I am a new Ham with Technician license and would like to buy/obtain a used
2m or dual band handheld. I would like to get something to get my feet wet
in amateur radio, but not spend a small fortune.
Need some advice on what brand, model would be good. Is dual band a good
idea?
Where should I look for used equipment, what advice can you give in regards
to getting something used that works and not getting ripped off.


If I go for new, is there a good, better, best among brands
with corresponding jumps in prices? What should I look for in the way
of features, which are really needed vs. nice to have in a 6M/2M/70CM
?
Thanks
Pak

pak wrote:
I am a new Ham with Technician license and would like to buy/obtain a used
2m or dual band handheld. I would like to get something to get my feet wet
in amateur radio, but not spend a small fortune.
Need some advice on what brand, model would be good. Is dual band a good
idea?
Where should I look for used equipment, what advice can you give in regards
to getting something used that works and not getting ripped off.


If I go for new, is there a good, better, best among brands
with corresponding jumps in prices? What should I look for in the way
of features, which are really needed vs. nice to have in a 6M/2M/70CM
?
Thanks
Pak

Peronaly I tend towards the ends of the spectrum either realy basic or
high end

I like the alinco radio single bands fair good prices but with
intrustions manual that well amount a lie calling it instructions

Stay with 2m at first unless you are in Large city where 2m/70cm is a
good idea

recently aquired the Yeasu quad (the ones you mentioned plusweak
222mhz) band mostly becuase I like having lots of bands but i realy the
6m AM ability helped me be sure some thing wereworking on 6m SSB during
feild day

welcome aboard do look at the multi mode rigs like the Icom 706 (and
the other like it) SSB has better range when avalble, and with the new
changes an HF VHF UHF rig is well worth looking at if you can swing it

Hi Pak, congratulations in getting your ham ticket!!!
You don't have to spend a lot of money here.
You can pick up an older Alinco DJ-580T.
This is a dual band 2 meter / 440 Handi-Talkie.
You can find them at swap meets (hamfests), QTH.COM,
QRZ.COM and others. Even Ebay is a good source for radios.
If you go with ebay MAKE SURE the seller has good feedback!!!
Anyway. The DJ-580T is a great radio and you should be able to pick up
one in GOOD condition for around $75- $150 on the high side. Another
good HT is
a Yaesu FT-530. Both of these are good choices. The Alinco has louder
speaker audio
because it has a larger speaker, but both are fine. I have both here.
The main thing the Yaesu FT-530
has over the alinco is it can receive to frequencies on the SAME band (
VHF VHF/ UHF UHF/ VHF UHF)
while the Alinco is is strictly UHF and VHF at the same time.
If a "true" dual band is not required (and I mean by "true" is both at
the same time).
There are many radio's to choose from.
Check out the Yaesu FT-50 AND the new FT-60, other GREAT HT's. Speaker
audio
is loud as hell!!!! Blows the other two away in speaker loudness.
They are dual band, 2 meters / 440 but only one at a time. Both are
heavy duty
and are mil spec. You can get the new FT-60 for under $200 dollars.
Anyway, good luck in what ever you get!!
73


pak wrote:

I am a new Ham with Technician license and would like to buy/obtain a used
2m or dual band handheld. I would like to get something to get my feet wet
in amateur radio, but not spend a small fortune.
Need some advice on what brand, model would be good. Is dual band a good
idea?
Where should I look for used equipment, what advice can you give in regards
to getting something used that works and not getting ripped off.


If I go for new, is there a good, better, best among brands
with corresponding jumps in prices? What should I look for in the way
of features, which are really needed vs. nice to have in a 6M/2M/70CM
?
Thanks
Pak

Hi I have Yeasu Vx5 that does all as 6M/2M/70CM these are a great little
radio,and you can pick them up cheap

Geoff
Vk3vfl

"pak" wrote in message
...
I am a new Ham with Technician license and would like to buy/obtain a used
2m or dual band handheld. I would like to get something to get my feet wet
in amateur radio, but not spend a small fortune.
Need some advice on what brand, model would be good. Is dual band a good
idea?
Where should I look for used equipment, what advice can you give in
regards
to getting something used that works and not getting ripped off.


