Re QRSS, I have been off the air in this mode for about a year, but I was extremely enthusiastic about it for a while - the results were unbelievable !

 

Re starting in this mode, there is not a lot to say.  You can use your usual hf rig as a receiver, and a crystal-controlled oscillator as a TX.  The Yahoo 'Knights' group mentioned on my webpage will help you to find a crystal at moderate cost.  You need to modulate the TX with a characteristic signal. I used an EPROM to key my Tx on and off, since I had a programmer and it seemed a simple technique; simple on/off keying is a bit primitive, but some QRSS operators use even simpler, analogue methods to create saw-tooths etc.  Even a simple 555 multivibrator with on/off keying of a certain period will allow your signal to be recognised and identified.   But you can create very complicated modulations with a PIC and DAC if you are into programming.  Join the knights group to make yourself known to others.

 

Stability of the TX can be a problem.  If you do not thermally control your crystal you will have noticeable drift with normal variations in room temperature and will not be able to maintain a fixed position on the sub-band. This means that you will collide with other users and cause confusion under some circumstances.  QRSS people are used to this, and are very tolerant, but I thought it was a matter of pride and self-image to do better than that, so I used a thermally - controlled oven to stabilise the crystal.  This is probably the simplest and cheapest technique, and gives good results (see my webpage for a suitable circuit).  Other users use systems linked to the GPS 1Hz signal - a good bit more complicated and expensive.  But many operators do not stabilise their signals at all ,and just move about a bit.  That is probably the way to start.

 

Good luck - 73 Andy