Unchained Preppers

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Sir John Honeybucket on September 07, 2025, 03:42:33 PM

Title: QRPp ... Very Low Power Test Today
Post by: Sir John Honeybucket on September 07, 2025, 03:42:33 PM

I was doing an upgrade on my tiny tr(u)SDX QRP radio.  It's basically a 5 Watt transceiver, CW and SSB when running from 12 or so volts.  When run using a USB battery about 5 volts, it puts out a half Watt, hand sent Morse code/CW on 20 meters today.  So what can you do with a half Watt? First, I had a conversation with a POTA station in Wisconsin and then I made a very quick "CQ" and this is what the reverse beacon network showed from that .
(https://www.qrz.com/hampages/w7asa/half_Watt.jpg?cb=1757274033)

Next, I'll test JS8call at a half Watt.

de Sir John Honeybucket

Title: Re: QRPp ... Very Low Power Test Today
Post by: JohnyMac on September 08, 2025, 10:42:11 AM

(https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.shopify.com%2Fs%2Ffiles%2F1%2F0576%2F3655%2F2871%2Fproducts%2F202203121454592_e2ce127f-41a0-482d-974b-82ddabe98392_1024x1024.jpg%3Fv%3D1647071446&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=737b267b8f2a551a448927b73d229d9e34243b669eb7f4bdb92df7de7086aba1)

The tr(u)SDX is a great little transceiver for around $125-. I have had phone QSO's with folks who are using the little radio. The same hams have used their radio's for digital comm's too.

One of the members of my MAG who is not a ham has one. She fastened a 16' piece of speaker wire to it to act as the antenna. She then thumb-tacked in a square configuration to her ceiling in the kitchen. She listen's to the Tuesday night 2000E hrs. ERIN net on it.

Here (https://www.amazon.com/transceiver-5-Band-Multimode-Assembled-PE1NNZ/dp/B0BJ247SNL/ref=sr_1_3?crid=Q2OGM48HG5I3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.15vg_kdixc2UflKKWIGVtz5VjZ_wvAsW5Zf3e2UG2UWRvaxJXJ3G3RaGm-_GiV8MO4W1AuLqHB1vL-Ltznhhw9WlxTxfiwtce1nKvkegrOir9oE2YmmXl8NcDFJtYJ0hgvi5uOv8OiuTxsSi2VdEG-OLHZEgaNBN-BU4J2wmB-o3xHR-_ilkt6Hd_LtSKZePLDRkZxleOM4vY6QL8CyMru_N6skHcVDOkEW8zLGvt5o.H_4Tr7tzYUr6_PAEU-TjVxxIbE6zuW0cO5XDH1vI0r4&dib_tag=se&keywords=tr%28u%29SDX+radio&qid=1757342286&sprefix=tr+u+sdx+radio%2Caps%2C272&sr=8-3) is a link to the radio for sale.

If you want to learn more about this radio click Here (https://ke2yk.com/2023/04/28/the-dl2man-pe1nnz-trusdx-a-pocket-sized-5-band-qrp-transceiver/).

Thanks Sir John for starting this post.  :cheers:

Title: Re: QRPp ... Very Low Power Test Today
Post by: Hope on September 08, 2025, 01:06:18 PM

Impressive, thanks for sharing!

Title: Re: QRPp ... Very Low Power Test Today
Post by: Sir John Honeybucket on September 10, 2025, 02:31:55 PM

Fair warning:  The tr(U)SDX can be a nit unstable and requires some moderate adjustments to the internal menu settings, or else it can be awful.  If you'd prefer an off the shelf, use it without tech hassles transceiver, this is not it.  However, it DOES demonstrate how little power is required for CW and data.  Even SSB voice can be surprisingly effective in quite conditions.