Pathfinder I
I have used cb radios since I was a teen. I have read reports and watched videos and now I have data coming out of my ears. Hand held or hard mount in my 03 tj, mid range in price is ok, not pinching pennies.
Where to start with ham?
- Thread starter Horse Soldier
- Start date
rsweet
Rank V
Member III
- 2,298
- First Name
- Robert
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- Sweet
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17264
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- KN6IHR
I have an Icom 4100 mounted in my Tacoma. Its D-Star. It’s a good game unit but I’ve got some issues with it. The D Star hasn’t lived up to my expectations. The head unit doesn’t have a spot to connect a mic so you pretty much have to have an extension from the body. It’s also not dual band. Other than that, it’s been good. It’s easy to use and configure. 
Advocate I
Just start studying for your technicians ticket.... That’s the place to start.... you will figure out where you want to take this, once you get the experience/info, that preparing for the test will give you.
One fast growing segment is DMR... it won’t do a thing for you in the field, but it will help you to feel more comfortable talking to folks using the Ham “code words” and it will open the door to other things like 2M repeaters and HF...
Best of luck!
Member III
Hopefully this thread will help you get headed in the right direction of getting your license: How to get your Amateur (ham) radio license.
As far as radios go, a mobile radio would be best for mobile, convoy, back country communication. A handheld radio is good when on foot, hiking, spotting, or hitting the local repeater in town. Nice to have both. A far as mid range price goes that would likely be a dual band radio.... depending on what your idea of mid range price is. A dual band is nice due to the additional capabilities of also having 70cm, being able to monitor multiple frequencies, and they normally come with a detached control head making it easier to mount. You would likely get by fine with a 2m only radio which can be had very reasonably. That was my original plan until I found out that there is a large linked repeater system covering about half the state on 70cm. If you wanted to step up a little more you can also get a dual band radio with APRS built in, but those radios are at the top end as far as price for vhf/uhf radios go.
Now if you wanted to go one step further you could get your general license and using HF you could talk around the world, but that is typically done by those that want to take their radio use a little further into the hobby side of it and not just the utility side of it.
How far you go is up to you but there are many aspects of ham radio; analog voice, digital voice, data, morse code, slow scan tv, satellites, moon bounce, QRP, mountain tops, contest, etc....etc....etc..
If you'll have any other questions, post them up. Good group of people here that would be more than happy to help you out.
As far as radios go, a mobile radio would be best for mobile, convoy, back country communication. A handheld radio is good when on foot, hiking, spotting, or hitting the local repeater in town. Nice to have both. A far as mid range price goes that would likely be a dual band radio.... depending on what your idea of mid range price is. A dual band is nice due to the additional capabilities of also having 70cm, being able to monitor multiple frequencies, and they normally come with a detached control head making it easier to mount. You would likely get by fine with a 2m only radio which can be had very reasonably. That was my original plan until I found out that there is a large linked repeater system covering about half the state on 70cm. If you wanted to step up a little more you can also get a dual band radio with APRS built in, but those radios are at the top end as far as price for vhf/uhf radios go.
Now if you wanted to go one step further you could get your general license and using HF you could talk around the world, but that is typically done by those that want to take their radio use a little further into the hobby side of it and not just the utility side of it.
How far you go is up to you but there are many aspects of ham radio; analog voice, digital voice, data, morse code, slow scan tv, satellites, moon bounce, QRP, mountain tops, contest, etc....etc....etc..
If you'll have any other questions, post them up. Good group of people here that would be more than happy to help you out.
madcratebuilder
Rank V
Pathfinder I
I started out with a BaoFeng BF-F8HP with a upgraded antenna. I found about half the folks I met wheeling used CB, I just added a portable CB to my radio case.
Pathfinder I
I am still learning about ham radios but my idea of mid range is starting at and eotech and up to a trigicon acog, I now rifles and optics. Thank you for your help.
Member III
To me...... a mid-range mobile ham radio for a technician licensee would be something like the Kenwood TM-V71A, Icom ID-4100A, Yaesu FT-8900R.... ($280-$320).
Entry level 2m only radios range from about $120-$150 from the big 3 (Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu).
The higher end radios (Icom ID-5100A Deluxe, Yaesu FTM-400XDR, Kenwood TM-D710G) run about $350-$500.
If you want to get into HF, mobile radios run about $600-$1000, depending on what features you want.
You can certainly find used gear and/or Chinese radios for cheaper...
However if you are use to rifles and optics, ham radio may be a cheaper hobby for you.
Member III
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- First Name
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- Downs
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Plenty of used gear flying around out there no need to buy new unless you just want to. It'll save you a ton of money. A mobile will very much outperform a handheld in early every circumstance but being on foot obviously. You should have a handheld anyway even if you do go with a mobile for reasons mentioned earlier in this thread. I've got Motorola and Yeasu mobiles and handhelds and I've got no issues with using a Chinese radio. The mobile I had in my Jeep last was a BTECH UV50X2 that performed and still performs well. I swaped it with a commercial spec Motorola UHF mobile but would have no issues swapping the BTECH back in for whatever reason.
As for CB, there's no reason you can't put a CB in and have a HAM and a CB radio. My last 2 Jeeps have been setup with both. If the people you run with all have CB unless you can get them to move to GMRS or HAM there's no reason to run anything but a CB because the best most high speed radio in the world doesn't do anygood if you can't communicate with the folks you run with.
As for CB, there's no reason you can't put a CB in and have a HAM and a CB radio. My last 2 Jeeps have been setup with both. If the people you run with all have CB unless you can get them to move to GMRS or HAM there's no reason to run anything but a CB because the best most high speed radio in the world doesn't do anygood if you can't communicate with the folks you run with.
Pathfinder I
You are probably right about costing less, I have 2 rifles on the build table right now and the 1 in 6.5 creedmoor that will be reaching out to 1600 yards and the other will be a 308 juggernaut for cqb with a 12 inch barrel sbr. Thank you for your help and advice.To me...... a mid-range mobile ham radio for a technician licensee would be something like the Kenwood TM-V71A, Icom ID-4100A, Yaesu FT-8900R.... ($280-$320).
Entry level 2m only radios range from about $120-$150 from the big 3 (Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu).
The higher end radios (Icom ID-5100A Deluxe, Yaesu FTM-400XDR, Kenwood TM-D710G) run about $350-$500.
If you want to get into HF, mobile radios run about $600-$1000, depending on what features you want.
You can certainly find used gear and/or Chinese radios for cheaper...
However if you are use to rifles and optics, ham radio may be a cheaper hobby for you.
Enthusiast I
Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Rose
- Member #
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20990
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- W7FSB
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Where is a good source to look for used gear? I have been looking on my semi local Craigslist and not finding much.
Member III
- 2,827
- First Name
- Joshua
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- Downs
- Member #
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20468
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KK6RBI / WQYH678
- Service Branch
- USMC 03-16, FIRE/EMS
I've had decent luck on Facebook market place, HAM radio forums and ebay. Ebay has been the most fruitful when looking for surplus commercial gear. I just picked up a NIB BTECH GMRSV1 off of the MYGRMS forums for 20 dollars. I got a Motorola HT1000 off of facebook marketplace a little before that for 40 with antenna and battery. Ham Radio Outlet has a section of Used, opened, discontinued and consignment items you can usually get a decent deal on.
