Need Ham radio info.

[ilikeguns]

Looking to get a ham radio and have a small budget. What would something like this do for me:
Alinco 2 meter handheld ham radio.

Or maybe some other small ham radio options... Anyone have experience with these things and what would my range be ect.

Thanks for any help. Google is giving me more for sale ads than info.

[ExtremeX]

Id stay away from Alinco, just not a big fan of the brand.

Yaesu & Icom are excellent brands, Kenwood is good too. Yaesu is usually first on my list.

I got
(2) FT-270R
(1) VX-7R that’s been thought hell. (my do everthing camping radio)
(1) Mobile unit in the truck. FT-1900R
(1) VX-2R

All my handhelds are water proof (except VX-2R) and I’ve tested them on multiple occasions.

The 2 meter FT-270R is such a deal at the price… About $120 bucks for a long lasting, hardy tank of a radio.

http://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=27&idproduct=1795

If You want SMALL:

http://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=29&idproduct=911

If you want features and something real nice...

http://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=29&idproduct=2083

I like multiband radios that are feature packed. Gives you a lot of options. I always have my radio with me when I camp, just like my guns, it could save my life one day.

I plan on buying this to replace my VX-7R on day... but it just wont die.

http://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=12&idproduct=1927

[Bobby B.]

Used will always be cheaper than new; ebay or consignment at Ham Radio Outlet (hamradio.com) may save you some bucks.

A handheld will be limited in range compared to a mobile version, but a mobile transceiver is far more powerful and can be removed and brought in the house and made into a home station w/a power supply and antenna. Buying a mobile unit also will require some extra funds for antenna, cable, installation if you can't do it yourself.

I'm partial to Yaesu radios and have had good bang for the buck with the 2800m. This is only a 2m radio, however; costs go up for more bands and features. The new version of this radio is the 2900 and is very powerful at 75w and only $159 new at HRO. Get yourself a Larsen whip combo pack (includes very durable antenna and coax cable, you solder the connections yourself) for around another $30+ and you're in business.

For handhelds, the FT60 or 170 are inexpensive and rugged.

There are many options for you here. Forums at QRZ and local ham clubs, or even asking the folks where you got your license, can be helpful.

Hope this helps.

[Milsurps]

Looking to get a ham radio and have a small budget. What would something like this do for me:
Alinco 2 meter handheld ham radio.

Or maybe some other small ham radio options... Anyone have experience with these things and what would my range be ect.

Thanks for any help. Google is giving me more for sale ads than info.

I don't recommend Hand helds for beginners. Their low power and limited range will be frustrating for a beginner. Start with a modern mobile rig >50W.
QRZ.com FTW.

[ExtremeX]

If you do buy a handheld unit... do yourself a favor and get an external mag-mount antenna for the car. Antenna is pretty much everything when it comes to radio performance.

Some of these guys can get real technical on antenna design…

[prc104]

I'd recommend the Yaesu VX-5R from the used market. 2-Meters, 440, AND 6-meters plus a general coverage receiver from HF to 470mhz.

I have one and it's been beat up pretty bad. Only thing I changed out after many years is the battery. They have a Mil Spec housing.

The antenna connector is a SMA type so it's easy to attach an external antenna or a better handheld antenna.

It's kind of nice to be able to listen to AM or FM broadcast radio, then switch to your local repeater whether on VHF or UHF.

The 6-meter band works OK on the radio but is not great. Definitely need a good dipole wire antenna but works great with the stub antenna if your line of sight with the other person or repeater.

Good Luck!

[prc104]

I was also going to say that the chinese Wouxun radios seem to be made fairly well. They are VHF 2-Meters/UHF 440 (You can also get a 220 version). A couple of guys I know have them and I've played with them and they seem OK.

[E Pluribus Unum]

Looking to get a ham radio and have a small budget. What would something like this do for me:
Alinco 2 meter handheld ham radio.

Or maybe some other small ham radio options... Anyone have experience with these things and what would my range be ect.

Thanks for any help. Google is giving me more for sale ads than info.

All you really need is 2 meters. 440 is secondary, and is really cool if you can afford it, but 2 meters is used EVERYWHERE...

You want cheap?? Check this out:

5w 2 meter handheld radio with a charger: $80.00

https://www.argentdata.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=74

I would also suggest this:

A 3db magnetic mount antenna for your car:

https://www.argentdata.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=132

This is all you need to hit 90% of the repeaters in your area.... for $100.

[Callipygian]

are the bay area repeaters still overrun with the berkely hooligans?

[Dingotech]

All you really need is 2 meters. 440 is secondary, and is really cool if you can afford it, but 2 meters is used EVERYWHERE...

I'm curious about this statement. I'll be taking the tech. test within the next few weeks and will be buying both an HT as well as a mobile. I will need the HT for race management/S&R duties (i.e., I'll be on foot in the back country, possibly alone).

Some of the HTs seem ridiculously feature-rich, although some of the prices are competitive (and I do like the ability to pick up NOAA weather alerts).

Would it suffice to obtain a basic 2M HT and go for the more feature-laden mobile or is it worth getting all the HT that I can afford?

I'm considering the Icom 70, 80 and 90 series as well as some of the comprable Yeasu models.

[E Pluribus Unum]

I'm curious about this statement. I'll be taking the tech. test within the next few weeks and will be buying both an HT as well as a mobile. I will need the HT for race management/S&R duties (i.e., I'll be on foot in the back country, possibly alone).

Some of the HTs seem ridiculously feature-rich, although some of the prices are competitive (and I do like the ability to pick up NOAA weather alerts).

Would it suffice to obtain a basic 2M HT and go for the more feature-laden mobile or is it worth getting all the HT that I can afford?

I'm considering the Icom 70, 80 and 90 series as well as some of the comprable Yeasu models.

In the end, your radio is going to be used to talk to people. Features and menus wont matter in the long run. It will be quality that concerns you. The Yaesu/Standard radios are near bullet proof; I'm not sure about the Icom but they are probably comparable.

If it were me, I'd buy:

Yaesu 7900R 144/440 mobile-- $270.00

Yaesu FT-60R----- $175.00

If you had a little extra money, and are running a GPS anyway, I'd get some APRS going on too. When I am up in the mountains, the APRS has saved my butt a couple times. It tracks your last-known GPS location and uploads it to an internet database over the ham radio network. It works even when cell phones do not.

You can do it two ways:

1: $80 HT, $46 Open Tracker and use your existing GPS-----$146.00 after cables

2: Tracker2/radio combo---- $226. It is a self-enclosed radio/tracker unit-simply plug in antenna, GPS, and power.


If you cannot afford Dual Band, I would buy:

Yaesu FT1900--- $140
Yaesu FT250R--- $114 (Alinco and Icom have a $99 alternative I would not hesitate to buy)

[aznpg]

i use my icom v8000 ham radio when i go offroading in the desert and when i'm pit support for my friends that race out there and we have great reception with out any issues or static and theres an easy mod to get more channels on it too http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-005957

[E Pluribus Unum]

i use my icom v8000 ham radio when i go offroading in the desert and when i'm pit support for my friends that race out there and we have great reception with out any issues or static and theres an easy mod to get more channels on it too http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-005957

It might be important to point out that using a ham radio for these purposes is illegal. Especially considering the model you linked is a 75 watt radio, and the VHF pit radios are 5 watts.

If you are a ham using the radio for ham radio and occasionally use it out of band for other purposes, no one will say anything.

Buying a ham radio and using it exclusively out of band is very distasteful.

I can tell by your diction that you are not a ham radio operator. Just hope no off-roading ham radio operator sees that radio in your truck and starts asking questions...