Thanks for this thread. I have just had a pleasant QSO on 7030 using 10 Watts. I’m in my camper in the middle of a nice quiet field and reading this has passed the time nicely while the kettle was on.
Edit. Now some b****y contest has started. 8am on a weekday. WTF. Contesters take no notice of the QRP frequency of course.
Edit 2. It’s the CW ops contest. You might have hoped they would know better. Fortunately it’s very short.
I know. 6/4/2/70/23 will be full of them this weekend. Hang on… I’ll be one of them !
Esta es una excelente pregunta / reflexión.
Yo soy un usuario - exclusivo - de equipos en QRP, desde hace AÑOS.
El QRP es una modalidad hermosa que requiere de gran destreza y sofisticación, tanto en los equipos como en las antenas. En mi caso… las transmisiones son también únicamente en CW.
Es comprensible que un equipo portable de montaña esté construido para ser usado as baja potencia - peso, baterias, antenas, etc… - y por lo tanto NINGÚN problema por transmitir en o en los alrededores de las FRECUENCIA ACORDADAS - que no reguladas - en QRP.
Lo que resulta del todo INTOLERABLE es la invasión de un espacio común ( el espectro radioeléctrico ) sin ningún miramiento por estaciones QRO que ni escuchan ni dejan escuchar a nadie es los tramos acordados para QRP.
Si Ud es un fan del QRO y cree que estoy confundido, hagamelo saber.
Con muchisimo gusto le incluiré en MI LISTA NEGRA y… NUNCA, NUNCA, NUNCA tendrá en su libro de guardia un contacto registrado con mi estación.
There are a few callers that go on our naughty list Nol @EA2EFI - generally if we are trying to work a QRP chaser and the naughty QRO ones keep calling over the top of them. Fortunately it doesn’t happen too often.
As QRP operators (Nic’s limited to 10w as an M7), it can be a struggle finding and then holding a frequency, even in the designated QRP / QRP COA spaces. This ties in a bit with @G8ADD 's thread about quick activations. If we are on a freq and someone takes over who is clearly operating with more than QRP, that’s often the end of our activation as it can sometimes be difficult to find another clear freq. Especially at weekends and/or during contests. 40m seems to be worse for this, but we’ve struggled on 20m recently. We ended up doing one Orkney activation solely on 17m SSB, which I was amazed actually worked for us using just 6w…
73, Simon
Imanol, I was interested to hear your opinion but sadly I speak no Spanish, so I used Google Translate to get an English version. I hope it’s a fair translation. I hope you don’t mind if I share it here …
This is an excellent question/reflection. I am a user - exclusive - of equipment in QRP, for YEARS.
QRP is a beautiful modality that requires great skill and sophistication, both in equipment and antennas. In my case… the broadcasts are also only on CW.
It is understandable that a portable mountain equipment is built to be used with low power - weight, batteries, antennas, etc… - and therefore NO problem transmitting in or around the AGREED FREQUENCY - not regulated - in QRP.
What is totally INTOLERABLE is the invasion of a common space (the radio spectrum) without any consideration by QRO stations that neither listen nor let anyone listen to the sections agreed for QRP.
If you’re a QRO fan and think I’m confused, let me know.
With great pleasure I will include you in MY BLACKLIST and… NEVER, NEVER, NEVER have a registered contact with my station in your logbook.
Dear Heinz:
I generally appreciate that you are raising this topic, but I think you are making multiple statements at once:
1. QRP frequencies are intended for enthusiasts of low power, i.e. a maximum power of 5 watts.
I think that is widely accepted (10W for SSB maybe).
2. QRP frequencies are intended for crystal-controlled oscillators only.
Hmm. Do you mean stations that cannot change their transmit frequency because they have a hard-wired xtal?
Or do you mean stations that can keep a stable transmit frequency, e.g. do you accept a DDS-controlled oscillator or a fully-fledged SDR?
3. These frequencies should not be used by stations with higher transmission power.
That’s also clear, as it is basically the same statement, as long as you talk about the station that calls CQ. If you imply that the chaser must also not use more than 5W, then I think is is again arguable.
By the way: In practice, it will be much more important for people to control their key-shaping circuits and minimize the actually occupied bandwidth than to reduce their tx power. As you can see on WebSDR, there is often a lot of splatter caused by too short a rise time etc.
4. These frequencies should not be used for contests.
That is a reasonable opinion, but already a grey area. If we were to have a 1W solder-on-the-summit S2S-only contest, maybe being on or around the center of QRP activity might still be acceptable practice. But I agree traditional contests should stay clear of QRP segments.
5. These frequencies should not be used for contest-like pileups.
This statement depends on the vague definition of a contest-like pile-up. Is it any CQ that might attract a large crowd of stations? Or an operation that is designed to materialize a very large number of QSOs for a sustained amount of time? Does an activity require some organization, rules, and competition to count as such? Would it be within your regime for Her Majesty The Queen to call CQ with 5 W on 7.030 KHz on a lovely Sunday? I assume the pile-up would be massive.
