Subj : Hi all
To   : Zen
From : Angus Mcleod
Date : Tue May 11 2004 09:25 am

  Re: Hi all
  By: Zen to Beta on Tue May 11 2004 02:51:00

 >  > College is no excuse!  I'm in a dorm and still have my 2M stuff setup in 
 >  > corner.  Icom IC-02AT, 30W amp and a twin-lead J-pole Beta
 > 
 > Your right, it isnt 8) but the budget implied by it at the moment is, as i
 > need a completly new rig / antenna and everything. I killed somthing on my
 > old rig and get just about nothing out. Can still recieve pretty well, but
 > for output i am restricted to very, very local CW. One day i get a new rig.
 > And a license that still exists!

Look to the QRP clubs and organizations.  When I visited Dayton I was able to
buy several complete QRP rigs for $25.  You wait to the last day of the
convention and everything suddenly gets cheaper!  To this you will have to add
a key and an antenna of some sort, but antennas for QRP use can be constructed
by dismantling an old transformer to get some wire, and making a dipole or an
inverted vee (or wire antenna of some sort).  You can een build your own key!
I've seen some great keys built using a set of automotive contact-breaker
points!  Or a much simpler key could be built using a microswitch or even a
bendy piece of metal strip and a nail!  Although, sending CQ with anything less
than a decent key is never to be recommended....

It might require more work, but you can work the world with a QRP rig for only
a few dollars.  And the entire station can be fitted into a cigar box!

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