What amateur radio to get?

[Chris Campbell]

I have my Tech license for amateur radio. The main reason for getting it is for use on storm chases. I'm not sure which radio I should get and I'd like some suggestions, please. I could get a cheaper one that does FM only on 2m and 70cm bands, or I could get a more expensive one that does more bands and SSB and CW. It looks like more storm related talk is on the 70cm and 2m bands on FM is that true? Are the other bands useful for a storm chaser or not? All the hams around here recommend I get a Yaesu radio.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

If you're looking for one to use in your vehicle, I highly recommend the Yaesu FT 7800. It is a great radio, especially for beginners. That's what I have and been happy with it.

http://www.google.com/products?hl=e...a=X&oi=product_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title

 

[Troy Christensen]

I recommend the Yaesu 7800. It's duel band and works very well for storm chasing. I have been using mine for about 2 years without a problem.

 

[Jason Tunzer]

And yet another plug for the Yaesu 7800. Love the radio!

 

[Ben Holcomb]

If you're looking for a higher quality, more featured radio with APRS (You can update SpotterNetwork with APRS) get the Kenwood TM-D710A. I have one, and want to get a second.

The Yaesu radio is good as well, if you need a basic dual band rig.

 

[Chris Campbell]

If you're looking for a higher quality, more featured radio with APRS (You can update SpotterNetwork with APRS) get the Kenwood TM-D710A. I have one, and want to get a second.

The Yaesu radio is good as well, if you need a basic dual band rig.

Could you explain ARPS to me and why I might want to use it? Thanks.

 

[jordan.hamilton]

I own two mobile ham radios, and they are both Yaesu FT-2800m's. They are built rugged and the price is awesome. I buy all of my ham stuff from www.hamcity.com and they are right around 120-130 bucks. You are going to pay about an additional $100 for a rig with 70cm support, which I very rarely have used. I ended up buying an ICOM 1 watt Handie Talkie for about $100 that does 2m/70cm and this serves my purposes for 70cm just fine. The only time I ever use 70cm is when chasing in a convoy and the 2m band is heavily used, and then my ICOM comes in handy for that. IMO its just not worth the extra $100 for the FT-7800m for what little 70cm traffic I need. I would be curious how many people that have responded to this thread use 70cm on a regular basis.

 

[Chris Campbell]

According to the NWS DSM, there are repeaters in the 70 cm band in Iowa for skywarn, so I assume 70cm is used at least somewhat.

 

[Steve Rynbrandt]

According to the NWS DSM, there are repeaters in the 70 cm band in Iowa for skywarn, so I assume 70cm is used at least somewhat.

Certainly it is area specific. In my home CWA (DTX) spotter reports are collected at the county level on 2m systems and then key stations pass reports to the NWS on a 70cm linked system.

I find having 70cm handy, as I hate to have that "I wonder what is being talked about on 4xx.xx??" feeling. Just yesterday when I was up in Billings/Tonkawa OK I was listening to the Kay county net on 2m and listening to a couple of other folks not in a net on 70cm repeater looking at other features. Not being an official net has its privileges and provides opportunities for additional discussion not suitable for an official net. Seems like the 2m repeaters can all get used up sometimes between primary, secondary, emergency management, etc.

My vote for chasing/spotting, especially if you take road trips, is to have both 2m/70cm. The cost really isn't much greater and in my opinion provides much greater value.


Steve Rynbrandt (KB8WNV)

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

The Yaesu FT-8800R is also a good choice, but cost a few bucks more. Many guys on this forum also have that unit. But they are all great, and it really depends how much you expect a radio to do. I really should have gotten an lesser unit and saved the duckets, but the radio is a keeper. It also requires a USB tether and software to program it. More $$$

This year will be the first year that I will take it out on the Plains. Buy according to you budget, and even good used 2m/70cm unit can be had for $100. More than that, the antenna is the essential item to any decent radio setup. Don't be buying a cheap or inefficient antenna. That is one area where spending a few extra bucks will prove to be money well-spent. If you are a Ham, then you know that antennas are everything and radios are somewhat secondary. If you end up spending $120 on the antenna and $100 on a used radio, that would be a decent plan - IMO. Then, if you grow out of that radio, you will already have an antenna that will be able to max it's capacities to the fullest. The Diamond antenna is xlnt; get the one that gets the most db gain. Worth it...

 

[CZandbergen]

Yaesu FT-8800R is a great radio for the price. I have a iCom 2100 that I use as well. I keep the iCom on 2m and listen to NWS and scan on the 8800. The 8800 pulled my bacon out of the fire yesterday in SE KS when I lost data. They have a great EOC network up there. It is amazing how naked you feel without a good GRlevel3 feed. Radios are a great fall back option...

 

[Ben Holcomb]

APRS beacons your location at a set interval, and through the use of 2meter digipeaters, can put your position online like this. It can also be setup to automatically update your spotternetwork position.

It's not failproof as there isn't digipeaters everywhere, but it's still cool nonetheless.

 

[Jordan Bell]

I do not have my HAM Operators License yet. Thinking about getting it in the next year or so.
1. Is it illegal for me to have one in my car if i do not have license and are just using it for listening purposes.
2. Should I maybe go hand held and if so what are some good ones?

 

[Jesse Risley]

I do not have my HAM Operators License yet. Thinking about getting it in the next year or so.
1. Is it illegal for me to have one in my car if i do not have license and are just using it for listening purposes.
2. Should I maybe go hand held and if so what are some good ones?

1. Yes, no and maybe. The real answer to this depends on the state(s) you will be operating within. It's not against FCC regulations for an unlicensed amateur to own a transceiver only for the purpose of listening and not transmitting. However, some states have mobile scanner laws that preclude the use of any receiver or transceiver that can receive police frequencies if you are NOT a licensed amateur radio operator (this would outlaw 99% of amateur radios in a non-amateur's vehicle). Please read here for more information: http://www.afn.org/~afn09444/scanlaws/scanner5.html

2. You need to decide whether you need a two meter radio, or if you will also want to utilize the 70 cm band. Most of the "Al Yaecomwood" (Alinco, Kenwood, Yaesu and Icom) HT radios will suffice, though I would recommend a unit with WX alert for chasing.

 

[Steve Rynbrandt]

Jesse's post above is right on. Michigan happens to be one of those "police band" rule states and specifically exempts amateur radio operators.

One problem you may run into is that is seems as if the major internet/catalog retailers (HRO, AES, etc) always want to know your call sign when you place an order. Having my ticket for the past 14 years that isn't a problem for me. I'm not sure if the do it only for customer relations/tracking purposes or if they are actually checking against the FCC database to prevent the sale of transmitters to non-licensed personnel.

Steve Rynbrandt