1st Ham Radio-Mobile

[oktex88]

Hey guys, I'm looking to get started in ham and looking to get my first ham radio. I prefer a mobile but I'm open to handhelds. I would mainly be using it for Skywarn and eventually ARES. I'm looking to spend under $300. Any suggestions?

 

[fineshot1]

Hey guys, I'm looking to get started in ham and looking to get my first ham radio. I prefer a mobile but I'm open to handhelds. I would mainly be using it for Skywarn and eventually ARES. I'm looking to spend under $300. Any suggestions?

You did not state if new or used gear is preferable.

I would look on ebay for a used icom IC-208H or if you want to get into dstar digital a used ID-800H.

 

[KevinGC]

FT-60R Handheld or
FT-7800R Mobile

 

[SCPD]

First radio

Hey guys, I'm looking to get started in ham and looking to get my first ham radio. I prefer a mobile but I'm open to handhelds. I would mainly be using it for Skywarn and eventually ARES. I'm looking to spend under $300. Any suggestions?

I generally recommend a handheld for the first radio:
1. Without much effort, you can put an antenna on the car, ya' got a mobile.
2. You can put an antenna on the house, ya' got a base.
3. And of course ya got a handheld.

If you decide to stay in the hobby, then you can get a mobile, either in the car and/or on a power supply in the house. As for your first radio, get the Icom V8 2 meter handheld. Gigaparts and AES are both asking $100 for it. It's a great first radio. Once you start going to swaps and club meetings and all that, then you can pick up good used dual banders and all that from people you know.

I don't personally recommend handhelds that come with a SMA connector, An SMA is superior than a BNC connector, but you really can't take a SMA connector on and off too many times before the contact gets intermittent. So unless you plan on leaving the antenna on the radio, or if you really got your heart set on a handheld with a SMA, get a SMA to BNC adapter also.

 

[elk2370bruce]

For a mobile, I have had great luck with the Yaesu 7800R. Picked my beauty from the estate of a silent key for around two hundred, Dual band 144/440. New for around 250 beanies. Never sorry I got it three years ago. Another 50 for a decent antenna (Diamond or similar) and you're ready to rock and roll. If you might be using it at home, consider the Arrow Antenna dual band aluminum rod dipole for around 50 bucks later on.

 

[jleverin]

Before I became a ham, I bought a little portable Yaesu VX 150 and a $35 mag mounted dual band antenna from Ham City. Since I just got my ticket, that is essentially my rig right now. I have used it a couple of time to talk to local ham net members on air and it seems to work pretty good. Am looking at another handheld like the FT60 or maybe a VX3R or 6R to give me a little more "umph". Should run me less than $300 since I already have the antenna. I too am a Skywarn spotter since last year and am in the process of joining the club's ARE's group so I understand you wanting something that will work for that. There are lots of good radios out there, I am partial to Yaesu's but something else may work better for you. I would check out some of the companies that advertise in ham magazines and on the websites, Ham City seems to have pretty good prices and their service is good. You could try Ebay but I have noticed the competition over there is a little more and of course, you don't really know what you are getting until you get the radio, could be a good one or a broken dud and good luck getting your money back!

 

[kayn1n32008]

Hey guys, I'm looking to get started in ham and looking to get my first ham radio. I prefer a mobile but I'm open to handhelds. I would mainly be using it for Skywarn and eventually ARES. I'm looking to spend under $300. Any suggestions?

Everbodies suggestions so far are right on the money.
My first mobile was an IC-2200H from Icom with a Larsen 5/8wave on an L-bracket mount.

After reading this thread, i was looking at the Universal-Radio online catalog. Even brand new you can get a complete 2M mobile package (radio, antenna and antenna mount) for under $300(before taxes/shipping).

You could find something on fleabay, but if you want to avoid stress of the chance of getting screwed over you can buy new for not much more.

K

 

[W6KRU]

Use a mobile when you can and a handheld when you have to.

