Just letting you know that I just worked Sweden from Olympia WA on CW (Morse code) using a homemade radio from the 90s at 5 big watts to a longwire antenna up 40 feet in a tree.

Bear in mind that at this power level you could run 8 stations like mine off the light socket in your refrigerator. _Not_ the fridge itself. Just the light socket. (That's a 40W bulb.)

Because CW rules and sideband drools.

#hamradio
#brasspounder
#whathathGodwrought
#Idtapthat

@RustyRing The same horsepowers concentrated over a shorter bandwidth?
@ellenor2000 That's a technical advantage, yes. Also, the angels push CW signals a little farther as well.

@RustyRing Have you ever mucked about with the modes implemented by the WSJT-X programme?

(full disclosure, I have not. I also have not mucked about with basically anything electromagnetic, beyond connecting an antenna to an 802.11 card.)

@ellenor2000 I've never done anything but CW, but have been interested in the digital modes for years. As a fulltime QRPer and longwire user, their efficiency at low power is intriguing. But I've never had the proper mix of equipment and willing mentors to actually take it on the air.