A question about 2 meter base transceivers.

[graywoulf]

As a new tech class ham, I am studying for the general exam already but I would like to know if there are any lower priced multi band base transceivers out there that are good starter rigs for a newbie. I would prefer one that has memory for storing frequencies and is at or less than $400. I see that there are multi band and multi mode transceivers out there but I don't really understand the difference. Thanks.

 

[vagrant]

If you are only looking for 2m, then a Yaesu FT-2980R ($140) or a FTM-3200DR ($150) which also has the C4FM fusion digital mode, as well as FM. The rest of the $400 can be put toward coax, antenna, mount and power supply. If you do not have any C4FM repeaters in your area, then the FT-2980 would be fine.

I recommend you pickup a dual band radio that handles 2m and 70cm. A good dual band radio for under $400 is the Kenwood TM-V71A. It can do various things you may like to do later, such as crossband repeating. Another dual band mobile under $300 is the Yaesu FTM-100DR. The 100DR is not as good as the V71A in my opinion, but the Yaesu offers C4FM and you could get onto the Wires-X network by connecting the appropriate cable to your computer. Additionally, there are plenty of hoops and configurations to do if you want to get onto Wires-X.

Multi-band = 2m (VHF), 70cm (UHF)
Multi-mode = FM, SSB, AM

I have multi-band, multi-mode radios but I primarily use them when contesting, specifically the ARRL VHF Contest. Unless you are planning on spending a handful of more money on specific antennas to better suit the SSB mode, you should be fine with FM. The mode the repeaters and most others in your area are using is the FM mode.

 

[graywoulf]

Thank you for your time and information. I have been told that 2 meters is about the only thing happening in my area right now. I have a Kenwood TM-281A and a Yaesu FT-60 as well as a Baofeng BF-F9V2+ that is dual band. I have the 70cm repeater frequencies programmed in on the Baofeng but I have yet to hear any traffic on it when I am scanning the local 2m and 70cm frequencies.

I like the TM-V71A for it's capabilities as well as the larger display. I guess that what I am looking for is a multi-mode base unit that will not cost me a lot so I can put more money into the coax and antenna. But I admit that I don't really know what kind of antenna I will need. I don't really have enough trees around for a dipole.

 

[cmdrwill]

TM-V71A and Gigaparts usually has the best price and free shipping.

 

[Hit_Factor]

As for modes, find out what is in use in your area. We have a lot of DStar in SW Michigan. If I go north or east I run into some DMR. South into Indiana there is DMR and System Fusion.

A dual band radio for 2m and 70cm is a good start. I bought a couple Yasue radios when I got my ticket. Ended up selling them because no one else had Fusion in my area.

If you want to post your qth, maybe someone can help with what you area offers.

Also attending the next ham club meeting, even if you are not a member, will probably help tremendously.

73, K8HIT
Icom: IC-7300, IC-PW1, ID-5100A, ID-51A Plus 2, IC-R30, Hytera PD782G, Kenwood TH-D74, Uniden SDS100, DVMega, SDRplay RSPduo

 

[N4KVE]

Join a local ham radio club, & find out what’s in your area. VHF, UHF, DMR, Fusion, D-Star, etc.

 

[n5ims]

Based on this --> Foothills Amateur Radio Club - Area Repeaters <-- a dual band radio would be a good idea, but nothing in the area is Fusion. They do have DMR so adding a UHF DMR radio may be a good idea (if you have the funds a dual band DMR radio would be OK, but since the DMR repeaters are linked you probably won't lose much by being UHF only at a lower price point). That link will also help you find a local club for your county since that is their repeater page. They also have a 6 meter repeater and a couple in the 220 MHz band but typically you'll need separate radios for those bands (although the "shack=in-a-box" radios would probably include 6 along with 2 and 70cm, but you'll be well over your price point with those).

 

[k6cpo]

What everyone failed to mention is that most hams use mobile radios in a fixed configuration for use in a shack. This requires not only the customary antenna and coax, but also a power supply to convert household AC current to the nominal 13.8 VDC used by mobile radios.

 

[graywoulf]

Wow! All that information is greatly appreciated. I will try to respond to all of you here.

First off, the TM-V71A is on my shopping list as well as a radio with DMR.

I live in Millers Creek which is in Wilkes County NC. I have already joined the Foothills Area Radio Club here which is the only radio club anywhere close by. And yes, they do have a DMR repeater as well as a 2m repeater.

I just got my technician ticket on the 4th of this month so I still have a lot to learn. I hope to upgrade that to the general class next weekend at the hamfest in Morganton NC.

I do have the TM-281A set up as my base unit at this time using a Kenwood KPS-15 power supply. I installed a DBJ-1 J pole antenna a couple of days for it 281A but I am having problems with very high SWR for some reason. I have to take it all back down and figure out the source of the problem when the weather clears back up tomorrow. I used a 50 foot length of LMR 400 coax with connectors I bought from "The Wireman" last month and the antenna was pre tested so I have no idea what I am going to find.