Expanding normative rules to blurry categories leads to dangerous waters.
Think of applying a criminal law targeting “theft” to “theft-like activities” (think Berthold Brecht - “What is the robbing of a bank compared to the founding of a bank?”).
Or expanding “insulting the president” to “making statements that the president or a president-like individual or a family member of the president may perceive as insulting.”
6. That SOTA, GMA, WWF were contest-like pileups.
I do not think this is commonly agreed. Some activations may be (see discussion re pleasing all chasers vs. QRTing after a few QSOs), but many are not. Ok, if I know I will have plenty of time on the summit, it will be kind to search for a clear frequency >1 KHz away from the QRP calling frequency.
But when I am in a hurry completing 4 - 6 QSOs and am using only QRP power, then I think it is both reasonable and acceptable to call on 7.030 MHz. Why? Because that maximizes the likelihood that chasers will find me, even if RBNhole will not work. 10 minutes later I will be gone anyway.
I always check thoroughly that the frequency is clear before CQing, but requesting to CQ in a much less promising part of the band is a bit too strict, IMO.
As you will likely agree, the “traditionalist” approach of
does not work for SOTA (at least in CW), in any practical setting (too slow, spots will confuse chasers, …). I am not sure whether checking for another free frequency while keeping the CQ frequency under my control, and then properly indicating the QSY is really doable with a simplistic CW rig.
Also, calling CQ on a QRP calling frequency gives fellow QRP operators with a fixed frequency (think Rockmite) the chance to have a QSO.
Again, I think it is good do raise and discuss such topics, but we should also not take the fun and enthusiasm out of our great hobby by spending more time arguing about the proper interpretation of the scripture in comparison to technical discussions and innovation.
Hope we can agree on that 
73 de Martin, DK3IT
I simple think that call cq on CF or COA freguency, move to another freguency, make qso and come back to CF is stupid. It does not work that way. I will do my 1 qso, 101 qso or 1001 qso and than move or go qrt. You may like my way or may not but it is my way. And, common practise on the frequency.
I want help to clear for me and for all radio amateurs reading this topic.
A guy with 0,2W is calling cq on 14,060. I answered him with 100W, excange rst, name and qth. What is wrong with that.
He stay on 14,060 and makes another 17 qso s with qrp and qro stations. What is wrong with that?
What is wrong with concept of Original QRP contest?
I and everybody reading this topic want to be a good radio amateur, good friend, good neighbor, improve ham radio skills. So, pkease, help
Okay Damir, I’ll have a go …
Probably nothing. From the caller’s point of view, the QRP station might be just another station to work. From the QRPer’s point of view, it might also be fine or a bit frustrating. In the ~20 years I used to operate strictly QRP I would call “CQ CQ QRP” to let listeners know if I was seeking only QRP stations, otherwise use a general CQ if I didn’t care whether QRP or QRO.
Well, if it were 16 QROs and 1 QRP, I would have found that largely a waste of time – but for others that might be fine. As I’ve said twice already above, the calling station could lower his transmit power to QRP level, if he wanted to get into the spirit of things.
I don’t understand this question. I’ve never participated in such a contest but as far as I know, there’s nothing wrong with them.
As I said at post 17 above a lot of operating concepts in ham radio are vague which leads to a range of interpretations. I think the best way of thinking about a QRP COA is a meeting place for QRPers to work each other. But as Andy MM0FMF said above, you can pretty much do what you want if it doesn’t violate your licence conditions. But, as in other walks of life, there is also etiquette, respect and tolerance for others.
And this is the key point. Of course you can do whatever is legal, but a little consideration of others is all that is needed.
Again to put in my two pennies.
Reading the thread… I see points of ( more or less ) general agreement and some dissonant note.
Everything, absolutely, is interpretable. Of course .
Genuine " SOTA " activity, seems inclined to use equipment from… LIGHT WEIGHT ( and this includes the equipment, the batteries, the antennas, the manipulators, the notebooks… ) but we all know of summits of more than 8 that go out in QRO (How they do it, don’t ask me, I don’t know - I don’t want to know -).
Someone said something about “meeting” on a frequency… I invite you to a morning of activity WITHOUT publishing it on the WWW. You will see what a surprise !
My two pennies are to invite everyone - activators and hunters - to LISTEN attentively to the murmur and discover that, maybe, there is someone there.
(*) Some of my contacts have NO value in the smiter, but I worked on them.
Translated with DeepL Translate: The world's most accurate translator (free version)
I’m happy to work anyone - making contacts with QRP is fun, and the icing on the cake is a 2-way QRP contact.
Of course, preferably as soon as possible, hi.
To anticipate, this thread is not about inventing or redefining something new, but about preserving something that already exists.
With that in mind, I wrote this thread as a reminder, assuming that there is a general understanding of what this is about.
