QRO crowd and the QRP minimalist group. Let’s skip the replays who have worked 100 countries with 5 watts for even a blind squirrel will find an acorn if they look long enough."

Skipping the rest.

Now, before I begin my rant, I want to state, for the fact, now and forever, that I do not have anything against people who choose to operate QRO.  For me, QRP is a fun choice, and I have no need or desire to force it upon anyone else.  For that matter, Amateur Radio is a big enough hobby for everyone, whatever mode, style of operating that they choose.  My motto is, "As long as it's legal and within the rules, and it's not interfering with your fellow Hams - knock yourself out"

But I have to admit that I was really irked by the "At this point I expect the replays descend into a class warfare battle between the QRO crowd and the QRP minimalist group. Let’s skip the replays who have worked 100 countries with 5 watts for even a blind squirrel will find an acorn if they look long enough."

In my humble opinion, that statement showed a true lack of practical knowledge on the part of the author. Wouldn't it have been better to have written (perhaps) "At this point I expect the replies to descend into a class warfare battle between the QRO crowd and the QRP minimalist group. Let’s skip the replies from those who have worked 100 countries with 5 watts, for this article's intended audience is folks who have amplifiers and don't mind using them".

Unfortunately, the original paragraph resulted in exactly what the author desired to avoid.  Personally, however, considering the words he chose to use, I'm not so sure that he intended to avoid a "class warfare battle".  And of course the arguments devolved into the classic "Everybody knows that it's always the receiving station that does the heavy lifting in a QSO with a QRPer".

I hate that! I have had my eardrums blown out repeatedly by W1PID, N4BP, N9NE (at 1 Watt!) and countless others to know that this argument is utter BS.  Yes, there are times when QRP signals are so weak that even I wonder how they can be copied at all.  But this is NOT the rule.  It might not be the exception, either; but it's not a hard and fast rule.  Received signal strength is due to a multiple of variables. While output power may be an important one, it's not the ONLY one!  Antennas, propagation, band conditions all play into the equation.

The best response I saw, was from a person who identified himself a STRAIGHTKEY:

"And likewise, even an unskilled squirrel can crack any nut by purchasing and operating a steamroller.

Congratulations on condemning class warfare and then turning around and engaging in it yourself."

A bit snarky perhaps?  Yes, but it was straight and to point, and I wish I had thought of it.  I might not have posted it that way, but it is what I was thinking.

Anyway, a very sincere 73 to ALL Amateur Radio ops, everywhere!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!