If I go for new, is there a good, better, best among brands
with corresponding jumps in prices? What should I look for in the way
of features, which are really needed vs. nice to have in a 6M/2M/70CM
?
Thanks
Pak

In article , pak wrote:
I am a new Ham with Technician license and would like to buy/obtain a used
2m or dual band handheld. I would like to get something to get my feet wet
in amateur radio, but not spend a small fortune.
Need some advice on what brand, model would be good. Is dual band a good
idea?
Where should I look for used equipment, what advice can you give in regards
to getting something used that works and not getting ripped off.

Before you buy anything, take advantage of the ham radio tradition
called "emlmering". In modern English outside of ham radio it's called
"mentoring", a word that did not exist when I got interested in radio.

I used to tell people to walk around their neighborhood and look for
antennas. If you see one, knock on the door and ask if a ham radio
operator lives there. Another tip off is a car license plate that
says "amateur radio" on it.

Since you have a computer, you don't even have to do that. Go to
a callsign lookup website, such as www.qrz.com and do a search on
your zip code. If you see hams near you, you can go knock on their
door, or just look them up in a phone directory and call them.

Since you met some hams at the testing session where you passed
your test (congats on that), you could ask them.

73,

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (077)-424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
VoN Skype: mendelsonfamily. Looking for work as a CTO or consultant in
handheld gaming, large systems development, handheld device construction, etc.
Support amateur (ham) radio, boycott Google!!!

Congratulations on obtaining your Tech license. I have had mine about 3
months. Before I made my purchase I went to http://www.eham.net/reviews
and read reviews on radios I was interested in purchasing. These
reviews are posted by HAMS who own the equipment you are interested in.
I found the information invaluable. After much research I ended up
buying a Yaesu (Vertex Standard) VX-150 2M HT from Ham Radio Outlet for
$119 and free shipping. Best of luck to you and enjoy your new hobby!

Kevin
KI4KFS
Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
In article , pak wrote:
I am a new Ham with Technician license and would like to buy/obtain a used
2m or dual band handheld. I would like to get something to get my feet wet
in amateur radio, but not spend a small fortune.
Need some advice on what brand, model would be good. Is dual band a good
idea?
Where should I look for used equipment, what advice can you give in regards
to getting something used that works and not getting ripped off.

Before you buy anything, take advantage of the ham radio tradition
called "emlmering". In modern English outside of ham radio it's called
"mentoring", a word that did not exist when I got interested in radio.

I used to tell people to walk around their neighborhood and look for
antennas. If you see one, knock on the door and ask if a ham radio
operator lives there. Another tip off is a car license plate that
says "amateur radio" on it.

Since you have a computer, you don't even have to do that. Go to
a callsign lookup website, such as www.qrz.com and do a search on
your zip code. If you see hams near you, you can go knock on their
door, or just look them up in a phone directory and call them.

Since you met some hams at the testing session where you passed
your test (congats on that), you could ask them.

73,

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (077)-424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
VoN Skype: mendelsonfamily. Looking for work as a CTO or consultant in
handheld gaming, large systems development, handheld device construction, etc.
Support amateur (ham) radio, boycott Google!!!

Congratulations on obtaining your Tech license. I have had mine about 3

months. Before I made my purchase I went to http://www.eham.net/reviews

and read reviews on radios I was interested in purchasing. These
reviews are posted by HAMS who own the equipment you are interested in.

I found the information invaluable. After much research I ended up
buying a Yaesu (Vertex Standard) VX-150 2M HT from Ham Radio Outlet for

$119 and free shipping. Best of luck to you and enjoy your new hobby!


Kevin
KI4KFS