It’s been a couple of weeks since I announced that I got my amateur radio license and wanted to provide an update on what I’ve been doing since then.

Got my First Radio!

Broadly speaking (and according to my limited understanding), there are three types of amateur transceivers, or radios:

• Handheld transceivers (HTs), also known as “handie-talkies”. These look like the small, handheld “walkie-talkies” you may have seen in the big box retailers or online. HTs use a small rechargeable battery, come with a “rubber duck” antenna and are usually limited to between 5 and 10W of power. They are generally inexpensive, though you can easily find models that cost hundreds of dollars. They make a good first radio for Technician-class operators because they generally operate on the dual bands of 2m and 70cm (VHF/UHF) for which Technicians have operating privileges.

Image courtesy of Baofeng Radio.

• Mobile transceivers. Mobile units are a step up from HTs in that they are bigger but can still be used outside of your home QTH. While some do come with and can operate from a rechargeable battery, most require a separate external 13.8V power supply. This can be your car battery or benchtop power supply. The increase in size comes with both an increase in price but also an increase in transmitting power ranging from approximately 20W to 100W. In addition to sourcing a power supply, you also need to purchase or build an antenna. Based on my research, most hams use a mobile rig in their vehicles, using the car’s battery to supply the power and a magnetic mount antenna on the roof. Mobile transceivers also start to open bands and frequencies beyond what Technician-class operators are allowed to use (thus serving as an incentive to get one’s General license!).

Image courtesy of GigaParts.

• Base stations. These are the full size, high power, high price units that offer the ability to receive and transmit on multiple bands (MF/HF/VHF/UHF), including digital capabilities such as C4FM (System Fusion) and multiple modes (CW, AM, FM, SSB and Packet). Older versions of these rigs are known as “boat anchors” for their size and weight. Some of them come with built in antenna tuners and full size TFT displays to show you the signal strength as a waterfall. Many can be connected to a PC for VOIP and other digital modes (which I know little about!). Like their mobile counterparts, you need to pay attention to their power supply requirements as well as selecting the appropriate antenna to use. There are a few models that have tempted my eye but alas, the limits of my Technician license and my wallet mean that most of these units will not be lining the desk of my shack anytime soon.

Image courtesy of DX Engineering.

Like any gear-oriented hobby, you can spend countless hours researching equipment and ham radio is no different. I spent way too much time reading reviews, watching YouTube recommendations and making spreadsheets about which radio to purchase. Ultimately, I decided to focus my attention and checkbook on an HT as these would allow me the easiest path to get on the air. Some of the popular contenders that made my short list included:

• A radio from Baofeng, specifically, the 5W UV-5R, which is the amateur radio’s equivalent to Marmite. Proponents of the radio praise it’s cheap entry level price and availability to quickly get you on the air. Detractors rail on its cheap build quality, scratchy sound and questionable compliance with U.S. FCC regulations. In addition to the UV-5R, I also was interested in the BF-F8HP, which is the successor to the UV-5R, the UV-9R which is an 8W and waterproof version of the UV-5R, and the GT-5R, which is supposed to be a “100% legal version of UV-5R”.

• Radioddity GC-5 which is a relatively new model similar in price and feature set to the UV-5R.

• Radios from Yaseu, including the FT-4XR, which is like an upgraded version of the UV-5R, the FT-60R, which is an older but very highly recommended unit, the FT-65R or the FT-70DR which also includes some digital modes such as Yaesu System Fusion.

Ultimately, I decided to take advantage of the QRZ Jumpstart Program which offers new hams a discounted price on the Explorer QRZ-1 offered through GigaParts. All in, it cost me $34 which includes the radio, a license for the RT Systems Programming software, a programming cable and a “New Ham Welcome Guide” which basically contained some discount codes for future Gigaparts orders on select items.

At some point in the future, I may decide to do a review of the radio. For now, the only modification I have made, based on recommendations from other club members, is to upgrade the stock “rubber duck” antenna with this “whip” type antenna from Diamond.

Joining a Club

As I mentioned in my previous post, I recommend finding and joining a local amateur radio club. Most areas have multiple clubs so I’d suggest attending meetings for a few of them. Most meetings are still virtual, while some have switched to a hybrid model combining both in person attendance and virtual sessions. Here in the Boston area, I’ve recently joined the Boston Amateur Radio Club which not only has monthly meetings, but also an active mailing list which helps to stay in touch with members and learn about events in between meetings. While making on-air QSOs is certainly a lot of fun, it’s also important to cultivate those face-to-face interactions as well. There are a few other local organizations that I would like to join and whose meetings I would like to attend as soon as my schedule permits.

Recognizing that Amateur Radio is Broad and Deep

After having received my Technician license, I’m quickly recognizing that amateur radio is more of a “hobby of hobbies”. There is just so much surrounding it that it becomes easy to succumb to “paralysis analysis” in terms of where to begin. I got a hint of this when I started compiling the list of ways to get involved and get started with ham radio after getting your license when I was drafting my last post. I’m also discovering that getting your license is less of a license to legally operate on the air, but more of a license to learn more about what the hobby entails. The learning doesn’t stop after passing your test; in fact, the material you learn to pass the exam is a microscopic fraction of what awaits you if you’re curious and eager to learn more. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a proper learning path or formal set of guideposts to help me along but that’s because there isn’t one. Getting a license gives operators the freedom to chart their own path and to experiment wherever their curiosity takes them!