QRP Operating Day and Ham Radio Swap Meet

This article has been edited to indicate the new date, due to expected rainy weather in the area.

The Delaware Valley Radio Association will hold its annual QRP Operating Day and Swap Meet, Sunday, April 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the club’s radio station at 798 Bear Tavern Road in West Trenton, Ewing Township, N.J. The event is free and open to the public.

“QRP” is radio code meaning “low power operation.” Although federal regulations allow amateur operators to use as much as 1500 watts of power, when operating QRP, they use only five watts or less.

“Why? A couple of reasons,” said Sal Emma, KB2DMU, DVRA public information officer. “First, it puts your operating skills to the test. Limiting power makes communicating with other operators, especially over long distances, a challenge that a lot of hams get a real kick out of,” he said.

“It’s also a way to get the best out of antenna design, generally the most important part of the amateur’s setup. And the transmitting and receiving equipment needed can be a lot smaller than average. Some QRP operators put everything in a backpack and hike it up a mountain, using batteries and solar panels to power the station once it’s assembled. It’s a lot of fun,” Emma said.

DVRA members will be on hand to demonstrate their QRP gear and answer questions.

Visitors can also rummage radio and technical-related items for sale at the annual swap meet.

To learn more, visit W2ZQ.com.