so i finally pulled the trigger on an Elecraft KX2 kit a few months back and i gotta say the whole experience of building it yourself changes how you feel about the radio when youre done. like i know every solder joint in there which sounds dumb but it actually matters to me when im out in the field.

took it out last weekend to a local park for POTA and was running maybe 5 watts into a random wire i threw up in a tree and worked a station in germany on 20 meters. first time ive ever done that, been licensed for almost 3 years and never had a contact that far. guy gave me a 559 which i thought was pretty decent considering what i was running.

anyway for anyone who's been on the fence about going QRP i know its not for everyone and some days you just spin the dial for an hour and nothing happens but when it clicks it really clicks. just wanted to share. also curious if anyone has tips for getting the most efficiency out of low power setups, im sure im leaving some db on the table with my antenna situation

congrats on that germany contact, 5 watts to europe is always a good feeling no matter how many times you do it. the KX2 is a great little rig too, solid receiver for its size which honestly matters more than people think when youre QRP because you need to be able to hear the weak ones coming back at you.

for squeezing more out of your setup the biggest thing is antenna, which you probably already know. random wire is fine but if you can put any effort into making it a half wave on whatever band youre targeting and get it as high as you can manage youll notice a real difference. also if youre not already using a tuner to make sure youre getting actual power into the wire and not just heating up the feedline that'll help. and just be patient on the pile ups, wait for a lull and time your call — at QRP you kinda cant muscle your way in.

ive been wanting to get into POTA and this kind of post makes me want to just go do it already. i have an old FT-817 sitting in a box that i havent really used much and i think i keep overthinking what antenna to bring and whether 5 watts is enough. sounds like it works though