Help me find my perfect portable ham radio

[va2fsh]

Thanks HamImports! The Q10H looks really promising, but on the expensive side.

I did order a UV-17 Pro GPS. Got it, wrapped it and it's under the Christmas tree! I'll have a look at it during the Christmas break ;-)

Cheers,
David

 

[HamImports]

Ah excellent, I'm sure you'll have some fun with it.

 

[AA4BK]

An Anytone 878 would check most (but not all) of the boxes. I can say from experience owning one that they are very good radios though, especially the 878 UV II Plus. You should definitely look at the 878 if you're considering good ham radios.

They're durable, have great sound, lots of capability, a good CPS (it isn't Chirp and can't use Chirp but it's a really nice CPS). Decent scan speed, not fast like a dedicated scanner but fast enough for a ham HT.

 

[ElroyJetson]

Totally ignore those Chinese made garbage brands because that's what they ARE. Stick to reputable brands like Kenwood, Icom, and Yaesu.

If I end up with a Wouxon or Baofeng radio, I'm going to see how hard I can hit it with a driver.

 

[HamImports]

Totally ignore those Chinese made garbage brands because that's what they ARE. Stick to reputable brands like Kenwood, Icom, and Yaesu.

Look out lads, we got ourselves a radio snob!

If I end up with a Wouxon or Baofeng radio, I'm going to see how hard I can hit it with a driver.

Oh I see, you're a golfist. That explains the snobby attitude. Why not give it to someone with an interest in radio as a gateway into becoming a ham, instead of destroying it? It's not "garbage brands" that are destroying the hobby, it's attitudes like you've shown here.

 

[MTS2000des]

Look out lads, we got ourselves a radio snob!

Oh I see, you're a golfist. That explains the snobby attitude. Why not give it to someone with an interest in radio as a gateway into becoming a ham, instead of destroying it? It's not "garbage brands" that are destroying the hobby, it's attitudes like you've shown here.

Because with some exception, most of the Chinese radios are indeed garbage. Most are based on cheap low cost consumer grade SOC's such as the RDA1846 which is intended and designed for cheap crap bubble pack radios for kiddies. Poor performance is just the beginning.

These road apple radios are renown for their muddy, low transmit audio that causes many new hams to be ignored as no one can make out what they are saying. Combined with piss poor receiver front ends that overload in the presence of stray RF from DC to daylight, many new hams get easily discouraged and think they aren't hitting that repeater when in fact, they are kerchunking the hell out of it but their feces pieces radio can't hear because a wireless router is overloading it.

Then, the new ham is baffled why doing simple tasks like keypad programming a repeater and PL tone is a six step process that involved going in and out of menus. This operation is usually two steps on a modern Icom, Yaesu or Kenwood, which have intuitive menus and well written instruction manuals. Then there is the anemic and buggy scan, the new ham often misses transmission of interest, because their kiddie talkie radio fails to unmute on strong signals.

That "new ham" often tosses the Bowelturd into a drawer and thinks hams are snobs or just gives up and goes back to TikTok video watching on their cellphone.

Part of being a ham is understanding why stuff does and doesn't work. Today, affordable surplus analog LMR radios are in many cases, less than a fast food meal or even free, offer SUPERB performance (especially compared to these POS Chinaturds) and are SIMPLE to operate. Sure, one has to obtain programming cables and software, but this is the fun part and often times, local hams have them and can help. These should be the "gateway drug" as they:

Actually frigging work. New ham has stellar and strong transmit audio! He/she won't be ignored.
Receivers are often bulletproof and designed to perform. Local repeaters will come in full quieting.
Scan is fast, simple and actually works.
Takes a beating and keeps on talking.

New ham more likely to pursue hobby as he/she can actually hear people and be heard CLEARLY. New ham more likely to invest in a quality more capable subscriber radio like a name brand dual band mobile with band scan, VFOs, etc. New ham has better experience and more likely to stick around.

