Radio Recommendations

[tinman981]

Hello All,
I'm looking for recommendations on who makes the Best Radio Base Station for my home (yaesu,icom or kenwood ) . I'm new to the hobby but been around it for awhile i have the extra money so i would like to buy a good solid radio .

Thanks

 

[KW4HKY]

You need to provide more information. What bands. How far from repeaters. Budget. D-star? Manual program or software?

 

[elk2370bruce]

Everyone has their favorite brand and model. Irt depends on your level of licensing and what bands you're interested in. You don't have to mortgage your first born but it scan become an addicting hobby. If there is an amateur radio club in your area, you might want to make contact withg experienced operators and get some hands-on experience under their guidance. To stat, you may wish to purchase a slightly used (but not abused) rig. Have one of the experienced hams with you when you test out a rig of choice. There is room for everyone in this avocation and lots of different kinds of interests ranging from antenna design, data, cw, voice, and dx. Take the time to learn and you'll be a fan for life.

 

[KW4HKY]

Everyone has their favorite brand and model. Irt depends on your level of licensing and what bands you're interested in. You don't have to mortgage your first born but it scan become an addicting hobby. If there is an amateur radio club in your area, you might want to make contact withg experienced operators and get some hands-on experience under their guidance. To stat, you may wish to purchase a slightly used (but not abused) rig. Have one of the experienced hams with you when you test out a rig of choice. There is room for everyone in this avocation and lots of different kinds of interests ranging from antenna design, data, cw, voice, and dx. Take the time to learn and you'll be a fan for life.

All good but the used equipment. 99.9 want new price and you have no warranty. Icom is one of the few that transfers warranty. I have bought used but usually get burned. There is usually a reason someone is selling a "lightly used" product.

 

[k6cpo]

All good but the used equipment. 99.9 want new price and you have no warranty. Icom is one of the few that transfers warranty. I have bought used but usually get burned. There is usually a reason someone is selling a "lightly used" product.

My experience has been the opposite. I was loaned an older Icom transceiver by a ham I'd never met in person, but knew through another forum. He brought the radio down from Northern California when he was in town for a conference. After I'd used it for a year, I asked him if he'd sell it to me and he did. The price was substantially below what I would have paid for a new HF radio. When I bought it, he sent the original box, a remote control panel and the full service manual.

I've bought some other items through internet forums, including a Yaesu FT-7900 mobile, and a couple of antennas. I haven't been burned yet...

 

[KW4HKY]

My experience has been the opposite. I was loaned an older Icom transceiver by a ham I'd never met in person, but knew through another forum. He brought the radio down from Northern California when he was in town for a conference. After I'd used it for a year, I asked him if he'd sell it to me and he did. The price was substantially below what I would have paid for a new HF radio. When I bought it, he sent the original box, a remote control panel and the full service manual.

I've bought some other items through internet forums, including a Yaesu FT-7900 mobile, and a couple of antennas. I haven't been burned yet...

Check the prices on qrz and ebay. Insanity

 

[elk2370bruce]

All good but the used equipment. 99.9 want new price and you have no warranty. Icom is one of the few that transfers warranty. I have bought used but usually get burned. There is usually a reason someone is selling a "lightly used" product.

Your point is well taken but I've had just the opposite experience. When I returned to the hobby and was ready to get my station started, an experienced ham in our club turned me on to a used (but not abused) rig ftrom a slient key. Years later, that dual bander still works like a charm. For hf, I had the same experience with obtaining the unit from a known local ham, having it tested by another experienced member, and that rig has earned my dxcc and other positive outcomes. If you have the help from people you know and trust, there is a much reduced chance of "getting burned". Why do people sell their rigs? To upgrade to a newer model; to reduce the number of used rigs they possess, estate sale; and a host of other legitimate reasons - not just to unload a pile of crap on a newbie. The key is to have the guidance and help of an elmer or two like I did. Avoid sleazebay and on-line used rigs unless you can test them out beforehand. That's where you get burned.

 

[KW4HKY]

Agreed. Very difficult for a beginner though. Joining a club was the best advice yet.

Avoid ebay like the plague.

 

[tinman981]

Thanks so much for the info.....

 

[SCPD]

Hello All,
I'm looking for recommendations on who makes the Best Radio Base Station for my home (yaesu,icom or kenwood ) . I'm new to the hobby but been around it for awhile i have the extra money so i would like to buy a good solid radio.

The ICOM IC-9100 is pretty much a do-it-all radio. For a fully configured unit however, you'll be paying around $4100

It has HF+6m, 2m/70cm/23cm with D-STAR and even satellite support.

http://universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/5091.html