Like I said, I have a lot to learn still and I'll get up to speed soon I hope.

Thanks again to all of you for the information and advice.

Rick, KN4TSP

 

[alcahuete]

First off, congrats on getting your Tech. and welcome to the hobby! I wish you many years of fun and enjoyment.

What do you plan on doing in ham radio? Why are you getting the General ticket? I ask, because if you plan on doing HF, you might be better off spending a little more cash and getting an all-band radio that includes HF, VHF, UHF, for example, if you can afford it. Those will also cover all the modes (aside from digital) on VHF and UHF.

If you plan on doing more VHF/UHF than HF, then maybe spend your full budget on the V/U radio.

 

[jaspence]

Take a look at the CS800D. While it is more of a mobile design, they work fine as a base station and is dual band with DMR and analog capabilities. for around $300.

 

[W5lz]

Best advice I can think of is to look at all the catalogues, "for sale" sites, magazines, etc, to see what's available, and selling. I'd bet you could find something to suit you. Look at the used stuff too. There's gobs of that available. (And with any used equipment you haven't had your hands on to try, remember that Latin phrase, "Vide Bub"! Or, "watch it Bub"...

PS- Nobody, over a years period, has had just 1 radio...

 

[vagrant]

What everyone failed to mention is that most hams use mobile radios in a fixed configuration for use in a shack. This requires not only the customary antenna and coax, but also a power supply to convert household AC current to the nominal 13.8 VDC used by mobile radios.

That is a good point...and not everyone failed to mention it.

 

[graywoulf]

I am grateful for all of the advice and suggestions on equipment to check out. I have listed all of them for some serious reviewing. And let me acknowledge a previous mistake and make it right. I have already joined the Foothills Amateur Radio Club and not the Foothills Area Radio Club.

 

[graywoulf]

First off, congrats on getting your Tech. and welcome to the hobby! I wish you many years of fun and enjoyment.

What do you plan on doing in ham radio? Why are you getting the General ticket? I ask, because if you plan on doing HF, you might be better off spending a little more cash and getting an all-band radio that includes HF, VHF, UHF, for example, if you can afford it. Those will also cover all the modes (aside from digital) on VHF and UHF.

If you plan on doing more VHF/UHF than HF, then maybe spend your full budget on the V/U radio.

Thank you for the kind words! I don't really have any plans to speak of as of yet. The area that I live in is not really all that active from what I have found so far. I have been listening to all of the local repeaters since last October when I bought the Baofeng. One of the local repeaters has a few rag chewers on almost daily but they do not belong to "The Club" so the club members do not really recognize them which I think is wrong. I plan on introducing myself to them soon. The club that I am in seems to be active in membership but I rarely hear any of them on the repeater except for "Net Night" and once the net is over, it is all quiet on that repeater almost immediately. So, I will have to just make my presence known on the other repeaters and see what happens once I get my antenna problem straightened out.

As far as getting into HF goes, I'm not in any hurry time wise and money wise. I think I just want to get my feet wet with 2m and maybe some 70cm for now and get some air time under my belt. I am hoping to make a few friends in the club and see what I can learn from them. I made some new friends in the Technician class I was taking at the local community college so maybe there is a whole new generation of ham radio operators coming on board. As far as getting my General ticket, it was something that our class instructor was promoting heavily for some reason. And I guess that even if I don't get into HF any time soon I will be ready if I decide later on to pursue it.

I have wanted to get into ham radio for years and now that I am retired, I thought this would be the right time to learn something new and make some new friends. I'm sort of a electronic gadget freak and my dad and I were into the CB scene together when I was young and I see this as a way to get back into the two way radio scene. My dad would have been thrilled to know that I am doing this. In his honor, I have applied for a vanity call sign that includes part of his CB call letters from back then. My sister was happy to hear about that.

OK, I am through with my novel here and again I thank you for your kindness and advice.

Rick, KN4TSP

 

[alcahuete]

Very cool with the vanity call, and great story!

Sounds good, and makes sense with the General. Definitely good to have, and will give you access to every band there is. The reason I ask about HF, is that for around double your budget, you can usually get a fairly nice radio that covers HF through UHF all in one radio on the used market. Are they the best HF radios? No. Are they the best VHF/UHF radios? No. But they give the new operators a good taste of everything ham radio has to offer, outside of DMR/Fusion/D-Star, etc.

As far as DMR, there is no quality DMR ham radio for mobile/base use, as far as I'm concerned. I personally use Motorola commercial gear for that. But they are not necessarily for the budget conscious. That said, I have picked up most of those radios for around $400-500 on the used market, but they are all single band, don't have the ease of use of being programmed from the radio itself, etc. There are a lot of limitations that you aren't going to have in an actual ham radio. But you can't beat the quality.

