|
New to Ham Radio?
My Profile
Community
Articles
Forums
News
Reviews
Friends Remembered
Speak Out
Strays
Survey Question
Operating
Contesting
DX Cluster Spots
Propagation
Resources
Calendar
Classifieds
Ham Exams
Ham Links
List Archives
News Articles
Product Reviews
QSL Managers
Site Info
eHam Help (FAQ)
Support the site
The eHam Team
Advertising Info
Vision Statement
About eHam.net
|
|
1-10 of 16 messages
|
Page 1 of 2
Next
|
|
Pls help with some general beginner questions.
|
Reply
|
|
by NORTHCOUNTRY on February 21, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
I am taking my tech test this month and will be taking a General Class over the next couple months.
There is such a myrid of radios and frequencies to chose from I am confused and perplexed as to which way to go.
I really don't have an agenda... HF, 2m, OSCAR, etc. etc.. Rather I am just like to make a couple dx contacts, some new friends and volunteer at some events.
My question is what should I get for a radio?
Being on a very very limited budget how do I go about getting a first radio?
How much do I need to spend?
As a fall back position I may just volunteer at some events where there are other hams that I can help, that way I can get my feet wet.
Any Advice?
|
| |
|
RE: Pls help with some general beginner questions.
|
Reply
|
|
by NN2X on February 21, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Congrads for getting into HAM radio! I think the best advice I can give you, is a Kenwood 830s, or similar radio.
The cost should be around $250 to $350. (Of course this is used equipment)
Once you get on the air, you will see what direction you wish to go, SSB, CW, which then dictate the radio.
Hope to hear you on the air!
NN2X
|
| |
|
RE: Pls help with some general beginner questions.
|
Reply
|
|
by W3JJH on February 21, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
You have a good idea about volunteering and learning the ropes by watching other hams. Look for one or two of them who can be your local Elmer(s). Talk to the hams in your area and find out what's going on that is of interest to you. Join a local club.
As to what radio to get ... That depends on what you want to do. Good 2m HTs can be found at hamfests for 25 to 50 bucks. Twice that will buy a decent used 2m mobile rig that can be mated with a power supply and used as a first home rig.
You'll have a lot of advice suggesting that you buy one of the DC-to-daylight (160m-to-70cm) rigs. I wouldn't if I were you. If you're interested in weak signal VHF/UHF work, most of these rigs have so many design compromises that keep them from being top performers. One exception is the Yaesu FT-847. There are a few others.
If you want to get on HF, you can get an excellent HF-only or HF-plus-6m rig for the same money as a mediocre dc-to-daylight rig. I recommend the TenTec Argonaut V or Jupiter for a new rig. If you are interested in a used radio, take a look a Kenwood TS-850SAT or a TS-570S(G) or an original recipe Icom IC-756. However, the best used radio you can by is one you get from a local ham--after you've seen it working in his shack--who is willing to help you get started using it.
Pay particular attention to getting your antennas set up properly. A great radio connected to a lousy antenna makes a lousy radio station. A modest radio used with a good antenna can easily work the world.
I look forward to meetng you on the air.
|
| |
|
RE: Pls help with some general beginner questions.
|
Reply
|
|
by WB2WIK on February 21, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Take the tests, get your license, preferably your General (which requires only 5 wpm code testing, pretty easy stuff) and then worry about this.
Join local clubs and meet other hams. Possibly somebody will give you an entire station he's not using, this stuff happens. I give away my older gear all the time, but only to someone who already has his ticket, not a "prospective" ham. Then I help him or her put up antennas that work, because a million dollars worth of radio equipment is useless without proper antennas. Antennas do *all* the work, the "radio" is just an accessory.
Good luck!
WB2WIK/6
|
| |
|
RE: Pls help with some general beginner questions.
|
Reply
|
|
by HA5RXZ on February 21, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
OK, first things first, welcome to ham radio <g>.
The best way to decide what rig you want is to compare a load of them side by side. A local ham radio dealer would be the first port of call here but you will also find that most hams will welcome you into their shack and show you their gear. I prefer Icom and Tentec, but others will swear by Kenwood and Yaesu, it's all a matter of personal choice.
It might be an idea not to spend a large amount of cash on that first rig. Do you REALLY need an IC-7800 or FTdx-9000?
HA5RXZ
|
| |
|
RE: Pls help with some general beginner questions.
|
Reply
|
|
by WILLY on February 21, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
by NORTHCOUNTRY on February 21, 2006
"I am taking my tech test this month and will be taking a General Class over the next couple months. "
Excellent.
While you are in the study mode, stay in it - until you at least earn your General Class license.
"- - -
Rather I am just like to make a couple dx contacts,
"
From a newcomer, this implies the HF bands. Stick with the study now, and get your General Class license as soon as you can It allows you to use the HF bands.