 

[popnokick]

Now that this thread has finally reached the point where HTs you can actually purchase are being mentioned, one newer HT I haven't seen mentioned yet is missing. Not a CCR, not from one of the "Big Three", but technically a Japanese radio: The Alinco DJ-MD5XLT. Not only an analog FM and DMR radio, but Alinco claims it's also a Part 90 radio. It's the latest in the evolution of the Alinco DJ-MD5 family that's been on the market for a long time. One thing interesting that the XLT adds is "Area Squelch". Many DMR radios (and DSTAR) have been able to "roam" within a cluster of repeaters (or in the case of DSTAR, pull from an onboard database) based on the best available repeater. But these features only work in digital modes. Alinco's "area squelch" on the XLT uses the position indicated by the built-in GPS to select optimal channels and / or zones based upon your location in areas that the user defines, rather than based upon the strength of a signal or a lookup from an onboard DB. It's a new radio so reports are just coming in regarding the area squelch feature, but I'm in touch with a few users in our ham club who now have the XLT.

 

[AK9R]

Part of being a ham is understanding why stuff does and doesn't work.

Part of being a human is understanding what makes the other guy tick. In the case of Mr. HamImports, what makes him tick is driving people to his website where he catalogs and "reviews" cheap, Chinese radios and encourages people to buy them from links on his site so that he can "earn a small commission when you purchase via our product links."

 

[krokus]

A new model coming, that has the requested features

Kenwood: - New Kenwood TH-D75

Apparently some Kenwood and D-Star fanboys were offended in the other thread, so let's go with this one, specifically about the new TH-D75, and its associated digital mode. Awfully hard to discuss a new digital radio without talking about its digital mode as well. Kenwood TH-D75A...

forums.radioreference.com

 

[HamImports]

many new hams get easily discouraged and think they aren't hitting that repeater when in fact, they are kerchunking the hell out of it but their feces pieces radio can't hear because a wireless router is overloading it.

This is pure fantasy. There are many tens of thousands (maybe even hundreds of thousands by now) of hams out there using budget radios, making contacts and having fun, without any problems. Am I going to argue that a Baofeng is on par with an ICOM? No, of course not, but they are a fraction of the price, so as long as you reset your expectations, you're not going to be disappointed. It's not like there is a small difference between the prices - if a UV-5R was $5-10 less than a ID-51, I would of course suggest people buy the ICOM, but that's not the case.

Today, affordable surplus analog LMR radios are in many cases, less than a fast food meal or even free, offer SUPERB performance (especially compared to these POS Chinaturds) and are SIMPLE to operate. Sure, one has to obtain programming cables and software, but this is the fun part and often times, local hams have them and can help.

Again, for most people, this is pure fantasy. These radios are usually very difficult to program, needing very specific, specialist software and leads, which can in a lot of cases, cost more than the radios themselves. Older models even need a DOS computer (a virtual machine rarely works), so by the time you account for software, programming lead, and a new (old) computer, you might as well have bought a new ICOM lol. On top of that, most aren't really suited for day-to-day ham use, being intended for single channel use in a taxi (for example) and not up to long ragchew type use.

"We’re here to show you that you don’t need expensive kit from big brands to have fun with ham radio. With the explosion of open source designs, cheap manufacturing, and global delivery, you can now get on the amateur radio bands and explore for less than ever before."

The point is to spread the joy of ham radio and keep it alive, not to do your best to stop any new people coming into the hobby, as I so often see here on the forums. Look down on me for suggesting a Baofeng while you suggest a Yaesu all you like - there are folks looking down on you for suggesting a Yaesu and not something from Apache Labs/Flex/<insert prestigious manufacturer of choice>. Just have fun with RF and stop gatekeeping, will ya?

 

[MTS2000des]

Part of being a human is understanding what makes the other guy tick. In the case of Mr. HamImports, what makes him tick is driving people to his website where he catalogs and "reviews" cheap, Chinese radios and encourages people to buy them from links on his site so that he can "earn a small commission when you purchase via our product links."

Still doesn't change the facts that the lion's share of these low priced radios are subpar performing junk and most hams, especially new ones, are ill served by them.

Sidenote: I regularly distribute FREE VHF/UHF analog surplus LMR gear I come into that's destined for scrap or E-waste to new hams. Freshly programmed and instruct them so they can enjoy a quality first experience on the air.

 

[AF1UD]

Still doesn't change the facts that the lion's share of these low priced radios are subpar performing junk and most hams, especially new ones, are ill served by them.

Sidenote: I regularly distribute FREE VHF/UHF analog surplus LMR gear I come into that's destined for scrap or E-waste to new hams. Freshly programmed and instruct them so they can enjoy a quality first experience on the air.

