The Hawaii QRP Club, Hi-QRP is the creation of Dean
Manley, KH6B, on the Big Island [Island of Hawaii, State of Hawaii].
It has 180 members so far. 
Yes, Virginia, (and Utah and Oklahoma, etc.)
there is QRP in Hawaii. Hawaii (HI) QRP Club was
established in 1996 with world headquarters at Hilo, Hawaii on
the "Big Island" of Hawaii.
We have no business, no meetings, no dues. We just have fun in the sun. The club sponsors several QRP camping/outings each year. We encourage QRP operation in the Hawaiian Islands and elsewhere. The club call sign is NQ6RP. Information on this club and other QRP clubs are listed in the QRP Column, January 1998 issue of WorldRadio.
In Hilo, Hawaii [Big Island], hams gather about 9:00 a.m. HST daily at the Hilo Jack in the Box.
For visitors to Hawaii who plan a side trip to Hilo, this meeting place is at the 2-mile marker on the Volcano Highway. [Note: The Big Island is a fantastic tourist destination, the volcano is a "must see" in my opinion and there are lots of other great sites to drive to - AH7R]
This is an open invitation for all QRPers, as well as "normal" people to join us.
Aloha, Dean KH6B Hilo, Hawaii
Here's the story from Hawaii QRP Club, with assistance from Hilo ARC [From Dean]:
HI QRP Club & Hilo ARC KH6IN 132 5 7 2,095 PAC
Operators, supporters and on-lookers: KH6AFQ, NH6XB, KH6BMM, AH7A, KH6KT, AH6NK and KH6B. Field location was Laupahoehoe Point Beach Park. We operated 100% QRP 5 watts with a Mosley TA33jr beam at 20 feet and a 2-element 40 meter vertical beam. We were delighted that we surpassed our last year's score of 1,910.
Aloha, Dean KH6B
Hi-QRP Members 164: Alois DL8RBL; 165: Markus DL9RCF; 166: Roger DL5RBW; 167: Christoph DL5RBK, and 168: Doug KK6D, visited "World Headquarters" of the Hi-QRP club in Hilo during October 1999.
Activity Reports
The club call AL0HA was used April 29, 2000 for the 8th Annual Moku Ola Island DXpedition and NorCal's QRPTTF one-day event. The Elecraft K2 was once again pressed into battery-operated service.
The antenna was a Mosley TA33jr at 20 feet.
Our QSO breakdown:
Exchange info: 559 HI OC (Hawaii/Ocean)
Where SPC = State/Province/Country
Final Score = 550 QSO Pts X 28 SPCs X 4(Loc) = 61,600
Comments: Hawaii QRP Club's 8th Annual Moku Ola Island DXpedition. Operator: KH6B. Assisted by chefs, encouragers and on-lookers: KH6AFQ, AH6HB, NH6WW, KH6BMM, AH6NK, KH6HME, KH6DFW, KH6ANA, KH7MS, KH6JRM, KH6KT, NH6XM, AH6J, KH6FKG, KH7H, NH6DR, WY6G and AH6LH. Total operating time was 5 hours.
December 10-11-12, 1999. The ARRL 10-meter Contest, at Laupahoehoe Point Beach Park, Laupahoehoe, Hawaii. Featuring over-night camping Friday and Saturday nights. With both QRP CW and SSB operation.
The Hi-QRP ARRL 10M Contest results, December 11-12, 1999
Our Location: Laupahoehoe Point Beach Park, Hawaii
Featuring the combined efforts of Hi-QRP Club & Hilo ARC
Call sign used: KH6IN (Hon Cho Wong Memorial)
Entry class: Multioperator, QRP 5watts.
Valid Qs = 240, QSO Points = 960; 43 states, 5 provinces, 24 countries, Multipliers = 72
Claimed score = 69,120 points
Operating Time: 23 hours. Best QSO rate: 28 Qs/hour.
Operators: KH6B, KH6AFS, KH6BMM.
Chefs, antenna installers and encouragers: KH6AFQ, NH6XB, KH6GQM, WH6JL, KH7T and KH7SO.
Equipment Used: Elecraft K2, Ten-Tec Scout, and SG-2020 (all operated at 5 watts), with a 5 element Yagi mounted at 22 feet. We regret that weather conditions did not permit use of the 10 element "portable" Serba Curtain.
On the subject of Weather: It was "seasonable" with rain showers, and with scattered sunshine on Friday and Sunday.
Aloha, Dean KH6B; Hilo, Hawaii
The Milolii Beach Park--Hilo ARC and Hi-QRP Club Summer Picnic and campout went well on August 6th, 7th and 8th, 1999. The head count was 20+ with the following represented:
KH6DFW, KH6ANA, WH6DQ, NH6DR, AH6HB, K6RER, KH7H, NH6XB, KH6AFQ, W6ORS, KH6BMM and KH6B.
