With respect this sort of thing is good for black box users.
But my feeling is that generating "vast" amounts of power then wasting
it in an attenuator is not really true QRP.
I think reducing power output on all QRP Labs TXs can be achieved by
reducing PA voltage.
I guess there will be a limit, even with 0 volts on the PA something
will get through.
It also has the potential to be wildly misleading. 10dB may be one thing but if you go much beyond that, you will *think* you are really transmitting a certain amount of power, being your produced power minus the wired in attenuation. But in reality your antenna, grounding, shack, etc just isn't an ideal perfect situation and RF radiates from somewhere else other than only going through that big attenuator you put in.?
Like the occasional miraculous report of QSOs on a dummy load. Reality: your power supply cables and everything?else right down to every piece of wet spaghetti you happen to own, radiates *something*.?
Not producing "vast" amounts of power in the first place not only doesn't waste power in attenuators but also ensures more accurate conclusions!?
