New to amature radio

[MattRK]

Hello, i tried searching through the forums, but i couldnt find much. I'm in the process of getting my ham license. I would like to know what you think the best mobile radio is. I'm not sure what to look for or even what specs i would need. I just want to know what you guys think would work for me. Thanks for any help you can provide!!!

-Mr.K

[W4CGP]

What bands are you interested in operating? The answer to that question will depend largely on what folks in your area are operating on, but for a 2M only monobander, I'd recommend either the Kenwood TM-261A or the Icom IC-2100H. I have the Kenwood radio and it works great; it's very durable and simple to set up. The only downside is that it does draw more than 10 amps of power on 50 Watts. I don't know if the 2100H does or not, but it does restrict where you can operate it, as many situations are limited to 10 Amps.

If you don't have an HT, I'd also suggest you get one, and I've heard good reports about all of the tri-banders on the market. I've got a Yaesu VX-5R and would recommend it to anyone.

As with dual-band mobile reports, I don't own a dual-band mobile rig, so I can't help you there.

Hope this helps.

[MattRK]

Thanks for you'r suggestions! I think that i want a radio that operates in the 2m band. From what i've been listening to, that is where most of the activity is. (atleast for most of the storm, emergency, and misc talk.)

I have also been wondering what the heck a dual band radio is. What is makes it differnt than a monoband or triband. I guess i dont get it. From the term, i would guess it has something to do with using more than one frequency at a time, but thats about it. Any help would be appriciated.

I really want a good mobile rig. (Thats where i spend most of my time) I think that if i had to order my options, a mobile rig would be at the top, followed by a handheld radio, then a base.

Anyways, thanks for the help!!!

-Mr.K

[W4CGP]

A monoband radio is designed to operate on only one band. My Kenwood TM-261A, for instance, works on 2 meters and 2 meters only. By contrast, my Yaesu is a tribande radio. It can transmit on 6 meters, 2 meters, and 70 centimeters.

I've not mounted any radios permanently in a vehicle, when I do, I'll probably use a magmount or glass mount antenna, depending on what type of vehicle I end up driving (the taller the vehicle, the more difficult an antenna gets).

[MattRK]

So all they mean by dualband is that it has the ability to transmit on two seperat bands, like 2m and 6m. It doesnt mean at the same time however? Correct?

-Mr.K

Matt everyone has their favorites. Around here there are a lot of Icom 2100H 2M mobiles, I have six. If you have a computer, you may be interested in a model that will program from the computer, it is a most useful feature.

You might be lucky and be able to borrow a rig and check it out. You will need the power line (direct from the battery thru a fuse) and antenna anyway.

You can install an HT, maybe with an amp, but they are not too convenient, and the audio may not be loud enuff.

Good luck on getting your ticket. As someone else said here recently "join the madness". TOM K8ERV

[N6HLE]

My recommendation would be a Kenwood TM-G707a. #It's a dual-band (2m/70cm) and has all the bells and whistles a new ham could possibly need. #This particular radio is what I run in my car and is also very easy to move back and forth from the car to the house until you can get another rig. #One of the features that I found really nice with it being a new ham is it has two modes, basic and advanced. #Basic mode gives you what you need to get on the air without all the hastle of the other features you won't need right away. #And of course when you get more familiar with the radio and amateur radio in general you can move to the advanced mode and pick up the other features available through the radio.

Also, like TVT said, you might want to get your hands on an HT. #Even if you don't plan on tramsimitting portable, it's always nice to have a fully-charged HT handy. #"Fully Charged" being the operative words there... #I learned that one from experience.

Another thing you might want to do is talk to the local hams... #Chances are somebody will have something that you can use until you can start getting your own gear. If it weren't for fellow hams I wouldn't have gotten on the air for about a month after I got my ticket.

[W6TMI]

Everybody has their pet radios (mine's ICOM).

They're pretty equivelent though.

I would suggest simply going to a ham store and see what looks best to you, what looks like it will fit your car etc.

Doesn't mean you have to buy it from them if you are looking used.

If money isn't a HUGE object, you might want to consider dual band, inasmuch as you may feel like you won't use it now, but a little later you might.

Although dual band mobiles are quite pricey, the handhelds are fairly reasonable.

I would NOT get a handheld with the intent of adding an amp, external antenna, external power etc. It begins to look (and operate) like a spider.

That's my $.04

Inflation is even worse than I thought! TOM K8ERV

[W2NJS]

Matt:

A dual band radio works on two separate bands, and those bands are usually 2M and 440, and usually only FM, though there are exceptions. There are also triband radios, usually 6M/2M/440, and even some quad band units which do 10M/6M/2M/440.

Here's how I did it years ago when I was in the same position you're in today:

The one thing you can do to get real smart real fast is to join an amateur radio club. #Everyone was new at one time, and most of the people who are hams keep this in mind when new people show up. #I guarantee that you will learn tons of useful stuff in a very short time if you hang out with other hams.

You could at the same time be reading all the ARRL and other ham literature you can get your hands on. #Some libraries maintain files of this kind of information so you might not even have to buy it.

And last, if you can, join ARRL and start to receive their magazine, QST, in the mail every month.

Stick to it and in no time flat you'll be an old hand at the whole thing.

