Got any HAM radio people on here ?

[XP1K]

Inherited some radio equipment from my grandfather and now I'm looking into getting my license. One of the radios is an HF rig and the other is a two meter Kenwood TR7400-A.

Looking into the 2 meter got me looking at the ht's. Seems they would be handy for communication in a shtf scenario. But which ht to buy ? Leaning to the yaesu ft-60 or ft-70 at the moment. I like tte 60 for its ability to run on AA batteries. I'm not real crazy about the baofing. What is everybody else using ?

 

[...]

fuck baofeng.....they are cheap chinese shit.

Yeasu FT60 is bombproof and well worth the money....especially when you do a MARS mod ( google that), so you can talk on FRS/ GMRS channels.

 

[Herb Stoner]

FT-60 as well. I put a Diamond brand antenna on it and it works great for a HT.

Pass on the Baofung - you get what you pay for.

License is not hard at all. I passed just using an app on my phone for review - no book or courses. Passed the general a few weeks after using the same app for the general test. Books and a course will give you more knowledge though - I was just looking to pass as quick as possible.

 

[LeftyJason]

FT-60 as well. I put a Diamond brand antenna on it and it works great for a HT.

Pass on the Baofung - you get what you pay for.

License is not hard at all. I passed just using an app on my phone for review - no book or courses. Passed the general a few weeks after using the same app for the general test. Books and a course will give you more knowledge though - I was just looking to pass as quick as possible.

Which app? I've already got my general and want to get my extra so I can get the vanity call sign I want.

I've got an old icom t90a tribander. Works great but they discontinued it awhile ago. Agree to stay away from baofeng. My dad is involved with arrl in houston area and he has noticed problems with others that have them. I would stick with either Icom, Kenwood or Yaesu in no particular order.

 

[Sean the Nailer]

I've got Baofeng here, and I've also got Yeasu. I like them both, they both get out/recieve, and they each do their job.

Now, I am NOT a radio-ologist and there are MANY here that are more versed than I am. But, one needs a radio in order to USE a radio. Depending on what you want to do with it, and/or how you want to use it,,,, well... that decides what level of apparatus you need.

 

[Herb Stoner]

Which app? I've already got my general and want to get my extra so I can get the vanity call sign I want.

I've got an old icom t90a tribander. Works great but they discontinued it awhile ago. Agree to stay away from baofeng. My dad is involved with arrl in houston area and he has noticed problems with others that have them. I would stick with either Icom, Kenwood or Yaesu in no particular order.

The app was something generic like Amateur Radio Exam Prep - a guy named Maloney put it out.

 

[zeldaella]

I have Baofeng UV5RA. The reason why I purchased this radio is to have a means of communication to the outside world if there is ever any kind of major disaster. Our world is a scary place right now and you never know when we will lose satellites and cell phone towers. That's when you resort to Old Fashioned Ham radios.

 

[Alpine 338]

I bought the Yeasu FT-60. Two main reasons, the only HT you can still get with a manual squelch, and a AA battery pack option. I hate AAA batteries, as they are more expensive, and have less power.

 

[Frank Warren]

Another FT 60 vote

 

[XP1K]

Well it looks like my gut was right. FT 60 it is.

What about a decent antenna for the 2 meter Kenwood?

I've got the books from the arrl on their way. Going to study up for the technician and the general. Maybe kill two birds with one stone.

 

[Alpine 338]

If you don't want a permanently mounted outdoor antenna, a quick and easy antenna set up is get a magnetic mount base, and put a 5/8 wave element on it. Stick it on top of something like a old road sign, etc. for a ground plane. Works great. Then you have the option to move it to a vehicle, or use it outside.

Pictured is some testing using the magnetic mount on a shipping container, using my FT-60. Easily able to hit a repeater ~ 35-miles away, and have a QSO with radio set to medium power.

Note: don't have direct LOS with the repeater as there's a ridgeline between my location and the repeater. With any HT at full power (5W) with factory antenna, keying the repeater from this location is hit or miss.

 

[nn8734]

Inherited some radio equipment from my grandfather and now I'm looking into getting my license. One of the radios is an HF rig and the other is a two meter Kenwood TR7400-A.

Looking into the 2 meter got me looking at the ht's. Seems they would be handy for communication in a shtf scenario. But which ht to buy ? Leaning to the yaesu ft-60 or ft-70 at the moment. I like tte 60 for its ability to run on AA batteries. I'm not real crazy about the baofing. What is everybody else using ?

Check out the “Fieldcraft” sub forum, in particular @Gunfighter14e2 ‘s posts on the subject. I’m just learning Ham as well aNF been reading up whenever I have time. As others have said, I’d stay away from Baofeng.