AM QRP - 2 1/2 Watts AM -Retro 75 QSO Today - 1940 meets 2010

[W1UJR]

http://smallwonderlabs.com/Retro-75.htm

Interesting QSO today with a fellow running 2 1/2 watts AM!
A most intriguing juxtaposition, 1940s era Collins 30K running 250 watts to a 2010 Small Wonder Labs Retro 75 running 2.5 watts, believe it was even the maiden voyage of his Retro transceiver.

I called CQ about 1800 UTC on 3880 Kc was delighted to get a call back from Jerry AA1OF using the Retro 75 rig. Audio was a tad distorted until he switched over to another mic, but once that was done he sounded great from the speaker of the 75A1, every bit as copiable as the other stations running mid to high power. It is quite amazing little power you really do need when conditions are right...and they are usually right most early to mid afternoons. And I believe his antenna was partially made from speaker wire?

Remained very easy copy for an hour before I had to sign.
Enjoyed a very good roundtable of other fellows, some who could and could not hear him, KC2JXX, W1VTP, W1FRM, KC2TAU. That's four states - ME, NH, NY, MA, even voice from Vermont BHV called in.

Early afternoons, the band is usually very quiet and few stations are on, but it is generally open through the northeast, so don't hesitate to call even if things sound dead, you just never never know who is listening!

[N0WVA]

Im glad you took the time to work him.I bet you made his day.

 Last time I got on with 25 watts, I had some sourbellies acting like I was stupid for even trying. Just because a guy is low power and you cant hear him doesnt always mean he needs to QRO. Just means you either need to work on your antenna or are just plain lazy.

[AJ1G]

Steve, N8YE regularly checks into the 3885 Old Mil Rad net on Saturday mornings with an Angry 9 (AN/GRC-9) at about 10 watts to his 160 meter full wave loop.  He was particularly strapping with it yesterday morning, so I fired mine up and we had a solid exchange Angry 9 to Angry 9.  Low power goes a long way with low QRN and QRM. 

[W1UJR]

I agree on both counts fellows.
Perhaps I made his day, but that QRP AM contact really made my day!

I remember the first time I heard AM QRP some years back, was utterly amazed how well it worked. When I first became a ham I was under the false impression of the power is king mantra, but it really is amazing how little power is needed with the right band conditions. If course, the skyhook is key, can't make up for a bad antenna, no matter who much power one runs.

Nevertheless, there is something almost magical about running less than 3 watts and having a Q5 sig throughout New England. It makes my little Johnson Adventuer project seem like full strap QRO...

My Reto 75 is on the way, ordered it last night!

In the meantime, I'm going to go fire up my cake pan rig, remember those?

[kb3ouk]

low power can do some surprising things. back on new years day i worked W3FJJ and WA3GPE(i think thats right) on 1.885 with only 25 watts and that was running into a 240 foot or so piece of wire fed with coax at the end of it with a tuner between it and the rig to try and get the swr down some (it was still 3:1) and it worked fine. this was in the evening just before it got really dark. and i have one of those retro-75s that i am in the process of trying to put together.

[W1RKW]

I wonder how many  AMFoner's have a Retro75?  I have one.  Working on it right now.

Bruce,  can you modify this thread to included poll to see how many AMFoners have the Retro and/or are getting one?

Bob

[W1UJR]

Good question Bob...wish I could add a poll, can't do myself.
Looks like list of Retro users out there.

Perhaps we can start a new thread, ask who has a Retro 75, and perhaps we can have a Retro 75 roundtable some afternoon! What do you think fellows?

[N0WVA]

Ive found the best time to work low power AM is in the morning for local rag chewing, in the evening just about before the band goes long and you get those signals that pin the meter all the way to the right, and for your DX AM QRP contacts its best to wait for late,late evening when you can hear a pin drop out in California. When operating QRP, I try to stick with those rules and usually the other guy and I can carry on a good little QSO. Round tables and QRP work best for local in the morning.

[W1TAV]

I have checked into the Gray Hair "Pre-net" (1.945) on several occasions with my 817 on AM,  Maybe 1 1/2 Watts at best. No problem..  Wasn't George's (W1GAC) Table top rig on 75 2or3 watts? I worked fine few time on 3.945 on the Old Buzzard Net..

Good Job Bruce.. Good to know that someone is still out there, "listening for that little voice in the wilderness" - Steve 

[W9GT]

I have had my Retro 75 AM xcvr since early last spring.  I got one when they were first announced and I have had a ball with it.  Made many contacts and successfully checked into nets on a regular basis. Also have had three or four Retro to Retro QSOs.  I don't advocate QRP all of the time, but it is really fun and a challenge when conditions allow.  Just worked another one (WA8AXA) yesterday. Besides the fun factor....it is a cheap ($69) way to get on the air with a 75M AM phone signal.  Cudos to K1SWL and Small Wonders Labs for such a great little rig.

