Just got my General license and I'm absolutely fascinated by the idea of QRP operation. I've been reading about the QRP Labs QCX+ and thinking about taking the plunge into kit building. Has anyone here built one as their first kit? My soldering skills are basic at best - mostly just through-hole resistors on breadboards.

I'm particularly interested in 40 meters since it seems active most times I listen. Any advice on whether this is too ambitious for a first build, or should I start with something simpler like a QRPGuys kit first?

Also wondering about test equipment - do I really need an oscilloscope or can I get by with a basic multimeter for troubleshooting? 73s!

Welcome to the QRP world! I built my QCX+ about six months ago as my second kit after a simple SWR bridge. The documentation is absolutely stellar - Hans really knows how to write instructions. Take your time, double-check everything, and you'll be fine.

Start with the QRPGuys tuning indicator kit first - it's only about $15 and will give you confidence with SMD components. Plus you'll actually use it with your QCX+ later! I made that mistake of jumping straight into a complex build.

Don't need an oscilloscope at all. A decent DMM and maybe an antenna analyzer are much more useful for QRP work. The QCX+ has built-in test modes that make troubleshooting pretty straightforward. You've got this!