First HF radio?

[GlobalNorth]

To me, 20W v. 100W is like computer RAM. I'll unlikely ever need a kW or 10TB, but at lower levels of power, I'd tend to buy up and be happy.

Lots of people do enjoy QRP though and that's not a bad price for a second radio or someone on a budget.

 

[krokus]

In my opinion, starting someone out in HF with a QRP radio is a mistake. Yes, they may be able to make contacts using FT8, but it will be difficult to make SSB contacts using QRP and the very compromised antennas that beginners often start with. I'm not against QRP, but I don't think it's a good way to start out. My opinion.

Obviously, HF is mostly contingent on the ionosphere, so QRP can be very affective. K4OGO does a decent job of showing some nice DX QRP contacts, on his channel.

https://youtube.com/@COASTALWAVESWIRES

 

[Moto_user]

Any recommendations for a first HF rig? I’m pretty new to all of this. I’ve been really enjoying CB SSB and thats getting me interested Ham radio.

Not sure what your price range is but I'd recommend the Yaesu FT-710. I've had one for about 7 months and am very happy with it. Another option if you're still just getting your feet wet is to buy a used one to at least get familiar with the operation of an HF rig and all the functions. Once you have the experience you will then know what features are important to you and what aren't.