How to get started

[Codejockey]

Hello,

I'm new to Amateur radio, but I've been wanting to get into it for sometime now. I'm basically looking to do a mobile installation in my Jeep. I will be taking my Technician test in August, and I'm looking for advice on what types of radio would be good for me to get my feet wet. I don't want to spend a bunch of money yet until I know what I'd like. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[W5LZ]

Good luck with it, I think you'll enjoy it, I have. (The radio part, not the jeep thingy.)
Most ham radios aren't the simplest thingys in the world any more. Usually have lots of menus to figure out, etc (has to do with small sizes of radios). So 'simple' is nice till you get your feet wet, sort of. And since you plan on using this when you're mobile, or moving, that 'simple' can make one @#$$ of a difference.
Nothing wrong with small radios, or handy-talkies, but since then are going to require some attention, sometimes they aren't the best "starter" radio you can have. Handy-talkies are especially not suited for a 'starter', they are very limited because of their antenna, just not a very huge 'range'. With VHF/UHF you are looking as sort of short range to start with, so why limit yourself even more with a handy-talky? Later, after you get your feet wet, and if you want one, have at it!
That "getting your feet wet" thingy is always going to be sort of expensive, sort of. Mainly because that's about the only way to get exposed to various radios and their "style" of doing things. If you can get some eye-ball, or hands-on experience with something before you buy it, it makes things much simpler/cheaper, you know? Good luck with that! Just wish there were a dealer closer than 200 miles from me, would have made things much easier.
I would also suggest NOT stopping with the Technician class of license! It limits you to VHF/UHF primarily, which ain't bad, but there's a huge number of other bands to play with too. It isn't that bad, just do it!
And the important part, have fun.
- 'Doc

"If you ain't got Kenwood, you got squat!"
"I Can Only Monitor, is better than nothing."
and...
"Who would want anyting with 'AES' in the middle of it?"
..... couldn't resist.

 

[Moleculo]

Hey, another Jeeper

I would definately try to upgrade to the General license as soon as you can, especially if you off road with that Jeep and go where there are no cell towers.

One of the biggest problem with a jeep install is that there is limited space for everything, so it sort-of works best if you can find one radio that can grow with you for a while. A popular 2 meter/440mhz/& HF mobile rig is the Yaesu FT-857D. The body is small and the face can also seperate so you can stash the main radio under the seat. You can find them used for $400-$500:

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5574759468&toolid=10001&campid=5336136228&customid=&icep_item=160350255717&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg

Another very popular radio is the Icom 706mkiiG. It's a little larger but also seperates.

If those are too pricey to start out with, look for a good 2m/440 mobile that will fit. You can always start with that and then upgrade later to an HF rig when you get your General license.

 

[Codejockey]

Thanks for the link. That is exactly what I'm looking for is communications for when I'm off-roading. I'm not always (and in fact, I'm usually not anywhere near cell towers). I was hoping to spend somewhere in the 500.00 range for my first radio (or less), so something like that ebay auction is definitely doable. Also, what should I look for in a used radio? Being new to the hobby, how do I know if I'm getting taken?

 

[WX2MIG]

That's the problem with buying off eBay Codejockey, you don't know if you are being taken. I have rolled the dice a couple of times and purchased equipment from eBay, and got lucky twice, screwed once. for the most part your best bet is spending the cash, going new, and getting a warrantee with it.

As for what to get....you can go one of two routes....start out simple with a good high power 2 meter like the Icom IC-2200H, or Yaesu FT-2800M, both go for just over a hundred bucks, plus the cost of an antenna. This obviously will limit you to just the 2 meter band, but you'll find the vast majority of VHF / UHF traffic will be on that band.
Or you can go the more expensive route like Mole suggested, and get an all band HF / VHF / UHF radio like the Yaesu, or the Icom IC-706MK. This will give you far more options, and several bands your Tech license won't allow you to Tx on, but they'll already be at hand when you upgrade to General.

Another thing you may want to investigate is how popular D-Star is in your area, D-Star is growing by leaps and bounds where I'am, and I've been recently bitten by the D-Star bug, and that has made both my IC-2200H in my shack, and FT-2800M that's in my Jeep Liberty obsolete. So now I'm trying to sell off a couple of relatively new radios so I can finance one D-Star dual band radio for the shack. Point is, when you start out simple, you'll soon find yourself wanting to upgrade your equipment....of course that can be a constant issue with amateur radio in general.....$$$$$$$$

 

[Codejockey]

At the risk of sounding stupid, what is d-star? Also, what equipment are you selling and would any of it be good for my needs?

