I am far from an expert in anything "ham radio" but I have enjoyed QRP and hope to get into it more. Was inactive on the air for about 20 years, until this last June, when I got back into it. I've noticed that some things have changed on the bands, since the 90s, when I was active before. Part of it may be that my life routine has changed a lot and I can't get on the air when I used to, but it does seem to me that there is a lot less day time activity on 40 meters than 20 years ago.

What's your opinion? I wasn't part of a QRP group in the 90s, only really reading about QRP in FISTS' Keynote publication. My wife and I put together a NorCal 40A in 96 and I happily launched into QRP with that, while living in Central Mexico. In the evening and morning hours I had no problem making QSOs with stations over 1,000 miles away. During regular day time hours, with this 2.5 watt rig and a hamstick antenna on my vehicle, I made  contacts from anywhere from 35 to 250 or 300 miles and received really solid RST reports. Am I correct in thinking that QRP communication during the day time on 40 meters, as long as it isn't too far away, can be quite reliable?

One more question: I always used to get on the air, listen for "CQ" or call "CQ," usually without getting skunked. Now, in mid afternoon and being in Oklahoma, I often find no one to talk to. Is this because of there being fewer folk on the air? Could it be that more folk are relying on reverse beacons to find QSOs than just jumping in?

73,

George