What Should be your FIRST Ham Radio?

With some many radios out there it can be confusing which one to know what to purchase? IC-7300, IC-7100, FT-991A?

What do you need to get started? What do you recommend for the starting ham?

 

Mine was an Eico 723, upgraded to an Eico 720 then a Swan 500 and now a Yaesu 450-D. Not top of the line, but I like it and plan on adding an amp some day.

 

Well it depends on your license class and what you like to do.

The IC-7100 and the FT-991A are shack in the box type radios, so those two are probably good, but there are a lot of choices if you include used radios.

I would not recommend a QRP type radio as they can be disappointing to a new operator.

The FT-991A would be my top pick, unless you prefer only HF/50 mhz operation. Then I would choose an IC-7300.

If money is a concern, the IC-7100 is good.

(edit) Sorry, I guess that is not the answer you were looking for.

 

My first Radio purchased in the early 90's when I got general class was an Icom IC-751A. They were on closeout at that time. The 751A was an excellent radio. I still have a 751A, although not the original one that I purchased.

My first Novice rig in the 70's when I was in High school was an Elmac transmitter that my Uncle gave me, and a National NC190 receiver that I purchased through the newspaper classified adds.

 

I was licensed in 2012, and my first ham radio was a Rockmite. I don't claim it's the best first radio for everyone, but I have no regrets. I had the satisfaction of building it myself, it motivated me to learn code, and it wasn't much of an investment. I even managed to make a contact with it, though not for quite some time. There are many good hams who got their start with a crystal-controlled CW radio they assembled at home, I was just later than most of them.

My second radio was an FT-60, and it was the radio I made my first contact with.

There are many facets to this hobby, and no prescribed order for exploring them. Follow your interests.

 

As said above it depends on your license class and goals.

My particular journey started by getting my Tech in 2006. As this was before the code requirement was dropped, I expected to remain a Tech for a fairly long time, so I went looking for a radio that would fit into my active outdoor lifestyle and let me do the most things. I boiled it down to a Yaesu VX-7 HT and a Yaesu FT-817nd. I got the HT, but also ended up getting the 817 later once I upgraded to General a year and change later. I ignored the conventional wisdom of getting a mobile rig because I had no interest in repeaters, nor did I want to be tethered to my car for operation. Even today, I have one mobile rig and it's in my 4x4, not my daily driver.

I still have the VX-7 and enjoy experimenting with various antennas on the bands it supports. It's my mini "shack in a box".

Chris

 

I agree. As a QRP operator, it takes a certain bit of skill and patience that new operators might not be ready for. I'd say any 100W rig would be a good start to get them on the air, whether it be operating CW, phone, or digital.

 

I started out on QRP and still do most of my operating as a portable QRP Op. While I don't get as many contacts as I could at home in front of a QRO rig, I find the activity much more relaxing and rewarding. I just accept the fact and reduce my expectations.

Spending most of my ham "career" doing portable QRP made the leap to 100w operation at home trivial. I already knew how to get the most from my equipment.

That said, in my mind, QRP means portable, so if you're operating at home, there's no point in going QRP *unless* you can only have one rig and it must be portable.

Chris

 

Hey don't knock QRP - it's all I am allowed with my UK Foundation licence. Having said that my first rig was and is a Yaesu 450D which is dialled down to the 10 watts my licence allows . Very straightforward to learn the basics on I am getting good contacts on what can only be described as a poverty setup (in Ham terms). QRP operations forces you to learn to read the conditions to get through and to me is an essential part of the early learning curve all hams should go through. I really can't see myself upgrading my licence as I am having too much fun and will be long gone before the thrill of making QRP contacts diminishes. Each to their own though. 73.

 

I'm certainly not knocking QRP. I think too many people think it's difficult and people whose only interest in radio is farming contacts avoid it, but that doesn't mean it fails to work. You just have to adjust your expectations.

Chris

 

Let's piss some people off. Your first radio should be a Boafang. Mine was.

 

My first radio is on the avatar. It's a homebrew 10w 1.8-30 MHz transceiver designed by Ukrainian HAM from Kharkiv. Double conversion, two 10 element quarz filters 2.4 and 0.5 kHz, built in keyer and many more options. Everyone says it has great signal. Brand new it cost me $270. Additionally I have homebrew tube amplifier 100W. Nice kit for a start.

But I think that first antenna is maybe of more importace than first radio. Because all radios are sufficient and very much alike for basic operations but antennas are very different. Not each antenna can be installed in op's location, some need tuning. Bad antenna can spoil all pleasure. I know a ham from my country who can't hear on 80m anyone beyond 59+ although his transceiver is one of the best.

 

My first RF radio was a Heathkit SB-104 which i got from my father DK5TO it was his radio before... He is still alive and already 81 years old. My first VHF/UHF radio was a Standard C558
Still have both of them but not in use since years.
Started SWL at age of 7 or 8 using fathers equipment, later on with RTTY on professional news stations in former years they did mainly 50Baud. This was when i got a R392 with RTTY converter from GRC-19 at age of 12years, my father had the R390 Collins. My R392 is still alive and i switch it on from time to time. We had a teletype Siemens T100S which was in between 45,45Baud and 50Baud could copy both Amateur radio and commercial stations.

Now i normaly use an IC7300, sometimes a TS590SG and my FT991A for C4FM and GD77 and MD380 for DMR Brandmeister and standard FM Repeaters here in local range.
For beginners i would start with a VHF/UHF rig like GD77 to get also in DMR, favourite here in Germany. Than i would get a IC7300 or a FT991A as next rig.

73 de Chris

 

Whether it is ideal or not, the reality is that most new operators in the U.S. are technicians would will make their first contact with an HT on a repeater. The other reality is that most people entering amateur radio have become accustomed to inexpensive electronics, and the price of radios is often a bit shocking to them.

With these factors taken into consideration, I would suggest one of the following: the Icom IC-V86, the Kenwood TH-K20, or the Yaesu FT-65R.

In other countries which have much more logical power-restricted as opposed to band-restricted lower license teers, something like a Xeigu G90 would probably be the best low-cost option.

 

What are your goals, HF, VHF, UHF? Phone, CW or digital? What is your budget? Besides the radio, you need an antenna, a power supply, maybe a tuner and maybe a key of paddle, for CW, or a computer for digital modes. There is no perfect radio and there are quite a few that will work well for the new ham.

I got my license in late 2018 and after some research, I bought an Icom 7300. For the money it is a great radio for HF and SSB, CW, RTTY and digital modes. I have since acquired three QRP+ radios, a Mountaintopper MTR-5B, a Xiegu G90 and an Icom 705. I am a QRP aficionado, but I would not recommend starting out with QRP, although the Xiegu can work as your main radio for hams on a budget.

I looked at used gear and realized that I didn't know enough to evaluate the gear. Of course, you could seek advice from an experienced ham. Maybe someone will lend you a radio to use for awhile.