He mentioned in an online forum of using his old Wilderness Sierra and that got me to thinking about all the QRP kits I've built over the years. I've sold most of them but I still have several that haven't emitted any RF in many a moon - and I bet you (and many others) do too.
Back in the day, OHR, Dave Benson K1SWL or a pre-Elecraft Wayne Burdick N6KR and others would design and offer for sale a new kit and folks would snap them up like kids going after Halloween candy. A week or so later, the QRP freqs would be alive with everyone working everyone else with their newly built kits. It was a lot of fun.
What do you have hidden away: a Sierra, Norcal 40, SST, OHR-100, OHR Explorer, ATS-3, an Emtech, an HW-8/9, DSW, SW-40, Red Hot Radio, etc.....
Wouldn't it be fun to put them on the air for a 4 hour sprint-type operation. The exchange could be signal report, SPC and kit name. Keep it simple.
Final score would be QSO's made X SPC X Number of different kits worked
Any interest? We spent money on em, let's use em!
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Depending on timing and my sked... I'm in!
ReplyDeleteA QRP Classic Exchange Contest!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.arrl.org/news/classic-exchange-a-vintage-radio-contest
Yeb baby! fun to see how many old-retro and diverse QRP radios are still thumping the ether!
DeleteSounds like a great idea to me John. I'm in. Jim W1PID
ReplyDeleteI was going to pitch the idea to QRP ARCI to see if they might be interested in sponsoring such a contest but their website indicates that the 'Contest Manager' position is vacant. It would be nice if this was a club-sponsored event due to the ability to get the word to a wider audience.
ReplyDeleteI heard that NorCal has started meeting again in Silicon Valley. Maybe they would sponsor it as a welcome back event.
ReplyDeleteI'll see if I can contact someone there...
DeleteWould a K1 count?
ReplyDeleteSure, any kit. With each kit type being a multiple, I think that would inspire people to put their oldest (or unlikliest) kit on the air in attempt to offer a unique multiple.
DeleteI think that's a terrific idea, John. Lord knows, I've got a "few" classic rigs gathering dust just whimpering for a chance to be back on the air, HA!
ReplyDelete73.......Steve Smith WB6TNL
"Snort Rosin"