 

[rhomeeyeball]

Use a mobile when you can and a handheld when you have to.

I agree with this. GigaParts has the FT-7800R for $ 234.00 and it has been a good radio for me. If you want cross-band repeat capability then go to the 8800R which will cost an extra 100.00 bucks.

 

[ranger821]

If you live in a big city like Dallas, Atlanta and so on, you can get away with a HT. But If you live out a little ways, the mobile will suit you better. The mobile will have a higher power output then the HT. I just purchased a IC 2200H. Nice rig for the money. Make sure you get a GOOD antenna. Cheap antenna = poor signals MOST of the time.

 

[N8IAA]

Find out what repeaters the SKYWARN and ARES groups are on (2m or 440Mhz). If you want portability, get a decent dualband HT (as mentioned the Yaesu FT-60R is really rugged and does a great job of out of band reception). Free software is available for programming. Get a quality dualband antenna ( magmount) if you want to use it on your vehicle and house. All of that for under $200 dollars. Welcome to the amatuer radio service
Larry

 

[stevelton]

You should check with your local hams to see what band the primary Skywarn or ARES repeater is on.

Here in my county, it is on 440 band (UHF). I know of 6 counties throughout Illinois where most nets are on 440, and very little activity is on 2 meters.
So I would Highly, highly recommend the FT7800 dual-band mobile. That will let you interface with 90% of ham repeaters around the country.
But with the 440 band, gain is your friend, so a 1/4 dual band antenna, may not be the best choice, unless you just cant have a larger antenna.

For radio, antenna, and antenna mount, you are looking at a little less than $300 for brand new.

Good luck.
Steven

 

[62Truck]

I would recommend the FT60R great dual band HT had one, and it worked great, you can alpha tag the names and you have full 5 watts on both 2 meters and 70cm. the FT60R goes for a around 200 maybe even less now.

 

[gcgrotz]

Don't forget that handhelds make pretty good scanners too. I take mine on trips with airport (or rail or cruise lines or marine) channels to listen to. Anybody asks you anything just show them your Ham license. I've never been questioned at an airport, even by TSA, except for one guy who questioned "that spikey looking thing" on his x-ray. When he saw the radio he was happy.

 

[brighterisbetter]

Don't forget that handhelds make pretty good scanners too.

Oops, looks like I created my advice-seeking thread in the wrong sub-forum by mistake. This is nice to hear from an experienced member; it means that I'll probably not have to pick up two separate handhelds (one for scanning, one for transceiving). Any advice on a particular make/model that performs both equally well? Would the Yaesu VX-8R fit the bill? (To the OP, sorry to hijack)

 

[Twister_2]

My first radio was a VX-170. That thing is built like a rock. Then I decided I would like to continue with the hobby, so I got a 50 watt mobile for the base with a 5/8 wave outside. I also have a Kenwood HF radio. The last piece of equipment I bought was a VX-3R. That is like a scanner that is extremely small. I don't talk on it too much.
If I were you, I would simply get a simple HT to start and decide if you want to continue. There won't be too much activity, so try echolink and IRLP. If you kind of like it, try HF. Buy a FT-857. That will cover 2 meters and 440 also. That will be a good base for the starter on HF. After a while, you will be able to accumulate a lot of junk, but just start off simple.

Good luck...feel free to call Harrisburg, PA on IRLP at 7060 if you get a chance.

 

[w8jjr]

mobile my vote ft7800

 

[avfd2922]

mobile ft7800, for portability ft60. Since your only getting one radio I'd start with a portable like I did so your not limited on your operability.

 

[W7RA]

I would also recommend a Ft-60. If you want more power, you can get a brick to crank up the power to 40-50 watts, but in a normal repeater environment, 5 watts is more than ample.

 

[C138NC]

Heres a place you can look for mobiles/portables - Universal Radio shortwave, amateur, scanner and CB radio since 1942