But here's my major concern. Seeing as you already have the 2m mobile radio and the 2m/70cm handheld, I don't think you're going to achieve anything new by getting a different 2m/70cm radio, aside from thinning out your pocketbook. You should already be able to do everything (ouside of the digital modes and SSB, CW, and such) with the radios you already have. There aren't really any radios designed to be used as base radios anymore for strictly VHF/UHF (The IC-9700 is a notable exception, but it's also a $2000+ radio). 99.99% of the people simply use a mobile radio and power supply with external antenna, or a handheld at home. And you already have that. I would hate to see you waste $400 just to give you a different version of something you already have.

As much as people hate the Baofengs, since you have a DMR repeater nearby, you could always get another cheap handheld, like the Baofeng, to try DMR and see if you like it. If you do, you can get a better radio. If you don't, you're out $50. You could also get a hotspot and run all different digital modes using that, hooked up to your home internet. Of course, you're just talking to people over the internet that way (though many of those are talking through various repeaters throughout the world), which might not be your cup of tea. Without spending a dime, you could head over to the Brandmeister website, for example, and listen in on the various talkgroups using their hoseline. That way you can get an idea of what's out there on DMR. Of course, that's just one of the DMR networks in existence.

 

[graywoulf]

Thank you for teaching me a bit about VHF/UHF radios. I was wondering why I could not find any newer or current models that were just multi-band base units. I bought the Baofeng on a whim. Actually, when I first Googled "what is the best way to get into ham radio", the Baofeng line was the most talked about. So I figured for the cheap price tag and not knowing any better, I would start there. But when I bought my FT-60R, I could see and feel the difference right away.

I did not know that Baofeng made a DMR radio but I will look at them. I was interested in the Alinco DJ-MD5T HT but I passed it by before I knew that there was a DMR repeater in my area. I searched for one and got negative results for that search then the night I took my exam (which I aced), I was talking to one of the younger club members that I knew had a mobile DMR radio and he told me of the repeater that the club operates. By then, I had already bought the FT-60R. I might go back and take another look at the Alinco now unless I find something better in that price range. I have so many options in front of me right now and it is a good thing that I am good at doing research on the internet. And I will check out Brandmeister as well.

I appreciate you pointing out what I already have vs buying something as you said will cost more and do the same thing. I wish I had a bigger budget but I can certainly work with what I already have. Take care.

 

[alcahuete]

You're very welcome!

There are always different digital modes on 2m/70cm and each one is going to require a different radio, for the most part. But if you don't have repeaters or a large following for those various modes in your area, you are basically just buying another radio and will likely get little use out of it aside from standard FM analog...which your existing radios already do.

The Alinco is a good DMR HT and definitely a good way to get started in DMR. Like I say, I would listen in first and see if you like it.

 

[W5lz]

What bands are in general use in your area?
What modes are in general use (AM, FM,DMR, CW, etc,)?
What is your $$$ limit?

Those are probably the most common limits on a new radio. Unless you travel a lot, then the same things apply for those other areas. For instance, DMR just isnt used around here, so I doubt if I ever have one any time soon.
Another thing to keep in mind for stationary use is the antenna. They are sort of one of those "bigger is better" thingies to some extent.
Off topic a little;
Baofengs have a mostly undeserved bad reputation. They do the basic stuff as well as any of the name brands though. The bells-n-whistles are different, and so is the programming. But, after that it's really hard to tell the difference by ear. Do I have one? Nope, but I'm not into Hts all that much either...

 

[graywoulf]

What bands are in general use in your area?
What modes are in general use (AM, FM,DMR, CW, etc,)?
What is your $$$ limit?

Those are probably the most common limits on a new radio. Unless you travel a lot, then the same things apply for those other areas. For instance, DMR just isnt used around here, so I doubt if I ever have one any time soon. Another thing to keep in mind for stationary use is the antenna. They are sort of one of those "bigger is better" thingies to some extent.
Off topic a little;
Baofengs have a mostly undeserved bad reputation. They do the basic stuff as well as any of the name brands though. The bells-n-whistles are different, and so is the programming. But, after that it's really hard to tell the difference by ear. Do I have one? Nope, but I'm not into Hts all that much either...

Thanks for your advice on this. I am always glad to hear the advice and opinions of others who have experience.

Good points to ponder. Most band usage around here seems to be 2m while there is only one DMR repeater. 70cm and 10 meters are pretty quiet around here as I have been told. I live in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the club I belong to has a repeater on top of a nearby mountain that uses 2m and the only DMR repeater around.

Budget wise, I guess I could say that I could probably spend as much as $300 and up to $400 if I need to. The lower the better but then again, I don't want to cheap out either. I agree with you about the Baofeng radios. Although my Technician Class instructor was/is an old school hard core Amateur Extra class that gave me a real hard time for buying "Chinese junk" as he called it. I have only used it so far for listening in on the local repeaters and scanning local PS frequencies. I upgraded the antenna with a "Signal Stick" brand antenna and I also bought the programming cable as I did for my other radios as well.

I don't travel a lot but I did buy a magnetic base dual band antenna to use when I do. I don't expect that I will be talking much with it but I will have that option if I want to use it.