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My new assembled QMX+ showed up on my doorstep yesterday and I was very excited!? Everything checks out fine, but I find that I am disappointed in the reported power output levels: 160m 5.7w, 80m 4.8w, 60m 4.1w, 40m 3.9w, 30m 4.5w, 20m 3.3w, 17m 3.1w, 15m 4.5w, 12m 3.2w, 10m 3.8w, 6m 3.1w.? I am most disappointed with 3.3w on 20 meters since that is my goto qrp band.? I guess that I was expecting power output numbers on all bands to be closer to 5 watts.? Should I be disappointed?
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On Dec 24, 2024, at 6:53?AM, terompet via groups.io <terompet@...> wrote:
My new assembled QMX+ showed up on my doorstep yesterday and I was very excited!? Everything checks out fine, but I find that I am disappointed in the reported power output levels: 160m 5.7w, 80m 4.8w, 60m 4.1w, 40m 3.9w, 30m 4.5w, 20m 3.3w, 17m 3.1w, 15m 4.5w, 12m 3.2w, 10m 3.8w, 6m 3.1w.? I am most disappointed with 3.3w on 20 meters since that is my goto qrp band.? I guess that I was expecting power output numbers on all bands to be closer to 5 watts.? Should I be disappointed?
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On 24/12/2024 14:53, terompet via groups.io wrote: Should I be disappointed? List of features: 3-5W output at 12V supply (can be built for 3-5W at 9V supply) Did I see any figure less than 3 Watts? I'd say you got what is says on the box. In any case there is less than 2dB between 3 and 5 Watts. 73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Those look pretty good. Remember this is a QRP rig. The slightly lower output from what you expected will only make a difference in your mind, and will likely help preserve your finals.
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73, Dan - W2DLC
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I guess I should have had 3 watt expectations when I ordered. C'est la vie.
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On Tue, Dec 24, 2024 at 04:23 PM, <terompet@...> wrote:
Should I be disappointed?
Oh, no. 3.3 W compared to 5 W means only 0.3 s steps lower.
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73 Ludwig
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No, not really. I expected 5 watts EVERY band and have fiddled and diddled with windings and spacing and chanting in strange languages to get what you got which was not that much different than anyone else.
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The BIG difference for the QMX+ for me was rewinding T501 with the Really Weird Twisted Sister as I should have in the first place.
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You got a good unit for 25 to 50 extra bucks! I love? building this stuff but the people who build them for Hans do a pretty good job for not much moolah.
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73
Karl
KI4ZUQ
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why are you distracted? 5w or 3w or only 1w... qrp is qrp... if you actually have 3.3w or in maximum 5w .... where is the difference and problem??
keep calm and just enjoy your qrp- rig... otherwise you have to buy a icom-yaesu-kenwood... may an additional pa too ... think about?
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vy 73 de Udo DF4BJ?
qrp (max 5w) since around 20 years
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On 24/12/2024 16:58, terompet via groups.io wrote: I guess I should have had 3 watt expectations when I ordered. C'est la vie. Maybe read the description carefully and ensure you understand what it says next time. Not that I think Hans' descriptions are misleading or designed to confuse. You just need to make sure you know what it says and not what you think it says.
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Short answer: No, you should definitely NOT be disappointed.?
20,17,&15 meters share an LPF. Playing with the turn spacing on those toroids will let you peak a different band. So you can get more out on 20 m, but probably at the expense of 17, and/or 15 m.?
That said, I routinely do POTA and SOTA activationswith 2.5 W ( QMX mid band built for 12V, powered with 9V.) I usually have a pile up on CW. When I run it at 12V (5W), I can't tell any difference in QSO rates or reports.?
Enjoy your excellent new rig.?
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73, Dan? NM3A
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On Tue, Dec 24, 2024 at 07:23 AM, <terompet@...> wrote:
160m 5.7w, 80m 4.8w, 60m 4.1w, 40m 3.9w, 30m 4.5w, 20m 3.3w, 17m 3.1w, 15m 4.5w, 12m 3.2w, 10m 3.8w, 6m 3.1w.
Mine I just got yesterday compared to yours is:
? ? ?160m 5.8w, 80m 5.0w, 60m 4.4w, 40m 4.0w, 30m 5.1w, 20m 3.4w, 17m 3.1w, 15m 4.7w, 12m 3.1w, 10m 3.7w, 6m 3.4w.
Close enough never to never matter
when when the watts meet the ether.
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Be filled with joy and good will to all!
Roger VA1RST
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On Dec 24, 2024, at 11:37?AM, Alan G4ZFQ via groups.io <alan4alan@...> wrote:
?On 24/12/2024 14:53, terompet via groups.io wrote:
Should I be disappointed?