 

[W5LZ]

'D-Star' is a means of using one radio to control another radio so that you can transmit from to the other, then the other one transmits what you said on another band. A sort of cross-band repeater. I think most 'name brands' offer it, just under a different name.
If that sort of thing is useful to you, it's very nice. But it isn't 'free' and there are "but's" to it.
- 'Doc

 

[Moleculo]

'D-Star' is a means of using one radio to control another radio so that you can transmit from to the other, then the other one transmits what you said on another band. A sort of cross-band repeater. I think most 'name brands' offer it, just under a different name.
If that sort of thing is useful to you, it's very nice. But it isn't 'free' and there are "but's" to it.
- 'Doc

No, D-Star is digital voice and data. The acronym stands for Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio. Icom is the the company that has implemented it first, but it was created by that Japan Amateur Radio League. Because the signal is 100% digital, the quality can be really amazing. A lot of the repeaters and even home stations are also connected to the internet, so you can talk to people all over the place from your HT. Many emergency management agencies are adopting it as a requirement for their updated systems because of it's ability to also encode data along with the voice - i.e. messages, GPS coordinates, as well as the fact that FEMA is requiring all ECOM center equipment to be connected to the internet (at least that's what I was told).

D-Star is pretty cool, but it's also pretty pricey (BTW, a lot of the DStar rigs can also crossband-repeat). For his application - off roading with the Jeep, I would invest in standard VHF & HF equipment first. There's a good chance that he will be able to hit a repeater somewhere on 2m, and if you're really out in the boonies, HF will be your best friend. That's why he needs to really get that General License.

 

[Codejockey]

Thanks for all the advice. I really appreciate it. As soon as I pass my Tech. exam I plan to start preparing for my General. I will hopefully have both in less than a month.

 

[Moleculo]

Oh, btw:

D-STAR - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[SR385]

857-D in my Jeep

I have an 05 Wrangler and have had an 857-D in it for a couple years now. Here's some of the reasons I got it.

Remote face plate. Radio body mounts right under the driver's seat with the control plate on my dash on a bracket I made. This allows for easy view and control and both seats can still tumble forward.

VHF/UHF/6m/HF. All in one rig with two antenna mounts. Very handy. I can work all modes, almost everywhere

It's a very popular radio so if you hate it, you don't lose much at all if you sell it.

It's small so it makes a great portable as long as you have a power supply to work from.

Things learned. The Wrangler sucks for radio. Quite a lot of RFI noise on HF, and side mounting VHF/UHF antennas compromises performance badly. I put an auto tuner and 102" whip on for HF and to do it again I'd just put hamsticks on for the band I want to work. Mobile HF really works best 20m and higher in frequency unless you commit to a full sized screwdriver or bug catcher antenna.

The performance advantage of the 857 vs the 706 are noticeable in quiet conditions with a good antenna. Mobile you won't notice them much. The 706 has a nicer display size. Overall I liked the lower profile of my 857 better and it was cheaper.

The Icom 7000 wipes the floor with the 857-D...but it had better for its price class. Also at that level the TS-2000-B with remote head becomes a difficult comparison.

 

[WX2MIG]

Also, what equipment are you selling and would any of it be good for my needs?

If you decide to just go with a standard high power 2 meter radio, I have a Yeasu FT-2800M that's less than a year old, they sell new for around $130.00, you can have mine for $100.00, and I'll cover the shipping if you live in the continental U.S.

I have the box, papers, and all the hardware, the only negative thing I could possibly say about any of it is the couple of small coffee stains on the instruction manual, the radio is factory....(never been modified)....and garrunteed not to be DOA.....

I've got two, 2 meter radios, I prefer my Icom IC-2200H over this one, so I'll be taking the Icom out of the shack and putting it into the Jeep, and selling the Yeasu to help pay for a new Icom dual band D-Star radio for the shack.
I'm also selling off a virtually brand new Uniden VHF Marine radio as well, and for the same reason......

PM me if you're interested......