Want to finally get into ham radio this year. What's a $200 starter kit look like? Or a $500 starter kit.
Shill me books to read, educators to subscribe to.
#asknostr #hamradio
Discussion
What do you want to do?
When I was a kid, my grandfather had a room full of ham radio equipment and a huge tower antenna in the yard. We could talk to people from all over the world. Years before we internet. Didn't appreciate how cool that technology really was as a 5 year old.
Emergency communication method?
Fun?
Learn a new skill?
My advice to new hams who aren't super sure what part of the hobby they are into is a quansheng uv-k6. About $35 on amazon and something to play with with the custom firmware and wideband multimode receive. It won't talk all over the world, but it will give you an idea if playing with radios is fun for you for cheap.
If you see baofeng 5r recommendations, this is basically the same recommendation from 2024. The baofeng are a little out of date now that the quansheng is out. Safe to assume most of them would not pick the baofeng today.
Sounds great! Thanks very much for the suggestions.
Get the genuine ftdi chipset programming cable for it (it is compatible with the baofeng ones)
Use audio coupling to play with data modes like sstv and aprs initially.
A tinysa and nanovna are better investments than additional radios for tinkerer hams.
Use hamstudy.org to prep for the test, it has the real questions and answers.
Besides wanting to get into ham radio what are your other hobbies. I will use this to recommend ham radio things.
School: Going back to school for computer science.
Fiat day job: Tech support.
Hobbies: Home pleb miner. Electronics tinkerer.
Ok some areas for you to look at first:
1. Digital Modes: Have you explored digital modes like PSK31, JT65, or FT8? These modes involve encoding data into audio signals for transmission, which you can decode using software on your computer. It’s a great way to marry your programming skills with radio communication.
2. Software-Defined Radio (SDR): SDR technology opens up a world of possibilities. Consider tinkering with SDR hardware like RTL-SDR dongles and developing software to analyze and process radio signals. There’s so much you can do in terms of signal processing and visualization.
3. DIY and Homebrewing: Building your own radios, antennas, and accessories is a fantastic way to learn and experiment. Whether you’re designing custom circuits or optimizing antenna performance, there’s no shortage of projects.
4. Satellite Communication: Ever thought about reaching out to satellites? Satellite communication involves tracking satellites, designing antennas, and mastering operating techniques.
To get started
ARRL Technicians License HandBook
ARRL General License Handbooks
“Ham radio crash course” on YouTube
1. Radio recommendations are hard, if your interests fall into the above at your cost points I would look at xeigu G90 or other Xeigu models.
2. Plus Digirig cables.
3. Make your own antenna with a wire soldered to coax connectors.
4. Coax
I think that would be about $500, a little over
For $200ish I would do
1. the ARRL handbooks
2. QDX Transceiver http://qrp-labs.com/qdx Or other from qrp labs.
3. Make your own antennas
4. Coax
Final bits:
RTL Dongles and that genre are good for listening across the bands before you have your license to transmit and pretty cheap. Check out SDR++
Get plugged into a nearby club membership may get you loner equipment and regular participation will speed up learning.
Thank you very much! That is a tonne of great places to start.
I am very interested in what I've seen of software defined radio for sure. But most of those other acronyms I will have to lookup.
Thanks again. Bookmarking this thread for future reference.
1. Use HamStudy.org: HamStudy is a free website that provides practice tests for all ham radio licenses. It can help individuals prepare for their exams and find online or in-person test sessions. www.hamstudy.org
2. Check Out W4EEY on YouTube: W4EEY on YouTube offers excellent ham radio tutorials. He has playlists covering all ham radio license levels and occasionally conducts live classes. This resource can be valuable for learning ham radio concepts. Here are the playlists for the various licenses:
• Tech Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ_9BZQ8gpziUWPBT3rOvSV6MCCeCaiK0
• General Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ_9BZQ8gpziv2a26B_IoQ1RbXbIqieP2
• Extra Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ_9BZQ8gpzh7NC1WVKwCCmOTULSj1f93
3. Explore ARRL and Local Clubs: The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) website can help individuals find local ham radio clubs. These clubs often have information about local repeaters, club meetings, and ham radio "nets" (radio meetups). It's a good way to connect with other ham radio enthusiasts in your area. (https://www.arrl.org/find-a-club)