"some new friends and volunteer at some events. "
Dig around and find some hams that are local to you. Meet them and get to know them. Clubs are good for this. The benefits of knowing local hams are immense.
Most are enthused and proud of their equipment - talking about it comes naturally. Just from this exposure, you might learn what you need - to decide what you want to obtain for your own shack. A few might even invite you to visit and see their rigs.
Check this site:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/club/clubsearch.phtml
Perhaps you can find a club close to you.
"My question is what should I get for a radio?
Being on a very very limited budget how do I go about getting a first radio? "
Spend your time and effort right now on getting to at least the General Class license. Tempting as it may be to dream about, worry about the equipment later.
Whatever other time you have to devote to it, try to meet some other hams. You might meet one that is willing to help you get your first radio - as a matter of fact, this is not unusual at all. If you get really, really, really lucky - you might get a loaner for a short while.
What you can dream about now, that will be much more important than the rig you buy, will be the antenna(s).
Learn all you can about them.
Go outdoors and look around. Think up possibilities.
If you've met other local hams, get advice from a ham that can come and visit your location and look at it with you.
"The Best" HF antennas and their supports can cost large amounts of money. You don't need them to have a lot of fun and work a lot of DX.
Good, workable HF antennas can be made from wire. A lot of junk can be made from wire too. :) That's why you need to read, learn, dream, experiment and get advice on antennas and feedlines. Much more important to your fun factor than the rig.
You might like to spend some time looking through the forums here, at previous posts. Lots of discussion on antenna systems. It might give you some ideas.
Welcome.
|
| |
|
RE: Pls help with some general beginner questions.
|
Reply
|
|
by N6AJR on February 21, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
I usually reccommend something like a ft 847, which has 2meter, 440 mhz and 6 meter which you cna use as a tech, and also 160 to 10 meters you can use when you up grade. it is brand new $689. you will need a 13.8 volt power source at about 20 amps, ( reccommend a power supply)
this als does ssb, cw fsk, rtty pak31 and all the other modes, about twice as much as a 3 band HT but give you all mode all band ability.
next go to arrl.org and click on exams, then type in your zip code. this will bring you up a list of local testing sites, each one has a contact person and phone number. most of these are sponsered by a radio club. talk to them, go to a club meeting or two and find one you like. lots of ways to meet local hams.
also you might be able to pick up a loaner rig or buy something cheep. I have given away radios to new hams in the past.. so there are opitons.
Any how, good luck and welcome to the obsession, oops I mean hobby..
tom N6AJR
|
| |
|
RE: Pls help with some general beginner questions.
|
Reply
|
|
by N6AJR on February 21, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
|
make that an ft 857.. the 847 is also a good rig but around 1200 bucks, typoed there meant ft 857 d..
|
| |
|
RE: Pls help with some general beginner questions.
|
Reply
|
|
by KA3RFE on February 21, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Since you plan to upgrade to general, it may be wise to get one of the HF, VHF/UHF as a first radio. You've been suggested on several rigs so far and you're going to have to do a lot of thinking before you buy the raido.
I lean towards the position that HF plus the other bands as a first radio. You'd be civered on every band and mode commonly used, and can use the radio on whatever bands your licens allows. You be able in a weeks's time to get on the air after passing the tests.
I favor Yaesu radios. Not for any particular reason, I just do. There are several allband allmode models under this catagory. FT-100D mobile, FT-857D mobil, FT-897D portable/base. FT-847D base. There are others, but the listed ones I am familar with. They are all multiband multimode rigs.
You can always start out with a handheld FM radio much cheaper but you would get very limited range and limited bands/modes with it.
Using any of those radio inside a house will require that you have a power supply of suffient capacity to power the raido on transmit. That is another $200-300.
Good luck!
|
| |
|
RE: Pls help with some general beginner questions.
|
Reply
|
|
by KA2JIZ on February 23, 2006
|
Mail this to a friend!
|
Hello "northcountry"... northern NYS? I would recommend an older Kenwood TS520 or TS530, if you can buy one from a local ham and see it in operation. Or, from a reputable dealer with some sort of used-equipment warranty. I, fairly recently, purchased a full Kenwood TS-520 station from HRO at a reasonable used price. I think you may like the idea of having individually marked controls instead of a menu driven system, at least to start out with. Something you can get your hands on with the ability to read the function of each knob and switch on the plate. Gives you an idea of what the current crop of tranceivers are doing, automatically. Education factor here.
I do have this love affair for the older rigs so am a little "blinded" in my views. Don't necessarily see all the warts.
Good luck with your exams at whatever level. Hope you will enjoy cw.
|
| |
|
Email Subscription
You are not subscribed to this topic.
Subscribe!
My Subscriptions
Subscriptions Help
Check our help page for help using
Forum, or send questions, comments, or suggestions to the
Forum Manager.
|
|
|
