What is a good starter ham/amateur radio?

You'll get lots of answers on this one depending on peoples' priorities. Everyone has their own ideas & preferences. I was highly motivated towards extreme mobility, an emphasis on 2m/440, with APRS capability. I ended up buying a Yaesu VX-8. It meets all of my handheld needs in one package. Not sure I'd say it could function well as a base radio, though. I DO use it at home for nets and such both with an aftermarket antenna and connecting to an external antenna mounted on the house. It works well enough for repeater nets and reasonable simplex range.

I can also agree with the idea of buying an all-band portable like an ICOM IC-706mkIIg. It is a nice compromise that can be used as a base at home (although not as full-featured as a larger, heavier base radio). It will hit 160-10m, 6m, 2m, 440. It is light enough for car/backpack carriage with 100w on HF / 50w on 2m / 20w on 440. Couple it with a decent selection of antennas and it can function as your only radio. You'll never mount it on your belt, but with batteries you could load it in a backpack and "go walkabout" with it. More reasonably, take it with you in a vehicle or set up someplace where you don't have to tote it too far on foot. It DOES make a nice fun rig, and I'm looking at buying one OR perhaps one of the Yaesu equivalents like the FT-897D or FT-857D.

If I was looking for an all-in-one base radio I'd probably go with a Kenwood TS-2000, but you'd lose some portability.

if you are really going to get your General class license, go with a mobile such as the Icom IC706mk2g.

The 706m2g covers all HF, 2m and 440MHz in one nice sized box.

I will never recommend a hand held as your first radio. A hand held is so limiting! Almost impossible to use as a mobile radio.

ADDITIONAL:

I've been a ARRL Registered Instructor since they started the program. I tell all my students the same thing. Evaluate the need. A handheld is nice, it is usually the first radio a new ham buys and is the cause of most hams loosing interest in the hobby.

A hand held is made to be used outside a car, walking around, within range of a repeater. Once you get inside a car, the car is a great Faraday Cage, so now you need an external antenna. Batteries last about 4 hours, so now you need a power adapter. Power adapter and antenna coax, starting to get - bulky. So picking up the radio to talk is a problem while trying to steer the car, so you get an external mic and speaker so you can hear the micro sized internal speaker.

Pretty soon, the cabling is larger than the radio.

Playing radio soon becomes a chore and no longer fun.

A mobile is starting to look like a better idea, and would have cost about the same as a hand held with speaker and external mic.

VHF and UHF is OK, but these days, HF is always the place to hang out.

my humble advice.... Look for a used IC706mk2g

My father is a HAM and I just got my license a month ago. I have been around Ham stuff much of my life. Your question is very broad; too broad to answer without knowing what usage you want to make of the Ham Bands.

1. Are you interested in DX-ing or regional communications?

2. Do you want digital or analog-only?

3. Do you want a mobile or a base station (hand-helds are seldom a good first radio)?

A mobile with a good power supply can make a fine base station.

I suggest that you think wholistically about the equipment you get instead of focusing on just the radio. The components which typically comprise a working radio Rig include:

* Radio

* Antenna Tuner

* Antenna

* Antenna Mount/Tower/Pole

* Antenna Cable

* Microphone

* Power Supply and/or Power Cables

The RIght antenna can improve the range of any radio over the wrong or lesser antenna. Get a good antenna! A good radio with a great antenna will be far more satisfying than great-radio with a lousy antenna.

I think that a good first radio has the following properties.

* Squelch knob (a real knob) some radios lack this feature and require that you use a menu to adjust the Squelch.

* Volume knob

* RF Gain / RF Attenuator (reduces overload from nearbye stations)

* Side tone capability (for getting in to repeaters et cetera)

* Multiple or variable RF power output (full power can be too much power).

An Icom IC-2200 is a great and inexpensive 2-meter only mobile which will set you back $166 plus shipping (from http://www.hamradio.com/) brand new. Icom has a very good reputation in the Amateur Radio community although most anyone else else will have never heard of them.

A 2-meter rig will allow you to work regional Hams and if you know your local Repeater frequency you can expand the range quite a bit.

HF (High Frequency) will allow you to do some DX-ing (longer distance communications) however HF antenna's can get very big (and expensive) and so antenna limitations typically mean you are tied to a fixed location (not mobile). Big antennas also require bigger mounting platforms.

