(09/14/2020)
As the years have progressed so have my additional suggestions for gear. At one time it was easy enough to layout the 3 Handi Talkies I’d buy, maybe a Single band and Dual band rig as well. Then things got complicated-or at least some of my ideal rigs became less than ideal, though still worth a serious look, and for most new hams-a purchase.
Three of my 5 kids and my wife have all passed their Technician Level test! Following my eldest son passing first, I opened Amazon up and asked him to pick which HT he wanted. He scrolled for a while and decided on the Baofeng GT-3
I’m no Baofeng Fan, by any stretch-but at the same time I was unable to fund 5 (five) higher-cost radios at once. I was also encouraged when I remembered these were the same radios sent from the US to ham ops in Nepal through the Radio Mala Initiative as discussed in This Episode . So far these HT’s, while costing more than the other I recommend (UV-82), they are working well enough for a 13, 15 and 17 y/o.
For years the FT-60 from Yeasu was the Go-To, brick house, long-lasting, stupid simple HT of choice. And while it’s still available it’s still a very viable choice for most hams. It’s been replaced by the newer designed FT-65. To date, the FT-65 has yet to achieve the cult status of it’s older brother but it’s a very good rig-if Simple and Tough are your top desires!
Friends who have adopted the FT-65 have been quite happy with their choice, you may be too?
I still use my Wouxun Handies most times I’m away from the house, but frankly I’m looking for replacement and it looks like the Yeasu FT-70 may get the nod. I’m big on having a dual-band rig, and with a new System Fusion (digital radio) Repeater installed of late, locally-the FT-70 seems like it could fit the bill!
I”m going to list 2 more HT’s below, both are higher cost and offer a great deal of additional benefits that may or may not suit your budget or intended use.
The Kenwood THD-74a is a beast of a rig, it operates not only in the 2 meter (144 MHz) and 70 cm (444 MHz) band it also operates in the 1.25m band (220 MHz). It’s also D-Star enabled (digital mode) and has a built-in TNC for Packet and APRS work-it’s a great deal of hardware in a nice tidy package!
The Ham Radio manufacture, Icom has a long standing well earned and well respected reputation for delivering top-notch products for the amateur radio operator. Their ID51 has been discontinued and a new model is on the way. I will update the page once the product is avail. To hear some great discussion on the ID-51a give this show a listen!
DMR
DMR is still an insanely popular mode for Amateur Operators. I was an early adopter of the mode-which means I also checked out early 🙂 DMR is virtually Radio VoIP (replace your IP office phone with a hand talkie) that allows operators to communicate over the internet through traditional repeaters that are DMR enabled or Personal Repeaters aka Hotspots. I still have my first DMR HT, the TYT MD380 and although it can be overwhelming for some to program-it works every time I ask it to (which isn’t often) I can recommend the TYT-MD380 or it’s Dual-Band brother TYT-MDUV380 (this would be my choice today for a low cost intro to DMR)
I’ve recently added an Itinerant License to the mix here at the Farm. Because of that I sold off some Ham Stuff and bought the 5 Hams of us the UV-380! So far I’m Extra Happy with the Purchase. These will replace the above Wouxun UVD1/Baofeng GT3 and become the go-to Handies for our entire Family! (10-13-20)
As times change, and they’ve changed Fast in regard to DMR Radio in the Amateur Hobby, a new head of the pack (that isn’t a /\/\otorola) is the Anytone 878UV. Talk about the new cult following, I’m told this is ‘The One’ if you want to get serious about DMR! The Anytone 878UV appears to be a solid rig from my conversations with those that own them!
If you are interested in the World of DMR you will more than likely need a way to access the internet based networks. A majority of hams utilize a Hot Spot to get in the water. There are a ton of Hot Spots available. Here is a Shopping link that offers Hot Spots in all flavors and prices.
I hope the above helps you make more sense of what is available if you’re looking to become a Ham Radio Operator!
Please let me know if I can be of any help!
K4CDN
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