Tom, W2NJS
Washington DC

[K2SDD]

Dear Matt:
I am not going to recommend a rig. Instead I would like to give you a little warning advice. Do NOT but a used piece of junk. Speaking from experience with my students and my own children, a used dud can cause you so much dissapointment that it can turn you off of ham radio forever. I would not want that to happen to you. If you cannot afford to buy a good rig, wait a while and save a little more money until you can buy the radio that you really want. There are thousands of great used radios out there in hamfest flea markets just waiting to be descovered but before you buy ask a friend for advice, or at least an experenced passerby. Or buy a nice, fresh, new-in-the-box radio. Most hams only use a small fraction of the fancy features that modern radios have to offer so if you are new to the hobby, do yourself a favor and keep it simple. But if you still find that you need to ask a friend to program your radio for you, DO NOT BE EMBARESSED!! I cannot count how many radios that I have programmed for other people and many of them have been hams for over twenty years. And (sshhhh) I never tell. I hope I have helped you. 73 de Mike, K2SDD

[VA7KKW]

Hello i myself am new to this as well i wrote my basic last week and passed with a 70% mark Few!! then i bought a ic2100h mobile radio for 284.00 Canadian funds and was told about the IRLP network www.irlp.net.
I am a long distance truck driver that runs between my home here in vancouver Bc canada and service the usa and all of canada.The irlp will enable me to contact my fellow ham freinds here in bc as well as my wife that is also a newbie to this Hobby.I am amazed with the irlp network i can say the 2 meter rig i bought is a Great radio at the price i had paid if you are considering a 2 meter rig you might want to give this a look or the icv8 handled 2 meter rig is also a good buy at the price hope to here you on the 9200 refeltor one day take care and good luck
va7kkw
73

[M3EGU]

Hello, i tried searching through the forums, but i couldnt find much. I'm in the process of getting my ham license. I would like to know what you think the best mobile radio is. I'm not sure what to look for or even what specs i would need. I just want to know what you guys think would work for me. Thanks for any help you can provide!!!

-Mr.K
my call is m3egu my name is ron
when i first started out i had an icom ic 706 mk 1 its a good allround little radio
for hf and 2mtrs they can be found for between £250-£300 now,
but if you only want vhf&uhf to start with you could look at the kenwood tm-g707 they can be found for £120appx i have had both and found them to be
very good it depends on how much you have to spend...
if i can help you further please email me m3egu@hotmail.co.uk best of luck
ron

[KL7AJ]

Hello, i tried searching through the forums, but i couldnt find much. I'm in the process of getting my ham license. I would like to know what you think the best mobile radio is. I'm not sure what to look for or even what specs i would need. I just want to know what you guys think would work for me. Thanks for any help you can provide!!!

-Mr.K

My first rig was probably BIGGER than your car, so I can't really give you specific advice on mobile radios. However, I DO suggest that you hang out with some actual in-the-flesh hams and actually OPERATE a rig or two before deciding. Don't let the manufacturers decide what you want in a radio. You need to know what you want BEFORE you go looking.


As someone's great QRZ signature says....Amateur Radio is something you learn, not something you buy.


There are countless rigs available ANYWHERE that you can "test drive" for a while. Get a rig with features you FULLY understand, and will actually USE. This eliminates about 99% of the new equipment.


Eric

[KQ6Q]

Your local ham club will know what repeaters are active, and will be able to show you their mobile installations. As others have mentioned, you may want to get an HT first.
As for mobile installs, how new is your vehicle ? Do you have airbags? Do you even go into multi-level parking garages? You want an antenna you won't have to remove at inconvenient times. Get advice from a local club, see in person what others have done, let them look at your vehicle, consider your budget, and make recommendations.

to find a club, go to www.arrl.org , and click on 'Clubs' near the top left of the screen, and enter your zip code to find a local club with some 'Elmers' to help you get started.


Fred Wagner, KQ6Q

[KB2FCV]

Dear Matt:
I am not going to recommend a rig. Instead I would like to give you a little warning advice. Do NOT but a used piece of junk. Speaking from experience with my students and my own children, a used dud can cause you so much dissapointment that it can turn you off of ham radio forever. I would not want that to happen to you. If you cannot afford to buy a good rig, wait a while and save a little more money until you can buy the radio that you really want. There are thousands of great used radios out there in hamfest flea markets just waiting to be descovered but before you buy ask a friend for advice, or at least an experenced passerby. Or buy a nice, fresh, new-in-the-box radio. Most hams only use a small fraction of the fancy features that modern radios have to offer so if you are new to the hobby, do yourself a favor and keep it simple. But if you still find that you need to ask a friend to program your radio for you, DO NOT BE EMBARESSED!! I cannot count how many radios that I have programmed for other people and many of them have been hams for over twenty years. And (sshhhh) I never tell. I hope I have helped you. 73 de Mike, K2SDD

I agree on not buying a used Dud of a radio, but I'll say that there are plenty of good used rigs out on the market. I started out 20 years ago with used rigs, they all worked fine. One was sold to me by a club member, I was able to try it out a little while before I bought it. If you have a smaller budget (a 14 year old kid at the time - I had a very small budget!), you can find plenty of good used equipment. Of course, there is nothing wrong with starting out with a brand shiny new radio, either :D

[W6GQ]

I am hoping that after 6 years he has a license and a radio?

Wow, bringing up a thread from the archives :eek: