Editing QRP operation (section)

== Equipment ==
[[File:Elecraft K2.jpg|thumb|right|Example of transceiver optimized for QRP CW operation: [[Elecraft]] K2]]
Many of the larger, more powerful commercial transceivers permit the operator to lower their output level to QRP levels. Commercial [[two-way radio|transceivers]] specially designed to operate at or near QRP power levels have been commercially available since the late 1960s.

In 1969 the American manufacturer Ten-Tec produced the Powermite-1, one of Ten-Tec's first assembled transceivers, and featured modular construction. All stages of the transceiver were on individual [[printed circuit board|circuit boards]]: the transmitter was capable of about one or two watts of RF, and the receiver was a [[direct-conversion receiver|direct-conversion]] unit, similar to that found in the [[Heathkit]] HW-7 and HW-8 lines, which introduced many amateurs to QRP'ing and led to the popularity of the mode.<ref>
{{cite magazine
 |last=Chaffin |first=Kenny A.
 |date=February 1990
 |title=Why QRP?
 |magazine=QST magazine
 |location=Newington, CT
 |publisher=[[ARRL]]
 |page=43
 |url=http://www.arrl.org/why-qrp
 |access-date=24 November 2019
}}
</ref>

Enthusiasts operate QRP radios on the [[high frequency|HF]] [[band (radio)|bands]] in [[amateur radio station#Portable stations|portable modes]], usually carrying the radios in [[backpack]]s, with [[whip antenna]]s. Some QRPers prefer to construct their equipment from kits, published plans,<ref>
{{cite book
 |last=Brown |first=George
 |date=2001
 |title=Radio and Electronics Cookbook
 |chapter=CW QRP transmitter for 80&nbsp;meters
 |publisher=Newnes
 |isbn=978-0-7506-5214-8
 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IbqPQz68lfkC&pg=PA297
 |via=Google Books
}}
</ref> or [[Amateur radio homebrew|homebrew]] it from scratch. Many popular designs are based on the [[NE612]] mixer IC, i.e. the K1, K2, ATS series and the Softrock SDR.<ref name=Weiss>
{{cite report
 |last=Weiss |first=Adrian
 |title=The Five-Watt QRP Movement in the US, 1968-1981
 |publisher=Miliwatt QRP Books
 |url=http://www.n5dux.com/ham/files/pdf/QRP%20History%20-%20The%20Five-Watt%20QRP%20Movement%201968-1981.pdf
 |access-date=24 November 2019
 |via=n5dux.com/ham/files
}}
</ref>