We did not make too many contacts, but we were ready to go on all bands from on 80 thru 10 meters. We had two antennas and four rigs on the air. Even though contacts were a bit short, there was still much fun, food and fellowship.
For the record, it's about 96.5 miles from Hilo, Hawaii in grid BK29kp to this park.
Dean W Manley <kh6b@juno.com> KH6B
Hi-QRP 001, ARRL Life member, QCWA HI Chapter 194
Tuesday, 10 Aug 1999
Hi-QRP Club with The HI Chapter #194 of QCWA began setting up on Friday at Laupahoehoe Point Beach Park, 31.1 miles northwest of Hilo on the Big Island. When our collective average age more than qualifies for AARP membership, we need the extra time to deploy our portable antenna farm. Check out pictures above.
Our team and visitors included Bob KH6BMM, Kenny KH6AFQ, Momi NH6XB, Clarence AH7A, Bill NH6FL, Richard WH6PP, Paul KH6HME, and Dean KH6B.
We decided to remain Class 1A PAC [Pacific] again this year. Also we were exclusively CW. A total of 121 contacts (77 in 1998) were made this year:
AH7A, KH6BMM and KH6B shared the operator duties. All possible bonus points were claimed, except the 100 points for a satellite QSO.
QSO points = 1210
Bonus points = 700
claimed score = 1910
(Our score was 1370 in 1998).
Antennas used were:
Equipment included an Elecraft K2 at 5 watts and a Ten-Tec 555 Scout, home converted to a model 556 at 5 watts as a back up rig. A solar charged battery system provided enough power for the duration of the contest. [Global solar insolation in Hawaii often reaches 1 kilowatt per square meter!]
Meals were prepared by KH6AFQ and KH6BMM, assisted by NH6XB.
There was some wind with some passing rain showers. The remaining time was clear skies. As they say: "fun was had by all." Success is judged by the fact we exceeded last year's contacts and score. Also, a high-light was working KH6E Kauai on 10m via backscatter!
Aloha, Dean KH6B
June 25-27, 1999: ARRL Field Day, Laupahoehoe Point Beach Park, callsign KH6AN. We will be celebrating the 110th anniversary of the Laupahoehoe Point Light House, the second oldest in the State of Hawaii, I'm told.
Hi-QRP Club will again join forces with the HI Chapter #194 QCWA for food, fun and fellowship, but not necessarily in that order. Because we are on "Hawaiian Time", this is a Fri./Sat./Sun. event.
1600-2400 UTC, 24 April 1999
Field Location: Moku Ola Island,
Hawaii AKA Coconut Island, Hilo Bay, Grid BK29lr.
We also celebrated the 7th annual Moku Ola Island DXpedition.
Domestic Q's: 28 x 5 140
DX Q's 3 x 10 30
Total QSO points 170
Field Location Mult. x 4 = 680
SPC Mult. x17 = 11,560
DX Mult. x 2 = 23,120 Claimed Score
QSO rate calculated: 3.00 per hour.
SPC Mult's from: CA, AK, OR, MO, AR, OK, TX, NY, Panama, Taco,
AZ, NM, NM, IA, CO, UT, Japan.
Operator: KH6B.
Site crew, antennas, cooks, dishwashers, and PR receptionists: KH6AFQ, NH6XB, KH6BMM, KH6AVF, NH7D, NH6WW, KH6HHD, KH6DFW, AH7H, WH6CQA, KH6HME and AH7A. All are members of the Hi-QRP Club.
Weather varied from low 70s and the start to the 80s at the end of the event. A few passing showers in the morning to bright, sunny afternoon. We need more operators for next year's event. Any takers?
Also, the invitation goes out to QRP operators to join us this year for the ARRL Field Day in June. Location is Laupahoehoe Point Beach Park, a few miles NW of Hilo. Interested? Let me know.
Aloha, Dean, KH6B, Hilo, Hawaii
From: kh6b@juno.com, Dean Manley, KH6B
We had fun, food and fellowship. We also made a few contacts.
Sam KH6AFS and I were on 15 and 20 CW. All but 6 of our 77 contacts were on those bands. Robert NH6AH and Bob KH6BMM shared the 40 CW contacts.
6 and 10 meters were NIL for us, but 15 and 20 were very busy. 40 had alot of activity but it was hard to break thru until late Saturday night.
Chief cook was HI Chapter 194 QCWA VP Kenny KH6AFQ, assisted by Momi NH6XB.
Sam KH6AFS and Corky W6ORS were ready for 6 and 10 activity, but was not to be. I heard MUF was 23-24 MHz on Saturday.
