Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

You are looking for dual band?

 

Yurp. Want to be able to cover both with the groups I go out with, and likely will look for a radio that can TX APRS too. I saw a radioditty that looked pretty good. And watching 146.520 for G's and S's, but probably will use it mostly on simplex with some other people I go out with, I can tail he can lead and we can use VHF and get a bit further than the others using GMRS.

 

Clean power is still important, it's probably worth spending the extra time running wire to the battery.

I don't have any experience with the qyt radios, the dual vfo seems to confuse people. Keep that in mind if someone needs to use it without your presence.

The one Chinese mobile still in rotation is this lexien, its very compact and it works great with chirp. So you aren't stuck with the confusing programming software that most Chinese radios ship with.

 

Howdy
I'm interested in getting a HAM radio. My internet access is limited and I figure the people here can answer all my basic questions.
I'm looking for communications in remote areas, including mountains. A way for long distance out for emergencies and perhaps between local stations, not necessarily on the same band. Once I get the hang of it, I will probably want a better radio and this first unit will be backup or handed off. Small would be good.
Best way to get licensed? Anything as long as I don't have to relearn Morse Code. I have some radio experience, hoping that will ease things along.
Thanks.

 

To get a technician license, which is the lowest of 3 classes, you’d start studying with one of the free hamstudy apps or get a book from ARRL or Amazon. Memorize the answers and Google ham radio test near me to find a place to take the test. The study apps have sample tests which you keep taking over until you get most right. Good luck, it’s not hard.

 

Sounds like you need VHF, which State? You will need a good antenna and probably a 50w mobile. A handheld will do alot, but it doesn't sound like what you need.

 

Washington, Oregon and Arizona. I need something to get me going. With radios as cheap as they are, I don't think I have too much to lose. I could check out the Amazon ads below!

 

A $20 uv5 is a good start for a handheld. But I wouldn't rely on it as emergency communications.

 

Don't.

https://observer.wunderwood.org/2020/02/07/baofeng-hts-and-spurious-emissons/

Now - I have one. I use it frequently. But for the same money you can be better. That said - learning chirp and just getting on the air for 20$ isn't the end of the world. But don't plan on it long term.

 

Coming from the Heathkit era, a handheld ham radio is amazing. I realize there will be limitations on such a small unit. Perhaps a small base unit might be better. The "spurious emissions" puts a damper on Baofeng, who's radios look pretty attractive, but that's the kind of information that's valuable.

 

There are a ton of handhelds not much more expensive - that article gets into them.

For 25-30$ that they go for I wouldn't say to rule them out completely as a tool to learn and teach on but long term look for something else and better.

 

My 8W Baofeng has such spurious emissions that the metal tang for the wrist strap gets blazing hot after transmitting for a bit.

 

That doesn't sound good at all.

 

Lots of Baofeng haters out there. I'm one of them... and I own two of them.

 

It seems like a good idea to spend a few more bucks up front. The prices for similar spec radios isn't all that much. That $30 Baofeng costs a fraction of what I paid for a handheld VHF.

 

I've been eyeballing a TH-D74A but can't yet justify it. That used handheld costs as much as one of my high dollar mobiles.

 

That one is a little out of my price range.

 

I feel ya. I own many radios but still don't have a quality handheld, their prices are difficult to handle.
I'd suggest you get a decent mobile radio. You can set it up as a base radio if you want it in the house. I power my dual band mobile radio in the house using a retired server power supply. They can be had all day long on Ebay for under $15. I got two that put out 60 amps each for $10/ea.
I would suggest a Kenwood TM-281A or maybe a Yaesu 2980 if you only want VHF. There are other comparable radios that do VHF/UHF. Kenwood has stopped production of mobile VHF/UHF radios right now due to lack of components from what I understand but there are plenty on the used market.
I hang out on the QRZ.com swapmeet pages a lot and watch their "gear for sale" sub-forum. Lots of good stuff runs through there. I have purchased at least three radios through that site.

 

$170 new https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-015771