Ham: mobile or HT?

[kablooie]

I was all set to get a yaesu ft60 (HRO for $150)... then read a comment somewhere that a first radio for new user should be a mobile radio, has more power and will allow for more opportunity. I was looking at the yaesu 1900 (HRO $135/coupons) and 2900 (HRO $140/coupons) early on, but thats when i decided on a HT.

I think for now, all i need is 2m and 70cm.... however, the 1900 and 2900 only do 2m. so then i looked up the 7900 (HRO $324) as it has more power and can do 2 and 70.

my question: whats the best choice for a beginner like me, considering the costs and savings right now? the ft60 is inexpensive compared to the others. but i also see that the 8800 is $360 after coupons... only $36 more dollars than the 7900.

note; my 12 yr old son will also be studying and learning with me. he'll be interacting on a radio soon enough.

thanks, louie

[RudyN]

If you can find a Yaesu 7800 get it. It is a very good mobile 2m/440 radio. I have to like them.

[Milsurps]

... then read a comment somewhere that a first radio for new user should be a mobile radio, has more power and will allow for more opportunity.

Yup, you'll be frustrated with a HT. 25-50 Watts is going to work much better and you can learn the ropes of being on the air without a marginal signal making life difficult on top of learning.

73

[Cnynrat]

It really comes down to when and where you want to use the radio. A mobile rig with it's higher power and better antenna is going to have a lot more reach vs. an HT, but obviously is not very useful if you want to use the radio while on foot.

In the end there is a good chance you will want both, so I'd start with the one you think you will use the most initially.

[blackandredwarrior]

Throw me in the get a mobile crowd. Don't forget antenna, power supply, etc. It ads up. For the first few months I was moving the mobile between the truck and house. I used a mag mount antenna and stuck it to a cookie sheet in the house. It worked pretty good but the local club repeater is awesome. (2M sitting on the top of a 160' tower that is on top of a 4500' mountain and the valley is at 350'.)

[kemasa]

You can attach a HT to a mobile antenna, which can help, but as Cnynrat said, it really depends on what you want to do.

While a HT is power limited, you can take it with you anywhere you go, walking, biking, backpacking, etc. whereas it is a bit harder to do that with a mobile radio. If you are in more remote areas, then the extra power that a mobile radio has might be useful.

You can get the Baofeng B5 radio for just over $30, which is a good price for a HT. It works and is a good starter radio and even experienced Hams use them.

Depending on what you do, having a dual band radio is quite useful. My first radio was a 2m mobile and I quickly realized that I could use a dual band and ended up getting a tri-band radio (2m/220/440).

[MG34]

+1 on the Baofeng B5

[Exile Machine]

Got a Baofeng HT. Works great, esp considering it was $29 delivered via Amazon prime.

But just getting started you really should do it the way we old timers did: build yourself a QRP CW rig and work the world on a watt or two.

-Mark

[Darklyte27]

HT as its truly mobile first, a mobile means you install it in your car or backpack.

[Hoshnasi]

Ham: mobile or HT?

For a while I used a 1/4 length trunk mount antenna on my car and would just connect the sma to my FT-60. I was easily able to hit all the popular repeaters in the area. Depending on the repeaters in the area an HT would be all you need. Then when you get General you can upgrade to an HF mobile or fixed rig.

HT is more useful when you're out and about.

[acegunnr]

I have a couple of the new 8watt Baofeng and hooked up to a mag mount for mobile or a j-pole at home, I am able to hit repeaters 20-40 miles away. For the price of one Yaesu, you can get two for yourself and your son with mobile and base antennas.

http://www.miklor.com/COM/Review_F8HP.php

[Hoshnasi]

I have a couple of the new 8watt Baofeng and hooked up to a mag mount for mobile or a j-pole at home, I am able to hit repeaters 20-40 miles away. For the price of one Yaesu, you can get two for yourself and your son with mobile and base antennas.

http://www.miklor.com/COM/Review_F8HP.php

I've been recommending the BaoFengs to new hams, the problem I have with them is the antenna connection. You need an SMA barrel adapter to go from the Bao to standard, which is not a big deal for long lining to a longer antenna, but re-using good HT antennas stinks.

[Mr. Nobody]

Don't buy Chinese junk. IMHO baofeng is complete waste of hard earned money. I saved up and bought Japanese. Yaesu, Icom or Kenwood.

Homebrew J-Poles are awesome, have made a few.

[Hoshnasi]

Don't buy Chinese junk. IMHO baofeng is complete waste of hard earned money. I saved up and bought Japanese. Yaesu, Icom or Kenwood.

Homebrew J-Poles are awesome, have made a few.

I love Japanese and also love the Baofeng. I've had no issue with either. Just as a counter point.

[ExtremeX]

Pistol or Rifle... the answer is BOTH.

I went with a HT as my first... but it didn't take me long to jump on a mobile unit after that. I used the mobile unit at home as a base station using a computer power supply for my 12v DC. I REALLY enjoyed the increase in power for both simplex and repeater operation.

Personally I am a Yaesu fan... very much like the VX-7R and the FT8900R.

Been a while since I purchased a radio, but I also have a small collection of a few single band VHF radios which I use as beaters. I would love to get some of their newer radios but what I have has been rock solid.

Only advise I can give is invest in some good antennas. I don't care how good your radio is, the antenna is everything.

In regards to your first pick, just get what you can afford, or what you think it right for you... enjoy it, and go from there. If you like this stuff, it probably wont be your last radio.