Polls
(#11-20 May 2000-March 2001)
#20 - Where (how) did you learn Morse Code?
Date: 2/15/01-3/14/01 --- Voters: 151
Where or how Nr %
On Your Own 110 72
Ham Radio Club Class 16 10
Military 10 6
Scouting 7 4
Grade/High School 5 3
Ship to Shore Svc 2 1
Railroad 0 0
Other Landline Svc 0 0
Summer Camp 0 0
Other 1 0
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Very interesting! I wonder why there weren't some responses from folks who learned on the railroad. I know there are old RR and landline ops on the bands. Maybe those folks learned on their own and then went to work on the RR. I think I'll revise this poll a bit and run it again later to reflect not how Morse was learned, but how it was used commercially (if at all.) Thanks for all the responses, the second most to any poll so far.
#19 - How old were you when you learned Morse Code?
Date: 1/15/01-2/14/01 --- Voters: 158
Age Nr %
13-19 60 37
20-29 24 15
30-39 22 13
12 or younger 21 13
40-49 15 9
50-69 12 7
70 or older 0 0
Don't know Morse Code 4 2
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By far, the most popular poll yet with over 70% more responses than any previous poll. And the results turned out pretty much as I expected. I am a bit surprised at the number who learned over age 50, as I am about the number under 12. Both are more than I anticipated. Now it will be interesting to see the results of the next poll which intertwines with this poll very nicely. Thanks for all the input.
#18 - How many states have you worked on 12 Meters?
Date: 12/15/00-1/14/01 --- Voters: 31
States Nr %
1-10 8 26
21-29 2 6
11-19 2 6
All 50 0 0
41-49 0 0
31-39 0 0
Don't use 12M 19 61
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One of my least popular polls, but nevertheless it provided a wealth of info including the lack of response. It seems that 12M is not a very popular ham band. It's no wonder I only have half the states worked on that band and it is much easier to work a new country than a new state. I think that 12M is just as fascinating a band as 10M and the conditions are for the most part pretty much the same. Thanks for all the input.
#17 - What do you do when you receive a QSL card?
Date: 11/15/00-12/14/00 --- Voters: 58
What Nr %
Answer all cards received 51 88
Answer only if an SASE enclosed 2 3
Keep it, but don't answer it 1 1
Answer if return postage enclosed 1 1
Throw it away 0 0
Answer only DX cards 0 0
Other 3 5
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I'm proud of all of those answering this question (well, all but one). I wish this was true of the ham population as a whole, but unfortunately it isn't. QSLing seems to be slowly becoming a dying art. Even with the use of SASE's, return postage, and other amenities, my QSL return is only about 2 out 3. See my QSLing section for more details on my QSL results. Personally I answer every card received, no matter what. So if you've sent me a card and not gotten a reply, either your card or mine got lost somewhere in transit. Let me know, and I'll send another. Thanks for all the input.
#16 - Why do you use QRP?
Date: 10/15/00-11/14/00 --- Votes: 53
Why Nr %
It's a challenge 19 35
All reasons 13 24
Like to build gear 8 15
Less (or no) TVI/RFI 4 7
To prove it works 1 1
Lower cost 1 1
Did it all before with QRO 1 1
Other 6 11
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Interesting results as are all poll results. I guess the challenge is the main reason hams use QRP. At least according to the results. I think my most accurate response would be all of the above since the other factors enter into my decision to run QRP here. Thanks for all the input.
#15 - Which rig (manufacturer) do you use most often for QRP?
Date: 9/15/00-10/14/00 --- Voters: 90
Brand Nr %
Elecraft 23 26
Ten Tec 13 14
MFJ 10 11
Wilderness 8 9
Small Wonder 8 9
Heathkit 3 3
Oak Hills 3 3
SGC 3 3
Emtech 2 2
Homebrew 2 2
ICOM 2 2
Kenwood 1 1
Ramsey 1 1
S & S 1 1
Vectronics 1 1
Other 9 10
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Looks like the K2 by Elecraft has become very popular in the fairly short time it's been around. I'm surprised (and disappointed?) there weren't more pure homebrew rigs. I suppose because it is so much easier to buy the parts in kit form than gather them oneself. Also a surprise to see the SGC rigs not make a better showing. At any rate, a very popular poll with a record breaking number of responses. Thanks for all the input.
#14 - How many countries have you worked with QRP?
Date: 8/15/00-9/14/00 --- Voters: 39
Countries Nr %
50 or less 28 72
51-100 3 8
101-150 3 8
151-200 3 8
201-250 1 2
251-300 1 2
More than 300 0 0
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Perhaps the most surprising of all poll results to me. I would have thought that most QRPers would be in the 100-200 country range with the great conditions we've had the past couple of years. It must be that a lot of QRPers are just not interested in DXing. If you ARE interested in DXing and have doubts about working DX that are keeping your totals down, explore my site and see what can be done with a very minimal QRP setup. I'm sure you can do better than I've done.
#13 - How many pieces of homebrew gear do you have?
Date: 7/16/00-8/14/00 --- Voters: 56
How many Nr %
1-4 26 46
5-9 14 25
10 or more 13 23
0 3 5
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What a thrill it is to see so many hams who still build some of their own gear. Let's hope this will always be the case, and we don't all become simple appliance operators.
#12 - How many hours are you on the air each week?
Date: 6/16/00-7/15/00 --- Voters: 43
Hours Nr %
3-7 17 39
8-14 12 27
More than 14 7 16
1-2 5 11
Not currently active 2 4
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Looks like most hams responding have the same operating habits as I do. I get on for 1/2 to 1 hour each day on average.
#11 - Which is your favorite contest?
Date: 5/16/00-6/15/00 --- Voters: 46
Contest Nr %
FD 13 28
SS 11 23
CQWW DX 10 21
ARRL DX 4 8
ARRL 10M 3 6
ARRL 160M 3 6
IARU 2 4
CQ WPX 0 0
NA QP 0 0
CQ 160M 0 0
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About as expected on this poll. FD and SS turned out to be the two favorite contests. Why the CQWW got more than twice as many votes as the ARRL DX contest, I don't know. I would have thought both would be about equal. It's surprising the CQ 160M, CQ WPX, and NA QP contests got no votes. Thanks for the great response to the poll.