List of features:
3-5W output at 12V supply (can be built for 3-5W at 9V supply)
Did I see any figure less than 3 Watts?
I'd say you got what is says on the box.
In any case there is less than 2dB between 3 and 5 Watts.
73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Mine is right in that range too.?
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73, Dan - W2DLC
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No!? You should not be disappointed.? I get 2.8 watts on 20.? That was enough for 101 contacts in 41 countries at last month's CQ WW DX contest.? There's not that much difference between 5 watts and 2.8 watts.
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72
Bob, K2OID
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Funny thing, folk often said same thing about their QCX.?
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This is an analog world.?
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Yes as others have said, a 3.7 watt signal sounds nearly same as 5.0 watt signal.?
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Oh, did you measure those into a 50 ohm dummy load???
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I never measure mine just use them.? I’m at 100 parks from a EFHW strung off my porch. I use it on my porch table with the QMX and QMX+
160m 5.7w, 80m 4.8w, 60m 4.1w, 40m 3.9w, 30m 4.5w, 20m 3.3w, 17m 3.1w, 15m 4.5w, 12m 3.2w, 10m 3.8w, 6m 3.1w.
Mine I just got yesterday compared to yours is:
? ? ?160m 5.8w, 80m 5.0w, 60m 4.4w, 40m 4.0w, 30m 5.1w, 20m 3.4w, 17m 3.1w, 15m 4.7w, 12m 3.1w, 10m 3.7w, 6m 3.4w.
Close enough never to never matter
when when the watts meet the ether.
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The difference between 3W and 5W is -2 dB, or 1/3 of an S-Unit. In the real world, there's no perceptible difference between 3W and 5W under normal conditions.
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No because qrplabs reaches the specifications Hans writes.
But I disagree that 2 db difference is not a lot. Just think about the efforts people do to have 2 db more gain with antennas...
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Merry xmas es 73!
Peter DL3NAA
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On Tue, Dec 24, 2024 at 07:23 AM, <terompet@...> wrote:
My new assembled QMX+ showed up on my doorstep yesterday and I was very excited!? Everything checks out fine, but I find that I am disappointed in the reported power output levels: 160m 5.7w, 80m 4.8w, 60m 4.1w, 40m 3.9w, 30m 4.5w, 20m 3.3w, 17m 3.1w, 15m 4.5w, 12m 3.2w, 10m 3.8w, 6m 3.1w.? I am most disappointed with 3.3w on 20 meters since that is my goto qrp band.? I guess that I was expecting power output numbers on all bands to be closer to 5 watts.? Should I be disappointed?
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Dear Teropet,
No, don’t worry. Be Happy! ?You can fiddle with the toroids and mess up a great radio or be satisfied with those power output readings…. Anything over 3 watts is excellent and the ham at the other end won’t know the difference. ?If you are concerned build a 10 watt amplifier or even a 50 watt one. You will have to reduce your output power so you don’t blow up the amp though. ? ? My QRP Labs built QMX+ runs a little lower in output on some bands but it’s fine in my book. ? Be the REASON someone smiles today.
Dave K8WPE
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On Dec 24, 2024, at 10:23?AM, terompet via groups.io <terompet@...> wrote:
? My new assembled QMX+ showed up on my doorstep yesterday and I was very excited!? Everything checks out fine, but I find that I am disappointed in the reported power output levels: 160m 5.7w, 80m 4.8w, 60m 4.1w, 40m 3.9w, 30m 4.5w, 20m 3.3w, 17m 3.1w, 15m 4.5w, 12m 3.2w, 10m 3.8w, 6m 3.1w.? I am most disappointed with 3.3w on 20 meters since that is my goto qrp band.? I guess that I was expecting power output numbers on all bands to be closer to 5 watts.? Should I be disappointed?
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On 25/12/2024 09:50, dl3naa via groups.io wrote: Just think about the efforts people do to have 2 db more gain with antennas... Peter, Yes, 2dB will make a contact that is just missed without it. Add 2dB and then an extra 2dB will make a contact that is just missed without it. And so on until you have more dB than anyone else.... By then QRP is abandoned:-) As others have said the QMX+ could most likely be tweaked to give 5 Watts on 20m at the expense of what else is on the same LPF. And, as others have said maybe the PA will last longer with 3 Watts. The QMX is not an expensive complex rig where everything is calculated to the last fraction of a dB. Happy Christmas Alan G4ZFQ
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Kaufman, Matt - N3AR
Daniel Conklin
Karl
Udo Die?elberg DF4BJ
Paul K7VIQ
Roger Stein
David Wilcox K8WPE