by Thomas (K4SWL) When I meet a newly minted amateur radio operator, I often start by telling them, “You couldn’t be entering our community at a better time!” And I really mean th…
Depends on what you want to do. UHF/VHF handheld radio can be had for 20-30, uSDX or QMX type small low power HF radio is closer to 100. You’ll also need battery, antennas (perhaps tuner) and something to put data in and out (headphones and microphone or cw key or audio interface to laptop) (no idea if it’s good but people use it)
@xSikes@fullsquare if you are technical minded you will probably love weak signal digital data modes. I’ve heard New Zealand FT8 with my HF antenna laying on the ground.
It’s up for you to decide. On U/VHF you can talk to other people directly (locally) like on HF. But you can also do things that HF can’t provide, or provides with limitations, like talk through repeater (uncommon on HF), or to ISS, or through satellites (HF bounces from ionosphere) or do longer distance communications from mountaintops, or do image transmission or packet radio (HF has less bandwidth). On receive only you can also download NOAA weather satellite images, or whatever else data are emitted by them. You can make your own repeater from two baofengs. HF gets affected by space weather, U/VHF is not, and we’re entering solar minimum. 6m will take you far further than 2m but it’s usually bundled with HF radios
On higher end there’s also moonbounce, but it’s not in the budget category
I wonder wants a good one around $100 to start off with?
Depends on what you want to do. UHF/VHF handheld radio can be had for 20-30, uSDX or QMX type small low power HF radio is closer to 100. You’ll also need battery, antennas (perhaps tuner) and something to put data in and out (headphones and microphone or cw key or audio interface to laptop) (no idea if it’s good but people use it)
What’s the most engaging? UHF is TV, right? Not sure what you can do much with that except watch I Love Lucy ha.
@xSikes @fullsquare my unsolicited advice to any ham-curious:
Budget $25 and an hour of your time. Buy a baofeng mini dual band 2m/440MHz (VHF/UHF) handheld on Amazon.
Go to Repeaterbook.com and learn to program in your local repeaters. Leave it on scan and listen for a few days but don’t ttansmit (w/o a license).
Go from there. If talking to Europe and beyond (HF) through a wire in a tree intrigues you, get licensed, join your local club, and off to the races…
@xSikes @fullsquare if you are technical minded you will probably love weak signal digital data modes. I’ve heard New Zealand FT8 with my HF antenna laying on the ground.
Radio is amazing
It’s up for you to decide. On U/VHF you can talk to other people directly (locally) like on HF. But you can also do things that HF can’t provide, or provides with limitations, like talk through repeater (uncommon on HF), or to ISS, or through satellites (HF bounces from ionosphere) or do longer distance communications from mountaintops, or do image transmission or packet radio (HF has less bandwidth). On receive only you can also download NOAA weather satellite images, or whatever else data are emitted by them. You can make your own repeater from two baofengs. HF gets affected by space weather, U/VHF is not, and we’re entering solar minimum. 6m will take you far further than 2m but it’s usually bundled with HF radios
On higher end there’s also moonbounce, but it’s not in the budget category
e: there’s 50 things you can do with SDR only (many on U/VHF) https://blinry.org/50-things-with-sdr/