73,  Jack, W9GT

[N0WEK]

There is a pretty active Retro 75 group on yahoo...

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWLRetro75/

[w1vtp]

Bruce

I could see the gentleman's signal on the panadapter but did not see sideband components where I expected to see them.  That might have been because I think the drive to the modulator was turned down.  I think with the right modulation level and perhaps some processing, I could have copied him.  I agree it's fun digging signals out of the mud.

I think this is where scoping the output signal is a must so that maximum modulation level can be obtained with a minimum distortion.

Great roundtable.

Al

[W1UJR]

I heard him pretty good in coastal Maine Al, especially when he changed mics.
When he first came back to my call he sounded distorted, like he was off frequency, could not tune him in.
But once he got the right mic in line, actually sounded nice, it was not hi-fi audio but was rather quite crisp, exactly what is needed with lower power.

You're right on the scope, no sidebands, no real modulation.
I could only go by my ears, and with the 75A1 I scope only the TX here, not the RX, so perhaps he could have hit it harder. I was thinking that he was just too close to you, he was in Franconia, or local noise was the problem.

Yep, it was fun, I'll have to take more time off to check the bands, we had a fun group, would ahve stayed in, but I had to sign and take Nancy for lunch. There is a somewhat new Sushi resutrant in Brunswick, and we really enjoy, peasent dirvion from the standard fare. They cook up a nice tofu terrayki for me, yum!

[W1RKW]

I've done a couple of small mods to my Retro75.  Modified the transmitter to use 6 crapstals instead of 2 with a 6 position rotary switch.  Also added an RF front end to the NE602 using an MPF102 with RF gain control.  Works quite nice to hear weak signals where the NE602 can't.  The next mod or add-on is AGC and a signal strength meter on the receive side.  A negative peak limiter will follow after the receiver mods.  Limiter courtesy of Stu AB2EZ.

[Carl WA1KPD]

What about a weekly Sun afternoon QRP AM 75 mtr net?
my 2 cent
Carl
WA1KPD

[W1UJR]

Great idea OM!
I'd be there as often as possible, ESP in the winter.
Since must of us have some sort of QRP rig, what do you fellows say, what to try it?

My suggestions below in ( ).

Rig ? (run what 'ya broung.)

QRP power defined ? (thinking 10 watts or under here)

Time ? (1-2PM EST)

Freq ? (3880 +- QRM)

Format ? (Roundtable given power levels, seem ideal for a roundtable with NCS)

Why doesn't someone post a query or notice on the board and let's see what we can get going...

[kg8lb]

Duplicate of my response in W9GT's thread:
Jack, The work front was pretty busy all summer so I waited until fall to order my kit. I figured I better get one just for "kicks" Took about 2 1/2 hours to build up the board and it sure came out sweet. The "dreaded" toroids only took about 1/2 hour at best. Since the housing kit was on back order I just set the unit aside back in November. Being a metal model maker by trade, the metal work is usually a task I do on my own. This time I took the easy way out and ordered the cabinet/parts kit. Turned out the hard part was waiting for the cabinet. I was  oft tempted to fab up an enclosure but resisted.
  The cabinet arrived on Friday and I had time today to finalize. It was a snap. The board slipped in and the switches, pots, jacks and knobs supplied are all first rate. The cabinet kit is a bargain.The alignment went fine and Iwas able to peak up on an on air signal from my buddy Sam/AA8WL. As soon as the alignment was completed (4:00 PM EST) I heard Joe/W8DCQ calling CQ from about 20 miles away. Joe came right back with an excellent report. We were soon joined by Mike /KD8CVY from about 100 miles out in Midland MI . (My QTH is near Detroit). Really having a ball by now and quite impressed with the receiver to boot!
 The Detroit to Tennessee, 600 miles on 2 AM watts was just about an hour away ! on the third contact no less!





   Time for dinner... came after dinner and heard WB3ETN /Dave in New Florence PA,N3XON and Norm/W7IUC ,about 60 miles from the Georgia border in Tennessee. Put out a call and was able to have a fine QSO being copied well by all three .
 Great little radio, Thank you Dave !

[Carl WA1KPD]

I would go for 1600 Eastern, I am willing to bet most of us have finished our Sunday chores by then.

Max 25 watts- That allows an 807 to be used.

NCS Can elect to be QRO a long as he/she has a good skyhook and location--- or we go back to the old days where NCS relies on relays fro other stations!

I'll have the 6AG7 /6L6 ready to go!

We need a buzzardly membership certificate. Maybe same rules as TGHN:; 3 checkins in a row?
 

[KC2TAU]

I was able to hear Jerry relatively well though I believe that if propagation was more in favour for the path between us that I would have copied him even better. I enjoy the challenge of trying to bring a signal out of the mud and also like working QRP on sideband though I have yet to try it on AM. Perhaps when all of my projects are done I'll consider a Retro75 kit. I hope Jerry will join us again soon as he was doing a very good job.