HAM Radio Noobie Question (3 Viewers)

[jonb96150]

There are many options for radios out there, for trail mobile use my local club has somewhat standardized on Yaesu products. This helps with standardizing settings among those who have programmable radios, and also with troubleshooting help when on the trail, more people are likely to be able to help if you have problems with your radio because theirs is likely the same or similar rig. The FT-2800 and FT-7800 are very popular rigs. The FT-8800 as well.

This is true for the my area as well (Sierra Nevada region). On the Rubicon Yaesu radios prolly a 10:1 ratio against all others. They are rugged and their starter radios are a good value.

The FT-60R is the most popular HT on the trail out here and it is dual band. http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/ht/0060.html Get a dual band magmount roof antenna and adapt it to the SMC antenna input on the HT (hand held) and you get pretty good range out of it's 5 watts and you can use it in multiple vehicles. You can add one of these amps for extra oomph. http://www.mirageamp.com/Product.php?productid=BD-35

But $150.00 will get you this bulletproof single band 2m mobile. http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/fm_txvrs/2900.html

IMHO a hand held is the best starter radio. Inexpensive, nothing to install, charge it and use it inside your house (or in your car, motorcycle, bicycle, skateboard, etc...) as you have to be pretty rural to not have a repeater you can hit. (Unless you are in a deep valley).
And if you get a magmount antenna for it you can use that antenna with a mobile radio down the road.

Once you get used to Ham you will resent the space wasted to carrying a CB. Most of us still have to have CB because as CruiserDrew put it, the Luddites won't change. I refuse to mount a CB in my 70 so I bring a handheld CB when needed. But I do have a mounted CB in my Taco and it gets used a lot on the trail. But the Hams in my club do talk smack on 2m about CB when we are wheeling (on low power simplex of course).

 

[Kofoed]

This is true for the my area as well (Sierra Nevada region). On the Rubicon Yaesu radios prolly a 10:1 ratio against all others. They are rugged and their starter radios are a good value.

The FT-60R is the most popular HT on the trail out here and it is dual band.

The FT60 can be easily modified, so I've heard, to operate on the FRS band too.

 

[merryweather]

Hi guys, thought I'd post back here. I appreciate all your input and direction. I got a Baofeng UV-5R and I am testing for my license on January 5th. I'll update this thread once I'm licensed up. Thanks all!

 

[jonb96150]

Good reviews on that model, except hard to use the manual. There is a yahoo group dedicated to that model that should be of great help. A good choice for the money. IIRC the antenna connection is opposite of virtually all other HTs in that the male part of the SMA is on the radio rather than the antenna.

You may already know this; it is a wide band transceiver. It has the ability to transmit on virtually all the frequencies it receives, even though it is illegal to transmit on the non-ham frequencies. Here is a review I stole from Amazon.com

"This review is from: BaoFeng UV-5R 136-174/400-480 MHz Dual-Band DTMF CTCSS DCS FM Ham Two Way Radio (Electronics)
You would be hard pressed to get a better dual band HT for $62. This radio has international settings, meaning that the entire frequency range from 130-174mhz and from 400-480mhz is open to both TX and RX. This means you do need to be careful as a Ham license only allows you to TX on 2m from 144-148mhz and on 440 from 420-450mhz. The radio is not FCC certified to transmit on any of the Marine VHF, MURS, FRS/GMRS, or business radio or emergency services radio frequencies that lie in these frequency ranges and operating in those frequency ranges with this HT will expose you to FCC action.

You definitely will need the programming cable as the included directions are not enlightening for programming the radio with the keypad. The programming software for the radio is a minimal spreadsheet program. There are better free aftermarket alternatives (there is an active Yahoo group devoted to this radio, there are plenty of Youtube videos, and there is an aftermarket programming package called CHIRP which is a better software program). Make sure that you firmly attach the cable as failure to attach the cable properly will lead to frustration.

The stock antenna is ok if you live under a repeater. For those not living under a repeater an aftermarket antenna is a good upgrade.

For operational purposes the radio transmits and receives quite well and will operate for quite some time on the rechargeable battery that is included with the radio.

For $62 you also have a radio that if it should fall into a lake, get lost or some other calamity strike you can replace it."

 

[merryweather]

Good reviews on that model, except hard to use the manual. There is a yahoo group dedicated to that model that should be of great help. A good choice for the money. IIRC the antenna connection is opposite of virtually all other HTs in that the male part of the SMA is on the radio rather than the antenna.

You may already know this; it is a wide band transceiver. It has the ability to transmit on virtually all the frequencies it receives, even though it is illegal to transmit on the non-ham frequencies. Here is a review I stole from Amazon.com

"This review is from: BaoFeng UV-5R 136-174/400-480 MHz Dual-Band DTMF CTCSS DCS FM Ham Two Way Radio (Electronics)
You would be hard pressed to get a better dual band HT for $62. This radio has international settings, meaning that the entire frequency range from 130-174mhz and from 400-480mhz is open to both TX and RX. This means you do need to be careful as a Ham license only allows you to TX on 2m from 144-148mhz and on 440 from 420-450mhz. The radio is not FCC certified to transmit on any of the Marine VHF, MURS, FRS/GMRS, or business radio or emergency services radio frequencies that lie in these frequency ranges and operating in those frequency ranges with this HT will expose you to FCC action.