I try to steer all hams (especially new ones) towards the cost efficient LMR gear that @MTS2000des mentions. It's easy to program, the software for most of it can be found for free. Everyone can hear you, the battery life is amazing, it can take abuse, the only downside is that they're monoband. The software in my opinion is easier than Chirp and/or Anytone CPS.

On the other hand, Baofengs have come along way in the last 5 years. However, they lack quality control. A member of my local club picked up a UV9R Pro (or Plus?) and the audio is actually good and his TX audio doesn't need any adjustment from me on my speakers. Maybe he got a diamond in the rough? Time will tell.

 

[ElroyJetson]

Actually I don't play golf. The game sucks. But it's kind of fun to slam out a few at the driving range and try to break my personal long distance driving record which stands at 322 yards. I'd never want to walk after the driven ball to hit it a second time.

Baofengs and the like are still bottom tier trash and what's worse, every penny spent on them goes to building up the military strength of the red communist so-and-sos. Support your enemy by buying his trash radios? Not likely!

 

[MTS2000des]

This is pure fantasy. There are many tens of thousands (maybe even hundreds of thousands by now) of hams out there using budget radios, making contacts and having fun, without any problems. Am I going to argue that a Baofeng is on par with an ICOM? No, of course not, but they are a fraction of the price, so as long as you reset your expectations, you're not going to be disappointed. It's not like there is a small difference between the prices - if a UV-5R was $5-10 less than a ID-51, I would of course suggest people buy the ICOM, but that's not the case.

Again, for most people, this is pure fantasy. These radios are usually very difficult to program, needing very specific, specialist software and leads, which can in a lot of cases, cost more than the radios themselves. Older models even need a DOS computer (a virtual machine rarely works), so by the time you account for software, programming lead, and a new (old) computer, you might as well have bought a new ICOM lol. On top of that, most aren't really suited for day-to-day ham use, being intended for single channel use in a taxi (for example) and not up to long ragchew type use.

Nothing I stated was fantasy. These radios you make money off of peddling are pieces of utter feces. They perform poorly, sound like a bag of crap, are difficult for newcomers to program from the keypad the way HAM radios are, and are a poor choice for a new ham struggling to make good solid contacts and form the basis of their amateur radio hobby. Never mind the abysmal so-called scan, open squelch even with CTCSS decode on, and buggy firmware that makes even the experienced ham or LMR radio guy want to hurl them across a room.

LMR gear from the 1990s and 2000s from Kenwood, Icom and Vertex use modern Windows based software. Programming "leads" in English cables can be found on Amazon and Ebay for less than $20 in most cases. The software, unlike the dubious China crap, is straightforward and easy. Take a look at say, Kenwood KPG-89D for example. The radios themselves are far superior to even quality amateur gear from reputable manufacturers and are designed for 15-20 years of commercial service life and can take anything a ham can toss at it.

Most people want a QUALITY radio they can be heard on and hear clearly, are easy to operate, and don't irritate other fellow hams with turdy roger beeps, low and muffled audio, and be able to receive without a friggin LED light bulb causing overload.

Chinese radios based on low cost consumer grade toy walkie-talkie chipsets SUCK.

 

[MTS2000des]

The point is to spread the joy of ham radio and keep it alive, not to do your best to stop any new people coming into the hobby, as I so often see here on the forums. Look down on me for suggesting a Baofeng while you suggest a Yaesu all you like - there are folks looking down on you for suggesting a Yaesu and not something from Apache Labs/Flex/<insert prestigious manufacturer of choice>. Just have fun with RF and stop gatekeeping, will ya?

I give away quality radios to new hams. I don't make anything, but I spend a ton of time and money (especially replacing spent batteries for portables) so can I get a hero cookie too?

I see no need to be on FraudTube or anywhere else monetizing anything. It's about paying it forward for future hams. I appreciate the moderators calling out folks who want to use someone else' paid site to peddle their own stuff. RR is, after all, someone else' house.

 

[HamImports]

LMR gear from the 1990s and 2000s from Kenwood, Icom and Vertex use modern Windows based software. Programming "leads" in English cables can be found on Amazon and Ebay for less than $20 in most cases.

That may be true in some cases, IF you HAPPEN to get an LMR rig that HAPPENS to be one of the common ones that DO use more modern software (which you may not get much choice about if you're getting it as a hand-me-down freebie, from a rally or eBay). That goes for the cables too, you MIGHT be able to find one at a good price IF it happens to be just the right model, you KNOW what it is you need, and IF you can even find one for a 30+ year old radio. That's a lot of planets that have to align, not a situation that's really scalable to everyone.

