52 Week Ham Radio Challenge 2026 - Week 4: How low can you go in QRP?

Challenge for 2026-01-19 - 2026-01-25

Category: 📻 - Difficulty: 🔴

How low can you go in QRP?

This challenge is about hitting the lower bands with your QRP rig: How low can you go? Can you make it to 80 m or maybe 160 m? Hint: The mode is up to you 😉

Toots mentioning this challenge

DateUserUser ScoreStatusToot Summary & Link
January 15, 2026 22:22 UTCchemichael@mastodon.hams.social5Success!1W QSO on the K4! HC04S #HRWB @hamchallenge
January 19, 2026 19:24 UTCDJ5CW@social.darc.de3Success!@hamchallenge My IC-7100 has a power setting in percent rather than Watts. I just gave it a try: RW7K is CQing on 1824.7 kHz with a S9+ signal on my remote (SO5CW). With Power "0%" he didn't react to my call. With "1%" I got a "?", with "2%" I received a "CW?" and with "5%" we completed the QSO. Maybe he would have copied the full callsign even at 2% but I didn't want to torture the operator more than necessary, and I already knew he copied part of my callsign with 2%. Antenna: 16m long vertical. That's HC04S for me 🙂 #hamradio #hamchallenge
January 19, 2026 20:40 UTCphikes@mastodon.social1Success!@hamchallenge I have managed to make around 5 QSOs today at Vokspark Schönholz (POTA: DE-0173) on 80 m with only 5W. Surprisingly a connection to the north of germany yielded consistently good signal reports while I adjusted the power output of my transceiver lower and lower. I have completed my activation on 80 m by increasing power and made connections to Germany and Poland. I have used an ATU-100 tuner and an End-Fed around 6-7 m up in a tree. HC04S #hamradio
January 24, 2026 13:42 UTCg7kse@mastodon.radio2Working on it...Part 2 of @hamchallenge HC04 not quite working out. After calling for 30 minutes using my Rockmite I finally get a solitary spot on RBN but no takers ~500mW out from the Rockmite - the RF sinkhole that is my QTH, then we get naff all RF out
February 16, 2026 01:15 UTCab9bz@mastodon.hams.social1Success!@hamchallenge HC04S Added coil and extension to my EFHW, was able to make a contact using FT8 on my QMX+ at about 4W #hamradio #hamchallenge

52 week ham radio challenge: Home