Topic: Recommendations for Entry Level Ham Radio?

[Oz]

And everything else I would need (antennas? mountings? cabling?). Looking for something not too terribly expensive. I would like to graduate from the CB.

Also, and I know this has been posted; what kind of entry level license I would need and a source of instruction/testing.

Many thanks in advance!

[Paul]

You ought to try for the technician's license ($15/five years) which will give you access to all the "best" bands. The tech level is the entry level and gets you the most bang for your buck. Above that is the General license which is much more technical and gets you HF bands for cross-country and around the world communications. The Amateur Extra band gets you access to everything - that's very technical and the one I hold.

The two biggest/most popular bands you get with the tech license are 2M (two meter) and 440 Mhz (70 centimeter). On the trail we use 2M to chat back-n-forth. Bobby and I have talked 15-20 miles apart when the terrain participates.

A new two meter radio is about $140-$170, used about half that price. Look for a 50-65 watt radio from the big three: Yaesu, Kenwood, and Icom. I'm a Yaesu guy and have an FT-2900R ($155) at the house and FT-8800R ($420) in the truck .

Next you'll need an antenna mount. I tried a couple three or four and ended up with the hatch mount made by Diamond called a K400 ($75). There are three types of antenna mounts: NMO (New Motorola), UFH (SO-239) and 3/8" screw. Of the three I use the NMO and the UHF is likely the most popular. The 3/8" screw mount isn't very common (like it is in CB). Most mounts will come with a cable.

Finally you'll need an antenna. I have several with short stubbies for around town and in the trees and big tall ones (with more gain) for the desert. I keep a spare under the rear seats, and the biggest one velcro'ed to my roof rack. I run Comet antennas and have the SSB-7 ($80) and the SSB-3 ($38).

My favorite shopping site is www.universal-radio.com

[Paul]

My head-end.

Recommendations for Entry Level Ham Radio?

The "brains" under the passenger's seat.

Recommendations for Entry Level Ham Radio?

Recommendations for Entry Level Ham Radio?

And the mount.

Recommendations for Entry Level Ham Radio?

The rest of the interior.

Recommendations for Entry Level Ham Radio?

[Bobby B.]

I, too, prefer the Yaesu radios, though the others are fine too.

I have a 2800 (older version of Paul's) that because it's a single band (2m) it's higher power at 65 watts.  Most multi-band radios are 50 watts.  You
can add amps to boost power, but that's not really relevant here.  FYI figure roughly 1 watt per mile line of sight.  I use a Larsen whip antenna, which is super flexible and just bomber when it comes to hitting stuff wheeling.  It's also cheap, a kit w/coax, coil and antenna is only around $30.

I have a multi band handheld too, but a handheld is not a good standalone first radio.  It's a common "mistake" many new hams make; a mobile radio in the car gives you range and versatility that the handheld won't but it's good to have both.  I also can hook the handheld into a roof mounted antenna; the gain gives much more range.

If you want to check out and try my trucks radio(s), you're more than welcome too.

[dhsundance]

And everything else I would need (antennas? mountings? cabling?). Looking for something not too terribly expensive. I would like to graduate from the CB.

Also, and I know this has been posted; what kind of entry level license I would need and a source of instruction/testing.

Many thanks in advance!

After I took my tech exam the instructors gave us all disks which had all of the questions in the tech exam pool. I'd send it to you, but I believe my newbie status doesn't allow me email priveleges. By the way, I heard that the questions pool is supposed to change after this July.


To study for my test I used the Hamvention Podcast with John and Mike. I got their podcast through Itunes. It's free and they are a fun pair to listen to.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ham-radio-podclass/id83112453

[Oz]

Recommendations for Entry Level Ham Radio?

Hilarious Paul!

Thanks guys - plenty of info to get me started. I'll have to wait for some extra coin to get a radio - but at least for now I can start on the studying/tests

Many thanks!

