'Not possible to work DX with QRP... then how about this?'

Not just me doing the QRP thing on the beach and if you want to know what it is capable of this is an exchange I had with Pete M3KXZ.

On 03/03/13 11:08, Pete wrote:

I was a little late getting going this morning, thanks to bad night's kip (dodgy back!). But, I finally managed the 2 minute drive to Rottingdean Beach with the dogs and got down there at 0830UTC.

Set up the gear by 0840UTC and tried to find VK6PTU and G6UOI who I was hoping to meet around either 14220 or 14185 but no luck.

Heard VK6LUD on 14235 in convo with a G. Also heard VK2CR in convo on 14180.

Kept listening back and forth between the two.

As soon as VK6LUD finished, I pounced and we had a great 10 min QSO from 0846UTC. Rob was pretty gobsmacked when I told him I was sitting on the beach and running 2.5W into a vertical whip. Smashing - I was dead chuffed.

Now properly stoked up I heard VK2CR signing off from his QSO and did the same. Tail ended the QSO and ended up having a great chat with Peter (GREAT NAME!!) at 0900UTC. I was 53 to him in Sydney and he was a good 59 back to me. Again, amazing. 2.5W :)

My head was now spinning. On 14218I heard VK6WC just finishing a QSO and again.

I pounced and tail ended it. Another fantastic QSO at 0906UTC.. Reports again 53 and 59. Wicked!

After this half hour I was feeling a bit chilly and needed to get the dogs home.
I had one final QSO with IZ0VXY/P who was activating the castle Castello di Prossedi.

FANTASTIC half hour trip. 2.5W SSB on 20m. Still grinning now :)

73
Pete M3KXZ
GQRP 11767
SKCC 10219

On 3 March 2013 15:25, Dominic Baines wrote:

That salt water thing really works :-)

Vertical on 20m what radials, raised or just laid on pebbles (know you have not got sand).

72
Dom
M1KTA

Hiya Dom.

It was just to simple to set up - just fed the 5 metre tall whip against a 3 metre long counterpoise wire that just sat on the ground. Tuner right at the feedpoint to match it to the coax, matched easily and off I went! Also easily matched on 40, 30, 17, 15, 12 and 10 using the Elecraft T1. No balun/unun this time - just used one of the BNC to terminal adapters that I got from G3CWI. Tripod is carbon fibre so isn't too worried by salt water.

Here are some pictures. If you look carefully you can see some sand! 

The white wire is the counterpoise.

View of the whip. Slightly wonky horizon in the background, and on the right hand side is Brighton Marina just poking into the sea.

My pile of /p stuff. Antenna rods go in the canvas holder, LiPo batteries and charger go in the ammo tin and all the other stuff goes in the orange dry bag.

Rig showing received sigs from VK2CR. He was peaking over S9 as were the other two. I really need to get a phone with a decent video recorder and would love to be able to record QSOs like this.

The VK QSOs were at 2.5W and were LP - work out at well over 6,000 miles per watt. The CW CQ I made on 14008 at end of my session was picked up by AA4VV in Lexington, North Carolina. Distance approx 4,000 miles SP. Amazing thing is, the CW CQs I made at 100mW so that's 40,000 miles per watt :)

Absolutely terrific little session!

The trousers in the last picture are current army issue lightweight goretex in the latest multicam design - brilliant for /p :)

Hope all well with you.

73

Pete M3KXZ
GQRP 11767
SKCC 10219

Dom, Just realised a mistake in my power out for the CW CQs.... or course low power is 500mW, not 100mW! So only 8,000 m/W -  oh well.

 I'm toying with the idea of altering the power out on low setting, or maybe building a 10dB attenuator. Some good info here http://a29.veron.nl/pa1b-06.htm

73

Pete M3KXZ
GQRP 11767
SKCC 10219

On 4 March 2013 06:40, Dominic Baines  wrote:

Brilliant photos you blogged these anywhere? If not do you mind if I write a post on mine and add them with your words?

I just love the idea of beach qrp as we both know it works and your setup is great and looks so simple.

I am sure you had loaded that mass of sea weed to the South hihi...

The whip where did you get that and the coax looks like same source as the pants you can almost see a MOD number :-) ?


72

Dom
M1KTA

Hi Dom.

I've never got round to setting up a blog, and not sure when I'll get a chance to, so please feel free to post everything on yours.

Do you think it might be worth while measuring the effectiveness of the SWRFAS (seaweed RF amplification system) and then marketing it to those who live inland? Perhaps even look into profitable sales to the MOD? Hmmm, you've got me thinking....

The whip and the coax leads I use all came via various sellers on ebay. The leads specifically from G4LOO but I can't see he has any listed at the moment. Army Radio Sales stock plenty of this sort of thing and the prices are reasonable for good quality stuff. I tend to just keep an eye on ebay though for anything I fancy. Melchior762 sells some brilliant earthing straps that I've use in my vehicle! my Mrs goes nuts though because all this mil surplus gear keeps turning up. I've even got a mil surplus Sankey Wolf trailer that I use for when we go camping :)

73

Pete M3KXZ
GQRP 11767
SKCC 10219