What's a good ham radio to buy to take with me when I'm chasing?

[Bobbi Burrows]

No problem, anytime.

Keep in mind though that the ChiCom radios have a bit of a learning curve when it comes to programming. Luckily though there is a website and community devoted to these radios to include open source software. Visit the site www.miklor.com and you will find the software and FAQ section.

If you're going to get the UV5R I would suggest getting a different radio antenna. The stock antennas aren't all that great. The Nagoya NA-771 is a great option and only costs about $15. You can get it on Amazon. The mag mount antenna I suggest is the Nagoya UT-308UV. I hear good things about it.

The other radio I am hearing good things about is the is the Baofeng BF-F8HP. It has the ability to transmit with 8W and all the products for the UV5R are compatible, so that makes having both a good deal. BF-F8HP will probably be my next radio. As with any HT I suggest getting a handheld speaker mic to keep the radio away from your head when transmitting. I'm not a fan of putting RF in my brain. lol

The authorized dealer for Baofeng and Anytone products is "Baofeng Tech , Anytone Tech" You will see them in the listings.

Remember when buying antennas for your radios always be sure that they are listed for your frequency range. You can't use a VHF/UHF antenna on HF frequency. If you do it could cause damage to your radio and antenna. You will learn about all of this in your Technician course.



This website www.hamwhisperer.com/p/ham-courses.html hasn't been updated in a long while, but the Technician course posted to youtube is really good! I know people that have followed the course and gotten 100% on the Technician test because if it.

If you have any other questions feel free to private message me.

Thank you for all the awesome info! I had heard about some other websites for studying up for the technician license, but the youtube courses looks better than any I've been on yet. I'll def PM you if I have any other questions, and I really, REALLY appreciate the help.

 

[Randy Jennings]

While HTs (handy talks) are a useful part of every ham's go kit, they are often of very limited use during severe weather, as rain can significantly attenuate signals. You often can listen to a Skywarn net with an HT, but you probably will not be able to make a report unless you a very close to the repeater (often you could hit the repeater from the same spot without the rain/hail). A 50w mobile is the way to go if you want to participate in a Skywarn net. If you must buy an HT, the low cost Wouxun ( http://www.mtcradio.com/wouxun-handheld/ ) and Baofeng ( http://www.mtcradio.com/baofeng/) raidos are fine, although the Wouxun is much easier to program from the radio it self (without a computer) and imho the Wouxun is the better radio.

As I said, a 50w mobile is a way to go. As others have said, it is hard to go wrong with Kenwood, Icom, or Yeasu. I strongly encourage you to get a radio that does both VHF and UHF, as more and more counties are doing Skywarn on UHF. If money is no object, the Kenwood TM-D710 or Yeasu FTM-400 are the most capable and easy to use. They also support APRS which is great for tracking your storm chasing path. If money is tight, the Wouxun ( http://www.wouxun.com/Two-Way-Radio/Two-Way-Radio.htm#K02 ) modible will work fine, although you likely can find a used Kenwood, Icom, or Yeasu for the same price.

Transmitter wattage isn't everything. A good 1/4, 1/2, or 5/8 wave gain antenna can increase your ERP (effective radiated power). I see hams with good antennas outperform hams with bad antennas and more wattage all the time.

I'd encourage you to find a local raido club to help you get started. Ham radio's biggest annual event - Field Day - is June 27 and June 28th. You can visit a club and many have a GOTA (get on the air) station they let non-hams use (under the supervison of a licensed ham). Most clubs love visitors (they get more points in the contest),. You can find a field day location at: http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator .

A great resource for preparing for you test is the free practice tests at http://www.qrz.com/hamtest/ . When you think you are ready for the Tech test, spend at least a hour or two looking at the General questions also. It costs nothing extra to take the General test in the same sitting as the Tech after you pass the Tech. Many folks will pass the General test and get HF privileges too. If you pass the General, you can take the Extra, but it is a different beast and takes a lot more study to pass.