You definitely will need the programming cable as the included directions are not enlightening for programming the radio with the keypad. The programming software for the radio is a minimal spreadsheet program. There are better free aftermarket alternatives (there is an active Yahoo group devoted to this radio, there are plenty of Youtube videos, and there is an aftermarket programming package called CHIRP which is a better software program). Make sure that you firmly attach the cable as failure to attach the cable properly will lead to frustration.

The stock antenna is ok if you live under a repeater. For those not living under a repeater an aftermarket antenna is a good upgrade.

For operational purposes the radio transmits and receives quite well and will operate for quite some time on the rechargeable battery that is included with the radio.

For $62 you also have a radio that if it should fall into a lake, get lost or some other calamity strike you can replace it."

Thank you for the info, I am finding it very interesting. I'm still studying for my licensure, so I hope to be able to use it soon. Regarding the comment in the amazon review about the antenna, is there an aftermarket antenna you recommend? What about for in my vehicle? Do I need to connect it to a vehicle mounted antenna?

Thanks!

 

[jonb96150]

Join this Yahoo Group and virtually all your questions will have already been answered.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/baofeng_uv5r/

I can't recommend particular antennas, but this is what I would get.

An aftermarket antenna that connects to the HT as the oem one sounds like crapola. Remember it has to be dual band (2M and 70CM) and make sure it will fit the uv5r, as most antennas won't fit without an adapter. Rigid adapters are really hard on SMA connections and are better off avoided.

Then get a magmount dual band antenna to put on whatever vehicle you want. It will extend the range of the HT hugely. Make sure it has good reviews for durability or the first tree limb it hits might break it. In order to maximize versatility have the cable from that antenna end with a PL-259 (male end). That way it can be used with a mobile radio if you decide to get one later. That PL-259 will have to be adapted to fit your uv5r. Get a flexible cable adapter that goes from the bassackwards SMA on your HT to the PL-259. The fact that this adapter is flexible should prevent cable strain from damaging you HT.

Amazon is a great source for these items. Ebay has this stuff as well, but the cheap stuff is mainland asia crap and I have learned to avoid it. I guess your radio is an exception as it is highly rated.

After an hour or two of reading the posts on that yahoo group you will probably know exactly what to get and where to get it.

Don't sweat the exam, just google for ham questions online and keep taking the free online tests until you have it down.

 

[FJFOOL]

I just passed the Technicians test, thanks to the practice exams on "e-ham.net". Free, and they have lots of other areas like product reviews, etc. Now I need to get a mobile 2m and am doing lots of research on antenna's especially.

 

[1911]

I just passed the Technicians test, thanks to the practice exams on "e-ham.net".

Congratulations on getting your ticket!

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Just an update: The Baofeng radio discussed above (UV-5R and it's variants) is now $44 on Amazon and the programming cable is $9. Generally, the newer firmware versions will have fewer issues when programming.

It's a lot of radio for the $$ and a good starter radio to get you talking. I don't know how they can make money on them as the quality is quite decent. I got a $3(!) aftermarket antenna from ebay that is lots better than the stock antenna. The real limiter is radiated power. 5W just is not a lot, especially with the marginal HT antennas.

A good mobile radio with a thoughtful antenna set up, is miles better though for most truck related uses. The hand helds are good when out of the vehicle or just messing around. If you are getting into amateur radio for off-road use, don't skimp and try to get by with just a hand held. The power of a mobile, plus the far better mobile antennas, make it a much more useful radio.

It also makes sense, to have the adapters on board to run your HT through your installed mobile antenna set up, because 5W with a good antenna, actually works surprisingly well. Then it can serve as a back up if your mobile unit goes down (though in my experience the Yaesu 2800s that I run are as reliable as rocks).

FJFOOL-Congrats, spread the word. Start studying for your General.

KI6MIE

 

[fj4068]

I got a $3(!) aftermarket antenna from ebay that is lots better than the stock antenna.

Any details you could post about it would appreciated. At that price, I'd like to try one.

 

[jonheld]

They are great little radios. I have 2 of them as they're almost free.
There is a Yahoo group that I joined which has more information on modifications and accessories than you can imagine. All the information you need is there.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/baofeng_uv5r

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Any details you could post about it would appreciated. At that price, I'd like to try one.

It was from eshow on ebay. $3.79 although I notice it went up to $4.99 with free shipping from Hong Kong.

 

[byrd_hntr]

I studying for my Licence and I want to thank everyone for their info on here.

I do have one question: Can two Ham radios talk to each other directly or do you have to have a repeater in the mix? I can barely hit a repeater from my house with my Handheld and it might be nice to use my ham radios like a walkie talkie if possible.

 

[1911]

I studying for my Licence and I want to thank everyone for their info on here.

I do have one question: Can two Ham radios talk to each other directly or do you have to have a repeater in the mix? I can barely hit a repeater from my house with my Handheld and it might be nice to use my ham radios like a walkie talkie if possible.

Absolutely; that is called "simplex" operation. A repeater is just a convenience to extend range and find people, but away from a city most all of your communication is going to be simplex (radio to radio) anyway.

Good luck on your test.

 

[byrd_hntr]

Thanks 1911... I have a lot more to learn that's for sure.

 

[GarnerFJ40]

There's also a great Android app, Ham Radio Study that will cycle through the pool questions for all 3 levels. It's more memorization and regurgitation, but it got me my Tech. license. Doing the same for the Feb. General test.

I've heard the same about the Baofeng, and I've asked for one for Christmas to play with, before ponying up the money for a multi-band mobile unit...