Antennas, antennas, antennas for sure to improve QRP SSB success. The higher, longer, and more in the clear the better. If you can't put up a high antenna in your yard, consider some of the portable antenna options available (end fed half wave, monoband dipole, doublet and tuner, random wire and tuner) and take your BitX on the road. If your remote area contains trees, then you can often get an antenna up fairly high with a heave of a water bottle or tennis ball.
Don't worry too much about mountains because you can still make lots of contacts using the ionosphere, especially in the mornings and evenings. I like to visit before I operate to adjust my expectations. Another suggestion is to try to make contacts during times when there are lots of motivated stations on the air such as during contests like Field Day, Winter Field Day, and ARRL Sweepstakes, state QSO parties, special event stations, etc.
Fantastic work getting as far as you have with this project and keep up the good work and soon you'll be making more contacts than you know what to do with.
On Jan 18, 2018 9:44 AM, "Neris Biciunas" <nbiciunas@...> wrote:
Thanks for all of your help with my troubleshooting.?? I was able to to work through everything with the stock mic and PTT, then coordinate with a local ham to test on-air.? IT WORKS!
I have not been able to test my wireup of the third party mic/PTT that I was hoping to use, but at least now I know that the radio works.
Any tips for making QRP contacts?? I live in a remote area, and a substantial mountain lies between me and any population center of any size.? I can hear chatter from significant distances away, but no one seems to hear me.
