For many QRP enthusiasts, the main Amateur Radio event in May every year isn’t Hamvention®—it’s a much smaller gathering that appropriately celebrates operators who are well accustomed to doing more with less.
At the 2019 QRP Amateur Radio Club International (ARCI) “Four Days in May” (FDIM), home-brewers, contesters, CW specialists, DXers, and some of Amateur Radio’s most technically skilled operators will come together to share ideas on conquering the challenges of low-power operation—5 watts or less output for CW and maximum 5 or 10 watts (depending on who you ask) PEP for SSB.
The 2019 FDIM, May 16-19, will once again be held at the same time as Hamvention (May 17-19). Activities will take place at the Holiday Inn, Fairborn, Ohio, only 20 minutes north of the throngs of Amateur operators who will be attending Hamvention at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia.
For the newbie, what does QRP mean? QRP is one of early radio’s Q-Signals. These abbreviations beginning with the letter Q were used by operators to save time and simplify communication between different language speakers. Back then, QRP stood for “Shall I decrease power?” Today, QRP operation is a badge proudly worn by those who relish the rewards of working distant stations on five watts or building efficient transceivers with as few components as possible—among other feats of patience, skill and ingenuity.
FDIM events this year include a Thursday symposium featuring speakers on topics such as Challenges of SSB, Creating Your Own CW Tutor, and DC Transceivers. Friday is open for attending Hamvention and shopping at the QRP-ARCI Toy Store. That evening, attendees can show off their projects and win awards in the homebrew contest. A banquet and awards ceremony will be held Saturday.
QRP Challenge
Attendees can display their QRP design capabilities in the FDIM2019 2N2222 Power Challenge by designing and demonstrating a crystal-controlled 40M PA that makes the highest sustained power for a period of one minute using only two 2N2222 transistors. Entrants will get to showcase their solutions on Friday night.
For complete details about Four Days in May and registration information, visit the QRP-ARCI website here.