I give away quality radios to new hams. I don't make anything, but I spend a ton of time and money (especially replacing spent batteries for portables) so can I get a hero cookie too?

Sure, that's great, but again, how is that scalable? Is there one of you in every town, giving out LMR rigs like candy? No, let's be realistic. Anyone can order a radio complete with programming cable from eBay/Amazon/Ali Express and have it delivered with their other shopping. That's a scalable solution for today, not 30 years ago.

I see no need to be on FraudTube or anywhere else monetizing anything. It's about paying it forward for future hams. I appreciate the moderators calling out folks who want to use someone else' paid site to peddle their own stuff. RR is, after all, someone else' house.

To be absolutely clear, I'm not "peddling" anything at all. It says in big bold letters on the front page of my site: "we don't sell anything", so I'm not really sure what there is to call out. The concept is simply a list of rigs and antennas that exist. RigPix for CCRs if you like. I spend a lot of time and try my hardest to cut through the marketing BS used by the sellers to find the facts about the equipment - as you said; "paying it forward for future hams". Unfortunately, I don't personally have the funds to run a resource like that by myself, but rather than run advertising (which usually includes intrusive tracking and potential for malware), the running costs are helped by affiliate links, which are of zero detriment to the user. Visitors can still get all the relevant information without ever clicking on them.

And as for whoever it was that said they don't buy Chinese radios because of the "communist threat", I've got news for you pal... half the devices in your home were made in China (including your Yaesu), so good luck avoiding buying anything Chinese made lmao.

 

[ElroyJetson]

Dealing with Chinese products is in many cases a necessary evil but many of us make an effort to avoid Chinese sourced products where there are sensible alternatives available. 100 percent of my radios are made in USA or Malaysia or Japan...but not China. That applies to ALL of my electronics, except ONLY for my cell phone.

 

[HamImports]

Dealing with Chinese products is in many cases a necessary evil but many of us make an effort to avoid Chinese sourced products where there are sensible alternatives available. 100 percent of my radios are made in USA or Malaysia or Japan...but not China. That applies to ALL of my electronics, except ONLY for my cell phone.

Where do you think the components inside your "Malaysian" devices come from? Do you have an American made doorbell? TV? Alarm clock? Light bulbs?

So you won't buy a Chinese made "dumb" device like an analogue radio, but you will buy a Chinese made smartphone? Sounds perfectly logical. Why do you make that exception to your own standards?

 

[ElroyJetson]

Why try to be a weasel and turn that one exception on me? You're the one who's pushing absolute GARBAGE TIER radios, that in my EXPERIENCE as a radio technician, would be unable to pass any FCC acceptance testing if anybody bothered to test them at all. I've had some cross my bench and the best of them are phenomenally BAD performing radios and some of them have been literally useless except for usage as an illegal jamming device....but not even a very good one at that.

Chinese companies CAN make good quality products. Anybody who has an iPhone is well aware of that. It's also a thousand-plus dollar device, and for the quality of parts and engineering that goes into them the price is justifiable. How can I say otherwise when they sell literally in the tens of millions of units? The iPhone 12 sold over 100 million units. Failures other than broken glass or water damage are quite uncommon.

However...the non-FCC approved Chinese trash radios sold by the likes of you are utter garbage, absolutely detestable junk. You should be ashamed of yourself for even GIVING such an absolute piece of junk to a newbie amateur radio operator, because its poor performance is likely to give him a bad first impression of what radio is about and what a good performing radio can do.

If your first radio experienced was a Baofeng, it's almost fair to compare that to being raped as your first sexual encounter. I can well understand how it might prevent you from wanting to experience THAT again!

 

[k6cpo]

Baofengs and the like are still bottom tier trash and what's worse, every penny spent on them goes to building up the military strength of the red communist so-and-sos. Support your enemy by buying his trash radios? Not likely!

I've always felt that some of the hatred for the Chinese radios is related to xenophobia and I'm finally beginning to see some proof. I'm fully aware that the Chinese can build a quality product if they want. It's that they know Americans in general and hams specifically are dirt cheap and greedy and that's why we get products like the Baofeng and it's "brothers" and why a lot of our own manufacturing has gone over there. Where do you think your iPhones and iPads are made?