Just saying hi to all and looking to learn!

Have had an interest in ham radio for quite a while now but, never took the plunge. Will be studying and taking my Tech license on Jan. 27th, '20. Have absolutely no training but, looking to learn and get myself setup! Hope y'all have lots of patience. TW

These are the two, I'm thinking of starting with. Any thoughts or input appreciated.

https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-BF-F8HP-Two-Way-136-174MHz-400-520MHz/dp/B00MAULSOK?tag=seaslugteam0d-20


Yaesu FT-60R

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?c...2B4E19BB7371688B7F&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0[/URL]


I did watch a video where a guy did a wattage output test on both and the Baofeng did not produce the 8w it claims. The FT-60R was spot on for all three powers. L/M/H.

 

Welcome to QRZ.

Even if the Baofeng did 8 watts out, The battery would die in short order. It is a 5 Watt radio.

Good Luck on your test.

 

Welcome and good luck on the test!

In the long run you will be much happier with the FT-60R, or any top brand name radio, IMO.

QRZ is a good place to hang out with some very experienced people who have forgotten more about radio than most of us will ever know. (Word to the wise: as in the rest of life, ignore the occasional grumpy person here.)

 

I assume that you will be taking your test with a Volunteer Examiner team from a local club.

Join and tap into the experience and expertise of members of that club.

Hands-on, in-person help is far better than anything you'll get on-line.

 

Good luck on your test. I'm new also and just learning as well. I'm also learning QRZ and this is a great place to learn from all the experienced ham operators 88

 

As an old fogey, I depend on ham newbies to help me with computers. I get totally lost in networking issues.

 

Welcome to the hobby!

Between the two radios you have listed, the FT-60R is well above the Baofeng in terms of sturdiness, water resistance, and ease of programmability. They are in different leagues. The price also reflects that, and I believe the FT-60R is a better bargain, despite its higher price.

My only concern is that perhaps a handheld isn't the right place to start. True, many start with one, and it has the advantage that it's portable and there's no installation required. In some places, it can work well to get you onto a local repeater or three, and you can start contacting other hams. But in other places, it can be an exercise in frustration.

Do you know if your local area has active repeaters that can be worked from your home and/or the places you intend to be when you'll be using that radio?

Depending on your situation, a radio installed at home with a rooftop antenna and/or a radio installed in a vehicle (again, with a rooftop antenna) may be a better starting point. An HT (handheld radio) will reach virtually any repeater you can see, and it will reach some that are slightly beyond line-of-sight, but a 50-watt mobile radio with an effective but modest antenna will work much better over a much larger area.

I live in an area with many active repeaters, and most hams I know own one or more handheld radios. But for many of the hams I know, the handheld VHF/UHF is probably the least used radio they own.

There's no harm in starting with either of these radios, as long as your expectations are realistic. And to gain realistic expectations about what one of these radios will allow you to do in your area, you should speak to a few local hams.

And perhaps you should start considering and budgeting for a radio in the car and/or home.

 

Really appreciate the welcomes and wanted to say, I did get a radio. I ended up going with an Alinco DJ-VX50T for my first. Once I've got my license and some on the air time, I will start looking for a mobile/home unit. My living situation is a bit tricky! I live in a small trailer outside of Corvallis, OR. and have tall trees surrounding me. Going to be interesting on getting a signal out!

 

Trees aren't a big problem. They may attenuate a signal slightly, but usually not enough to matter so much, unless you're up in the GHz frequencies. Trees are great, because they offer a cheap opportunity to get antennas in the air. Throw a rope over a tree and hoist a coax-fed twinlead J-pole up in air and you'll be in good shape. On VHF/UHF, height makes might, and almost any antenna you can get up high will do better than virtually anything you put up at mere rooftop level or near the ground.

A trailer may present a problem, but only if you're wanting to use an HT indoors. Assuming the trailer's walls are some sort of metal, they will block signals quite effectively. An outdoor antenna is the solution.

Have fun!

 

Thank you much! Really appreciate all that insight and it really helps me a lot! Once I find an Elmer willing to help out, I'll have a good idea where to setup the antennae.