From the contributions received so far, it is obvious that very few seem to understand what is meant by the reference “Centre of Activity” attached to the QRP frequencies in the IARU band plans.
That’s a bit disappointing, but explains all the “terrible scenarios” thought up with a lot of imagination, which in practice on the HF bands (cw and voice) simply don’t exist, never existed, and hopefully never will.
The various contributions based on a way of thinking with frequency channels and their handling (CF) certainly did not contribute to a disentanglement, on the contrary …
In the IARU HF band plans, QRP was deliberately supplemented with the note “Centre of Activity” in the “Preferred Mode and Usage” column, because
Ideally, QRP enthusiasts should be able to meet on this frequency at any time and without the use of other technical aids, e.g. for carrying out ordinary QSOs, for experiments, for carrying out QRP club (short) contests, … .
these QRP frequencies can be occupied for some reason for a longer time and the QRP enthusiasts then automatically dodge up or down a bit (if their equipment allows it)
the IARU cannot grant ownership claims for the QRP frequencies.
To avoid such misunderstandings, QRP ARCI, for example, has added a header to their band plan: “These are not Calling Frequencies, they are Centers Of Activity - places where QRPers are likely to be found.”
Incidentally, no misfortune arises if a QRP enthusiast is exceptionally called by a “kW station”, e.g. if this can work with the QSO a new country or a country on a new frequency band.
If these explanations lead to the fact that more existing doubters are convinced than new ones are created, then the (extra) effort has been worth it.
73, Heinz
https://www.iaru.org/about-us/organisation-and-history/regions/
https://www.iaru.org/reference/band-plans-2/
IARU Region 1 HF bandplan – how to interpret?
Dear Heinz:
Thanks! But I think the main issue is the broadening you seem to introduce by stating that a small-scale SOTA activation with a QRP station would not fall under the “Preferred Mode and Usage” of the QRP regions of the band.
Centre of Activity
These are frequencies on which certain activities, like QRS or QRP, should concentrate. They are
mostly derived from practice and should advise where somebody with the same interest can find a
QSO partner more easily. Indirectly such a note is a recommendation to those with no interest in the
special interest to avoid this frequency for calling CQ. In the sense of good self regulation of the
amateur radio service everyone should keep this in mind.
To put it more directly: On a weekend, the only chance for me to maintain a calling frequency for SOTA on 40m is around the QRP frequencies, because at least some of the QRO and contest stations seem to avoid it.
I have still not understood what practical implications you are suggesting. Is 7.031 MHz for a short, QRP-station-based SOTA activation within the social norms of your interpretation? Even if some chasers will use QRO?
73 de Martin, DK3IT
PS: I would still like to stress that
are much more pressing issues for an enjoyable coexistence on the bands ;-).
Hi Martin,
IMHO if you get to the summit on a contest day with your 40m CW monobander and have limited time [for whatever reason], no reasonable person would criticize you for using the QRP COA or nearby frequency to do your SOTA activation if none other is available. No reasonable person would expect you to have a failed activation after all the effort to get on summit and get QRV, when a clear frequency was available.
It’s not a problem I encounter, operating SOTA on weekdays with my mutli-band rig mainly on quiet bands like 30m and 60m.
Despite some misleading statements made above, a COA is not ring-fenced - it’s not a stammtisch frequency. And hey, any QRPers around might be glad to work a portable station like you.
Yes, one normally tries to avoid COAs if you’ve not participating in the assigned purpose of the COA but life isn’t always that easy.
regards, Andy
Martin,
You seem to be a special case, as you noticed yourself, hi.
But I don’t think it makes much sense to waste so many words about it - unless you want to draw attention to yourself.
The conditions are just as they are, especially on the 40m band, that’s part of the radio practice, so take it as it is or leave it like everyone else.
Actually, why not leave 40m aside and use a much more appropriate (because shorter) antenna on the 30m or 20m band, e.g. 14055kHz (QRS centre of activity), for your very specific needs?
There is topic about changing rules of SOTA. The best argument somebody wrote is that everybody asking to change rules selfish. Yes, he is thinking about himself only not about others.
The same is with use of qrp freguencies. One is qrp and thinks he is the boss. One thinks that everybody must follow his opinion.
QRP frequencies are something that we all agree. Calling frequencies and center of activity is also something that we all agree.
30 years ago there were no problems. 30 years ago we all know what ham spirit is and follow that unwriten rules. Older generations pass that to us.
Today, world is different. Ham radio is also very different. Corona epidemy and war in Ukraine make things worse. Ham spirit is lost somewhere, I don t know where.
Just to clarify for all reading this. One may sue you for telling him he is 24 carat idiot. You can not sue him for using 1kW on 14,060 (or any “qrp” freguency). You cannot sue him for using call frequency or center of activity for hours.
We do not need topics about qrp freguencies, CF or COA frequencies. We need ham spirit, good will, to respect each other.