Good luck and 73,
KF5LKL

 

[Drew Terril]

I remember that qrz site from when I got my tech 8 years ago. I'm glad you mentioned it, because I really need to get off my butt and start studying for my general. Eventually I want to get my Extra, but that's a ways down the road and, like you said, far more intensive in terms of knowledge level.

 

[ScottCurry]

I just passed my Tech exam and was issued my call sign Saturday. My budget is very tight, but I found and purchased a UV-5R brand new on Amazon for $27. It should be here Friday. I'm having trouble picking out a good antenna for it though. I want two antennas, one portable and one magnetic-mount roof-top. My local Skywarn net repeater is 8 miles away on 2-meter band, on top of a mountain. I would like to access it up to 20 miles away though (valley to mountain, with a few trees and small hills in the way). Outside of my local area, I just plan to use the radio for simplex. I saw the suggestion above for the Nagoya NA-771, and I was going to buy it on Amazon, but Amazon isn't selling it right now. They said there was a problem with it. Does anybody have any other suggestions (again, I'm budget tight)? Thanks in advance.

 

[Drew Terril]

I try to stay away from mag mounts if I can. I know many people have a major aversion to drilling holes even for a trunk lip mount, but in all reality, a mag mount is going to damage the paint if you ever decide to sell the car. At least any holes for a trunk lip mount are going to be hidden from view. There is also a greater signal loss with a mag mount that will exacerbate the low power output of a handheld.

That's just my take on it, based on my experience on mag mounts. Never again. I'll do one of those through the window mounts before I do another mag mount. Signal loss is about the same and, aside from some residue, the through the window mount isn't going to leave behind any ill effects that are instantly visible.

 

[Randy Jennings]

As Drew noted - if a mag mount is left on long enough you will scratch the paint. If you don't care about that, a mag mount can be a decent antenna at a good price. I ran with a mag mount for a long time, and I had no problems with it (other than scratching the paint). A mag mount in the center of your roof can provide a better ground plain than some other types of mounts. I have a glass mount now (not thru the window) because of the way my vehicle is designed, and despite not having a good ground plain, I am happy with it and get great performance from it. I will say that Drew is correct, the base of the mag mount does technically effect the wavelength of the antenna, resulting in some loss. Having said that, other types of mounts are often installed in ways that don't give then as good ground plain. It's a trade off. I betting Drew took the time to do a good install on his, so he gets better performance than he did with a mag mount. Many hams don't, and even may that do will not notice the difference.

The subject of "what antenna is best" is a hot topic with hams. Everyone has their favorite brand and style. So let me give you some general advice. In general, longer wavelengths give you better performance (i.e. 1/2 and 5/8 wavelength are better than 1/4). If you park your vehicle in a home garage or often park in parking garages, the longer wavelength antennas will likely not fit. I ran with a 1/4 length for a long time because of that (and now my 5/8 is mounted lower than the roof of my Jeep so it will fit in my garage). Probably the best way to compare 2 antennas is by looking at what the gain rating is. The higher the db gain is, the more your ERP (effective radiated power) will be. A lower cost antenna (i.e. MFJ) with a high gain rating will likely outperform a higher cost name brand (i.e. Diamond) that is rated at less gain.

 

[Robert Forry]

I've had pretty good luck and performance with my rear hatch mounted Diamond SG7900. It's a little long (62") so it catches a lot of branches (and one downed powerline to date), but it's on an adjustable NMO mount that's affixed directly in the verticle to the back hatch on the Cherokee. I got that too from GigaParts, and got a pretty good deal at the time I believe ($110).

For the record, I've only used Diamond antennas and can't speak for the other brands out there.

 

[Dave Ragozzine]

I'm not sure how many people recommended the Kenwood TM-281 or Icom Ic-2300H, but I have both and they are worth every penny. I mainly operate on the 2m band (144mhz) and only have dual band HTs. All my mobile rigs are 2m. I'm going to be adding a 6m Alinco rig soon as well.

Just a note: Ham radio is an expensive hobby. Look into the reviews of the Chinese made mobile rigs. A buddy of mine bought a quad band TYT mobile rig and he says it's great, and not a bank breaker.


KC1CWP