[guywithpups]

I went with the Kenwood TM-V71A myself, because the faceplate buttons were backlit and I found it easier to change settings without the software.  It's not entry level though, mine has two independent radios.  Came in handy when I got sucked into playing APRS by one of my Tacoma buddies, as that uses one radio just for the data.  For entry level though, I'd second Paul's recommendation of the Yaesu 2900.

Radio aside, my radio body is mounted in almost the exact same spot as Paul's, under the passenger seat behind the RF amp.  I did cut out a bit of the sound dampening material to make it easier to mount.  My faceplate is mounted above the rearview mirror -- I didn't like having to take my eyes off the road when it was down under the 4wd selector.

For a mount, I used a NMO hatch mount, on the drivers side of the rear lift gate.  I can't remember if that was the same Diamond one as Paul mentions, or if it was a Comet.  For antennas, I have two, a Comet SSB-1 rubber duck that I kept on all the time before I lifted the truck, as it allowed me to drive in the garage without removing the antenna.  My second antenna is a Diamond NR770HB 1/5 wave foldover that I like using when I'm on the trail.  Both are great antennas that I would buy again in a heartbeat...my SSB-1 may be small, but I was able to listen to the Keller Peak repeater (near Arrowbear) one night all the way down to about where the 261 and 241 split off from each other on the way to OC -- that's like 50 miles!

I have a write-up of my install on TheNewX, but I'm also not far from you Oz if you needed any help or wanted to see how I set everything up.

I like to shop online at Universal Radio, but when I need to actually look at something, I head down to HRO in Anaheim.  Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time though, cause those HRO guys will talk your ear off -- in a nice, friendly way. :-)

[Bobby B.]

Recommendations for Entry Level Ham Radio?

Paul, I thought you got a new radio since that pic was taken?

[Paul]

www.aa9pw.com

Click the box on the left-hand side to select the test you want to take. Once you get 85-90% it's time to risk the $15.

[SuperSlideStyle]

Are there any other web sites that have useful info for installing a ham in a vehicle?  I bought the book Dummys Guide to Ham Radios but it seems to cover mostly setups for home and such.  Not much on  vehicle setups so far although i'm still in the beggining chapters.

[guywithpups]

There's not much to installing a ham radio that's different than a CB really, other than the specific technology.  It's still basically a matter of supplying power and ground to the radio, and routing the coax from your mount back to the radio.  Just like a CB, the better your ground plane for the antenna, generally the better the reception.

[Paul]

There's not much to installing a ham radio that's different than a CB really, other than the specific technology.  It's still basically a matter of supplying power and ground to the radio, and routing the coax from your mount back to the radio.  Just like a CB, the better your ground plane for the antenna, generally the better the reception.

True.

A VERY common misconception is confusing the electrical ground (the return for the load on your final's amplifier transistor) with the reflective surface that the RF energy needs to use for "launch". There are two parts to most antenna designs - the metal radiator and the ground plane. In a vehicle you can get a good electrical ground but you only have the size and shape of the vehicle and you're done for the RF ground plane. The near field reflection surface of the truck vary greatly on the frequency of the transmitter being pretty good for UFH, bad for VHF, and terrible for HF.

I made this up for a class I was teaching based on some Motorola research I had found.

Recommendations for Entry Level Ham Radio?

[Bobby B.]

To paraphrase Paul in support of all of this highly technical knowledge...

I just threw mine up there, powered it and it works.

 

[SuperSlideStyle]

Yeah, i like the simple laymans terms too.  But what about some of the web sites?

[Ghost65]

Yeah, i like the simple laymans terms too.  But what about some of the web sites?

This seemed pretty specific to mobile installs/antennas/etc.  

http://www.k0bg.com/

However, I believe Paul is THE guru when it comes to electronics/installs and all things ohm-related.  

Oz - one recommendation I would make based upon two years of off roading with a hatch mounted antenna.  The antenna was VERY susceptible to trees/branches while off roading, and knocked my antenna around until it stripped the mount.  I had ORW weld antenna tabs onto my rear tire carrier, which is not perfect for transmission/reception like the higher mount, but I got tired of stopping to fix my antenna.  Just a thought though and really happy to see you looking into the HAM radio, you won't regret it!