The Hex Beam antenna has a small foot-print and weight with pretty good performance. Tee Steve Hunt version (see http://leoshoemaker.com/hexbeambyk4kio/general.htm... and http://k4kio.com/compare.html) offers improved broadband performance. The Hex Beams can also be assembled by most anyone that is willing to spend a little time to save some dollars. These antennas typically are limited to between 10 meters and 20-meters. Something like a Cushcraft R8 will add 30 and 40 meters to the 10-20 that Hex Beams offer for less money but with less gain.

Most anything below 40-meters will require a big bulky antenna. However do a Web Search for "Slinky Antenna" and see what you can find; these antennas can be had on eBay for $40-$80 (with the balun included) for working up to 160 meters. See: http://stores.ebay.com/slinkyantennas

I hope this proves helpful.

RE:

What is a good starter ham/amateur radio?

I'm just starting out in ham radio and I want to know suggestions for a good starter radio. I'm getting my license this weekend. I've done a lot of reading, some say a handheld is best, others a mobile unit. I like the idea that a mobile unit can be turned into a base rig if...

If you want to get on ham radio on the cheap, recommend that you get a used, older transceiver which can be bought on ebay or other radio provider websites. If you want to operate in HF and using a basic antenna, recommend at least 100 watts output (SSB-PEP). A typical dipole or groundplane antenna doesn't need to be purchased but can be built cheaply with a little research from an antenna book. This combo can get you contacts from most of the world on HF. If you're limited in income, alternatives are generally to buy older used equipment or build your own. A good basic HF transceiver is an ICOM IC-735. Don't get discouraged by the high prices of new equipment since many of the advanced 'high tech' options or methodologies only enhance the communications link or attempt to remediate some communications link deficiency. Generally, the antenna, antenna location, local conditions and propagation conditions due to nature will affect your ability to work a station. Many of the ham radios built since the 1950's have sufficient sensitivity (-120 dBm or better) and selectivity for basic long distance (DX) communications. Regards.

Alex

AA6KD

Avoid a hand held as a first radio - on thing not mentioned by others is that when you try and expand your setup, the first thing one thinks about (apart from power supplies) is the antenna.

If you connect a large antenna to a hand held, you run a good risk of overloading the front end, not that you will do any damage, but the radio will be unable to reject other strong signals and all sorts of rubbish will make the set unusable. This is especially true in a city, however large towns and hills can present the same troubles.

I would suggest an Icom IC706 or IC7000, or Yaesu FT897 or FT857.

or for a really portable experience (over the shoulder) try an FT817 (low power thou)

Depends on 'what all you plan to do 'on the bands' ? Setting up an HF Rig at home is Great with a Dipole, etc. Work the World.. If you plan on HF mobile.. well, thats an even bigger expense..with the added mobile antenna's.. and probably with more dissapointment ! Mobiles are usually the weaker sounding stations on HF as opposed to the Larger at home guys.. but it still is done all the time. 75M SSB /m are Very Weak unless they are close by usually. Do you want to work DX on HF, Contesting, take it /p while camping, etc..? The opportunities are endless on HF.. as for a 2M rig.. I am sure you can find one for really cheap thru your Local Club.. Most Hams have several.. and only use a couple of them on 2M anyway. If its VHF/UHF Weak Signal, Moon Bounce, etc.. now your looking at 'way more expense'..! I tell people to compare it as 'Cost per Watt'.. On HF.. you can 'Work the World' with a piece of damp string as they say.. on 2M SSB.. it would cost a couple thousand dollars to work 500mi on a 'Good Day' ! Ask around with your Locals.. perhaps one of them has an older HF Rig you can borrow..'till you get your feet wet, and decide which direction you want to go' ! I have a couple of guys wanting their tickets.. I told them I would 'Give Them' a 2M rig if they got it.. I am sure you have some locals that would do the same for you ! The used to be cheaper Tube Rigs are now going for 'Solid State Prices' it seems.. Any way you choose.. you will have the 'Time of Your Life' ! Good Luck..

Jerry VE6CPP

DN39or

Best Handheld Ham Radio

I agree with Bob and John, first 2 responses. The IC706MKIIG is great rig for a first rig. Can be used portable, mobile or base. It is small, light weight and rugged. I have owned one for about 18 months and have added the narrow CW filter. Only thing I don't like is there is no number input pad but this rig has a lot of memory channels so a lot of different frequencies/bands can be accessed quickly. The menu is extensive and takes a while to get used to, but not impossisble to learn as I have heard some hams say.

Hi, One of the most favored is a Kenwood TS-140s HF 10 meter through 180 nice little rig can be used mobil or base with power supply, I use one as back-up the price will vary from $100. to $400. on ebay just read the description carefully be for bidding.

73-kb5doh Good luck.