Hiking to a summit and hearing "there's a lot of stations calling you that you should be hearing", is the moment you realize the limits of a cheap radio! (-:
I recommend starting your ham radio journey with a cheap VHF/UHF radio to get started (ex. Baofeng, TIDRADIO, Quansheng, TYT, etc) to learn about frequencies, programming radios, etc.! That's how I started my journey into ham radio as well, and they work great for what they are!
For my first Summits on the Air (SOTA) activation I tried to make contacts with other people using my Baofeng radio. Someone told me I wasn't hearing stations that I should be. In other words, the cheaper radio wasn't able to hear stations which frustrated me, along with those trying to contact me. )-:
I loved the first SOTA activation experience and glad I made at least 4 contacts, but immediately bought a lower priced Yaesu quality radio (FT-70) and it heard dramatically better for my second activation. Driving home from work, I chatted with a local new ham who activated his first SOTA summit and had the same experience. It reminded me of the first thing I learned about SOTA...which is the importance of your radio's ability to hear other stations. I've had other experiences which confirmed the same learning, and wanted to share in this quick video.
Please let me know in comments about your experiences, and radios you recommend that you would recommend for either new ham starting out ("cheap" radio) or SOTA recommended radios. I did leave the Yaesu 65 off my recommended list for now. I've heard the filtering is a bit better, but not sure about how well it hears (ex. compared to my lowest recommended Icom V86 option)?
Keep Learning & Exploring! 73, James WA7JNJ
Below are Amazon links for the 3 radios I mention upgrading to...there are more expensive options, but these are the lowest cost SOTA radios I'd recommend (especially if you are relying on 2m contacts). Note - you will likely get a lower price from Ham Radio Outlet, DX Engineering, R & L Electronics, Gigaparts, etc.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Icom IC-V86 VHF 2M (144-148 MHz) FM Portable HT Handheld Amateur Radio
amzn.to/4clHbjd
Yaesu FT-70DR
amzn.to/3KH4UyH
Yaesu FT-60R DualBand Handheld 5W VHF/UHF Amateur Radio Transceiver
amzn.to/3XmgRBn
Below are cheaper radio options if you are just learning about ham radio! (Amazon is the best option for purchasing these) There are so many options to consider, and would love to hear what you would recommend for a cheap entry level radio.
TIDRADIO TD-H3 Ham Radio
amzn.to/3Xha1x7
Baofeng UV-5R Upgrade Ham Radio UV-21R
amzn.to/4b3C8TM
Quansheng UV-K5 Walkie Talkie Dual Band 5W Rechargeable Two Way Radio
amzn.to/3Xlee2G
Interested in learning about Meshtastic? Please check out a recent video on the channel where I give a presentation explaining what it is, devices, antennas, what I've learned, etc.
I've purchased most of my devices and parts from Rokland, and have been very impressed. If you'd like to support the channel, please check out the affiliate link below. Thank you!
store.rokland.com/?ref=WA7JNJ...
Below are links to the current devices I've purchased and am using...
RAKwireless WisBlock Meshtastic Starter Kit US915
store.rokland.com/products/ra...
LILYGO® T-Beam SUPREME (M) ESP32-S3
store.rokland.com/collections...
Heltec WiFi LoRa 32(V3)
store.rokland.com/collections...
Looking for an all in one option! Similar to one I built, but has GPS, screen, and on/off switch! (-:
store.rokland.com/products/wi...
Best place to go for information! About, Devices, How to Setup, and more!
meshtastic.org/
Негізгі бет Ойын-сауық Baofeng...that moment you realize it's time to upgrade!
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