HAM

[XxJDOGxX]

Hey guys wanting some advice on handheld HAM radios with pros and cons!

Just starting to get into it and I am having trouble finding a handheld that suits me.

Also side note does anyone know where I can get my HAM license? Been having trouble getting direction.

Thanks again guys really appreciate the support and assistance.

 

[RoarinRow]

I'll start off by saying I'm no expert. I just got my license earlier this year right when we were hit with COVID.

The first place almost everyone recommends is Ham Study . org - HamStudy.org: Cutting edge amateur radio study tools It's a great research for study aids. It gives you the question and answer as well as practice tests.
Since I was going for my Technician license I also picked up this digital book from Amazon. There's also plenty of Ham study videos on YouTube.


While all this was happening I picked up Baofeng Ham radio just so I can get familiar with the settings/options, etc. which help reinforced some things I read at Ham Study and also the digital book


After passing the Ham Study practice test with at least a 90% or more passing (several times. Each time you take the practice tests the questions are somewhat/are different since it takes the questions from a pool of 456 possible questions, even though you only answer 35 in the actual test). The digital book has the Ham questions and answers in a more logical sequence and grouping, as compared to randomized Q&A from the Ham Study site, then I felt confident to 'Find a Session' for online Ham exams that were offered at the time. The 'Find a Session' link is also on the Ham Study site, top right of page.

After passing the test and reading up more on Ham radios I picked up this unit - Yaesu FT3DR.

Welcome to Yaesu.com

If this wasn't enough, then of course I had to/wanted to get a radio for my rig. I ended up with the Kenwood TM-v71a.

The handheld recommendation decision, I have seen, mostly comes from what your riding group uses. I just decided to get the various types 'just in case' lol.

 

[Shokgoblr]

Hi, welcome, I am a new HAM so I am sure others will chime in with much better info...
I got my license through a local club. I studied myself on apps and with the ARRL tech book. I took my test after about a month, and was lucky enough my local club was offering outdoor testing in a parking lot. I reccomend a similar route. Go to the ARRL website and locate a club nearby that may be offering a testing date in your future.
As for handheld I have a baofeng because I am thrifty. It works quite well, but mine is technically illegal, so I dont use it often. I use a mobile radio at home and in my vehicle

 

[M Rose]

Hamstududyguide.org now has a list of testing sessions both in person and online. Some clubs (like mine) don’t advertise when they are conducting tests because A) too many people for the COVID restrictions, or B) because they test whenever someone is ready to test. In September we did 3 testing sessions. October we already have 1 testing date set up with another in the works for either late October or early November.

As for an HT: what are your needs? Personally I don’t like them, even though I own two. They are both Baofengs, 1 is the UV5R... it’s ok... and I have the GT-3P Mark III with larger battery. I have t had a chance to use the GT-3P much yet so can’t really give it a good or bad review. I do like it much better than the UV5R and the moment.

 

[760 Overland]

Hey guys wanting some advice on handheld HAM radios with pros and cons!

Just starting to get into it and I am having trouble finding a handheld that suits me.

Also side note does anyone know where I can get my HAM license? Been having trouble getting direction.

Thanks again guys really appreciate the support and assistance.

............ you can start here to find and register for the exam. I used the book from this website to study for it and passed it no problem. ARRL | Licensing, Education & Training | Getting on the Air

 

[XxJDOGxX]

............ you can start here to find and register for the exam. I used the book from this website to study for it and passed it no problem. ARRL | Licensing, Education & Training | Getting on the Air

thank you really appreciate the advice and help!

 

[Prerunner1982]

Handhelds can have their place, for me they are great for spotting, use around camp, or around the city when out in the yard or walking in the park and talking through the local repeater.
For mobile use, it's possible using an external antenna but it can become messy and clunky when you also connect a battery eliminator (wired to the vehicle) and a handmic and the coax for the external antenna and you end up with wires going in every direction.
Using just the handheld inside of a vehicle can cause less than stellar performance as well due to the signal bouncing around or being absorbed by things inside the vehicle.
A mobile radio is worth the extra money.

I do have a couple of Baofeng UV5Rs that have rolled around in my Jeep for many years and still work fine, minus a battery that no longer holds a charge. I would prefer to have a nice Icom, Kenwood, or Yaesu but I don't use them enough to worry about it at this point.

 

[smritte]

Handhelds can have their place, for me they are great for spotting, use around camp, or around the city when out in the yard or walking in the park and talking through the local repeater.
For mobile use, it's possible using an external antenna but it can become messy and clunky when you also connect a battery eliminator (wired to the vehicle) and a handmic and the coax for the external antenna and you end up with wires going in every direction.
Using just the handheld inside of a vehicle can cause less than stellar performance as well due to the signal bouncing around or being absorbed by things inside the vehicle.
A mobile radio is worth the extra money.

This ^^^^
I keep a handheld for the guy without a radio. Sometimes we can end up with half a mile between the front and rear vehicles (or more). Your hard pressed to talk that far without an external antenna.

 

[Anak]

Add one more vote for a mobile unit over a handheld.

I have a Yaesu handheld, but I hardly ever use it. The Kenwood mobile in my rig is far preferable.

As to what to get, one thing to consider is what others you are likely to travel with are also using. The advantage to be had there is technical experience when you need it. There have been a couple of times when I have managed to get radios into modes that I couldn't figure out how I even got into in the first place, let alone how to get out of. In one instance it was not until I got home that I was able to sit down and search out the issue. In the other instance someone else in the group was able to tell at a glance what was up and quickly switch things back to what was needed. The difference in the two cases was the fact that in the second case many members of the group were using the same radio, whereas in the first case no one else had such a radio.

 

[smritte]

There have been a couple of times when I have managed to get radios into modes that I couldn't figure out how I even got into in the first place, let alone how to get out of.

As much of a pain as it is, each vehicle has the radios manual in it just because of that.

 

[Sparksalot]

Handhelds can have their place, for me they are great for spotting, use around camp, or around the city when out in the yard or walking in the park and talking through the local repeater.
For mobile use, it's possible using an external antenna but it can become messy and clunky when you also connect a battery eliminator (wired to the vehicle) and a handmic and the coax for the external antenna and you end up with wires going in every direction.
Using just the handheld inside of a vehicle can cause less than stellar performance as well due to the signal bouncing around or being absorbed by things inside the vehicle.
A mobile radio is worth the extra money.

I do have a couple of Baofeng UV5Rs that have rolled around in my Jeep for many years and still work fine, minus a battery that no longer holds a charge. I would prefer to have a nice Icom, Kenwood, or Yaesu but I don't use them enough to worry about it at this point.

My own experience with handhelds as well. The older bricks were much easier to deal with than the current pocket radios.

once I installed a mobile radio, I never even thought about a handheld again, unless I was in a rental car.