.
I guess I can't help but make a few more suggestions
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The Icom 7300 is a nice radio-- I own/own'd quite a few Icom's over the years and have been 'imprinted' with their branded loyalty, of such.
I have no qualms about second'ing an Icom recommendation. My reluctance about the 7300 is; its a lot of radio. Plenty of bells and whistles. For someone just getting started in ham radio, I question how many of those features do they need.
Case in point..... my friend above.
She is the type that once motivated moves mountains. She got the ham-radio bug without having ever even talked on a radio. I told her that the examinations were really quite easy for a woman of here temperment, so whe went out, got the Tech and General class ARRL license manuals (I told here to go straight for the General)-- and practice (cram) the questions/answers on :
HamStudy.org: Cutting edge amateur radio study tools
She set a 2 week time period to be ready; she scheduled for a test session with a local VE group-- and on that fateful day ace'd both the Tech and General. 48 hours later she had her callsign**
Okay, you get the picture--- if this girl sets her mind on something, move out of her way
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So now, "what kind of radio should I get ?"
For someone who had barely even twirl'd the dial on a transceiver that was a interesting question.
To buy all that you can afford anticipating growing into all the flashing lights and tingling bells ?
Or be like me -- Keep it simple.
I am hesitant to mention this for the dinosaur I am, but I still have my government issued Icom 720A***.
Compared to a modern Icom its like the difference between a Tesla and a 1960's VW Bug .
Anyone can use a 720, But something like a 7300 ? - did I want to saddle my friend with something that complicated when she barely understood how to find the power-on switch ?
In the end she saw the wisdom of a radio she could use, not curse. The 718 was a challenge enuff, and I can't begin to tell anyone how many hours we spent together on the 'phone working our way thru programming it.
Unless you are some sort of computer geek, I'd start simple and later, if you see a reason, up grade to another high'r-end radio..... but that is just me.
So far my friend has been enjoying her new hobby. She is not into the technical side of radio, preferring to 'rag chew' on HF with some new found friends around the world.
So..................
caveat emptor !
Lauri
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** It was one of those ghastly, hideous combination of letters-callsigns.
"We have to do something about it !" I said.
18 days later she received the vanity call of her own choosing
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*** I carried this radio with me all over the world- a reliable friend that was 'open'd up' frequency-wise from our first days together- by the simple cutting of that 'turquoise wire. ' When years later and I was retiring I ask'd my agency if they wanted it back.....a simple two letter answer ---
(there were no records that it ever had been issued to me)---
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