 in amateur radio, qrp operation refers to transmitting at reduced power while attempting to maximize one's effective range. the term qrp derives from the standard q code used in radio communications, where "qrp" and "qrp?" are used to request, "reduce power", and ask "should i reduce power?" respectively. the opposite of qrp is qro, or high-power operation. ==philosophy== most amateurs use approximately 100 watts on hf and 50 watts on vhf/uhf , but in some parts of the world, like the us, they can use up to 1500 watts. qrp enthusiasts contend that this is not always necessary, and doing so wastes power, increases the likelihood of causing interference to nearby televisions, radios, and telephones and, for united states' amateurs, is incompatible with fcc part 97 rule, which states that one must use "the minimum power necessary to carry out the desired communications". the current record for a qrp connection is 1&nbsp;Âµw for 1,650 miles on 10m.according to rich arland, k7yha (now k7sz), in world radio magazine (feb. 1990, year 19, issue 89, pp. 46-47) http://www.naqcc.info/qrpworks.html ==practice==  there is not complete agreement on what constitutes qrp power. while most qrp enthusiasts agree  that for cw, am, fm, and data modes, the transmitter output power should be 5 watts (or less), the maximum output power for ssb (single sideband) is not always agreed upon. some believe that the power should be no more than 10 watts peak envelope power (pep), while others strongly hold that the power limit should be 5 watts. qrpers are known to use even less than five watts, sometimes operating with as little as 100 milliwatts or even less. extremely low powerâ1 watt and belowâis often referred to by hobbyists as qrpp. communicating using qrp can be difficult since the qrper must face the same challenges of radio propagation faced by amateurs using higher power levels, but with the inherent disadvantages associated with having a weaker signal on the receiving end, all other things being equal. qrp aficionados try to make up for this through more efficient antenna systems and enhanced operating skills. qrp is especially popular with cw operators and those using the newer digital modes. psk31 is a highly efficient
Amateur_radio