Buying your first Ham radio.

[JohnInDenver]

This week I will buy a Ham radio. Debated between Hand Held Tranceiver (aka HT) or mobile. Also between single band, dual band, tri band, etc...

Eventually will own an HT and mobile but wanted to take my time and get something useable. This comes from experience owning hand held cb and mobile cb radios, neither of which have good reception.

Reading Information in Rising Sun HAM, attending the Rising Sun HAM class really helped. So did:

http://www.eham.net/newham/firstradio

John
KDODCU
97 TACOMA WITH COOKIE CUTTER WHEELS 255 85 16

 

[Vitesse_6]

Ive been asking around WC as well, I finally decided on one and picked it up yesterday(Icom2200H $159.00 plus a $20 mail in rebate ) I didnt need the dual band, Besides it was $100.00 more.
I also bought a Technician test manual, Which has a lot of good info.
www.w5yi.org has a lot of good info as well.
Im hoping to have mine hooked up soon and have a License ASAP

 

[Tanglefoot]

Hey John! Welcome to radio.

I think a great first radio would be a 2-meter, single band HT. I think 2-meters has the most active community and best selection of repeaters. If you're not too far from urban areas, you'll have no problem with low power and a "rubber duck" antenna. You can always plug an HT into external power and an external antenna and a hand-mic and have a more capable mobile or base station. You can also add a little brick amplifier if you need the power output of a mobile rig. An HT is really versatile.

Swapfests are great places to get a radio. LARCFEST is coming up soon at the Boulder County Fairgrounds in Longmont. I believe it's April 5th. It's a great place to see a lot of gear, find some good buys, talk to knowledgable people and just get that radio immersion.

Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

Eric/KG0YS

 

[JohnInDenver]

Yaesu 1802M

HRO has the Yaeesu 1802M for $125.60 with tax.


John
KDODCU
97 TACOMA reg cab v6