770 QSO points plus 600 bonus points = 1370.
Here's the breakdown:
| Call | 7 Mhz | 14 Mhz | 21 Mhz | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KH6B | 00 | 19 | 24 | 43 |
| KH6AFS | 00 | 14 | 14 | 28 |
| NH6AH | 04 | 00 | 00 | 04 |
| KH6BMM | 02 | 00 | 00 | 02 |
| Total Qs | 06 | 33 | 38 | 77 |
This year we had as antennas:
There is currently a Pixie 2, QRP rig building project going on with a number of Hawaii QRP operators on the Big Island. The 80 meter Pixie 2's are being crystaled up for operation on 3686 Khz. Plans are in the works for a 40 meter version of the Pixie 2 built up with crystals for 7040 Khz.
A web page that features accumulated net wisdom on the Pixies:
Dean Manley, KH6B, reports that he has checked into the morning 80 meter SSB net on 3860 while using QRP. His antenna was a Hustler coil+stinger attached to his antenna tuning unit a coax-el.
He was operating at the time from the Hilo Jack in the Box (JITB), for "show and tell". He not only was 100-percent into the net, but worked into four islands after the net.
(Note: Such capabilities using battery power, portable, QRP HF rigs are ideal for interisland emergency communications.)
During the recent QRPTTRF camping expedition, contact was made between Oahu and the Big Island with a Pixie at 200 mw on the Big Island end and five full watts on the Oahu end. The Pixie was doing a great job with a loud signal and no struggle at all to copy, easily a 589 signal. On the Pixie end this qualifies for the 1000 mile per watt award!
Hi-QRP Expedition Report from 18 April 1998
This last weekend, the Coconut Island DX Association conducted the 6th annual Moku Ola Island DXpedition.
We had trouble getting the 3-band, 20-15-10 meter yagi up and running. A bent mast section delayed the efforts. Finally got it up at 18 ft. We also used a Butternut HF6V (80-10m) vertical in Hilo Bay on a pile of rocks. Very few QRP contacts were made late Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon. There was a lack of interest keeping the station on the air overnight, so we terminated the activity at 6 p.m. HST Saturday.
Yes, I enjoyed the opportunity to activate the call sign AL0HA
again. One contact on 7.088 Hawaii Afternoon Net (LSB), and
several contacts from N & S America on 20 and 10.
Rigs: Sierra with KC2 and TenTec Scout with its output power set
to 5W.
I guess this was a warmup exercise for ARRL Field Day 98 in June. We are planning some changes. Hi-QRP Club and HI Chapter QCWA will use the call sign KH6AN from Laupahoehoe Point Beach Park. All activity is planned for 5W or less.
Dean KH6B
The Great Kohala Picnic and "show and tell" took place May 16 at Mahukona Beach Park, 12 miles north of Kawaihae, on the Big Island. Arranged by the Hawaii QRP Club, the picnic was attended by KH6AFQ, NH6XB, KH7T, WH6AVF, KH6BMM, NH6WW, NH6WX and KH6B.
Dean reports that suggested QRP frequencies in Hawaii are: 1843, 3686, 7040, 10116 Khz. Pixies are crystaled up for 3686 Khz.
For reference, here are some of the usual "QRP Calling Frequencies":
BAND CW SSB
160M 1.810MHz 1.910MHz
1.843MHz (Europe)
80 3.560 3.985
3.710 (US Novice)
3.579 (Colorburst TXes)
40 7.040 7.285
7.110 (US Novice)
30 10.106
10.116
20 14.060 14.285
17 18.080 18.130
18.090 (QRP-L survey)
15 21.060 21.385
21.110 (US Novice)
12 24.910 24.950
10 28.060 28.885
28.110 28.385 (Novice CW)
28.360 (suggested in SPRAT)
6 50.060 50.885
50.125 50.125 National calling frequency
2 144.060 144.285
144.200 144.200 National calling frequency
FISTS members frequently hang out and call CQ FISTS at xx.058 Mhz
on the various bands such as 14.058 Mhz.
With Vanity Callsigns, many QRP clubs have sought special callsigns with QRP incorporated into them. Here is a partial listing:
WQ0RP - MN QRP Society WQ2RP - NJ QRP Club WQ3RP - MD Milliwatts WQ4RP - Knightlights QRP Society WQ6RP - Southern CA QRP Society WQ8RP - MI QRP Club - Chapter II WQ9RP - IN QRP Club NQ2RP - Byron/Bergen Amateur Microwave Systems NQ6RP - *** Hawaii QRP Club *** NQ7RP - AZ SQRPions KQ0RP - Individual (non-vanity) KQ8RP - Individual (vanity)
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