Which fist radio for a foundation license holder

[specializedrider]

Hi everyone

I am looking for advice for buying my first radio. I am studying for my foundation license and will hopefully take the new online exam this year. What radio should I buy to get me started. I want to start with a handheld. Should I buy a Baofeng or something similar or try and buy a second hand radio like a Yaesu or Icom.

Thanks

[Ant]

I'd buy a Baofeng to start with, small money, so if you don't take to the hobby then you haven't wasted much money at all. You can always upgrade to something more snobby if you really like it.

[paulears]

Decent radios are not snobby! Baofengs and other radios with a similar programming system make ham radio operation far more complicated than it need to be, while even old Icoms, Yaesus and Kenwoods give quick access to common functions and have a different design philosophy. They also cope far better when connected to outside antennas with gain. I still have the Icom I bought in 1980 when I passed. It still out performs the Baofengs after 40 years - it is silent on channels the Baofengs find chatter on - because they have receivers like an open barn door - everything gets through. Sensitivity is OK but selectivity is dreadful. Loud signals on 155MHz around half a mile away, appear on 145MHz, and even in the 70cm band. They are NOT there, but the Baofengs have no filtering, so you get all kinds of noises that stop the scans, or even blot out weak stations that ARE on the frequency. Buying an average product as an introduction to any hobby rarely gives you an experience good enough to become enthusiastic. If you really only have the price of a family meal at McDonalds for your hobby, that's not going to be very exciting.

[Ant]

Well, using the term 'only have the price of a family meal at mc donalds' and not snobby in the same post, doesn't really do it justice. I suggested starting with a £20 radio as it's there. If he likes it, he'll know pretty soon whether or not he wants to invest hundreds into the hobby. It doesn't mean the hobby isn't for someone who hasn't spent a shed load. Even I have a Baofeng and I wouldn't accept being told the hobby isn't for me as only I can decide that.

[lambrettadave]

If you are after a budget rig a yaesu FT4x for under £70 brand new.

£70 might be a good amount of money to buy a a nice 2nd hand rig

[specializedrider]

Just seen the FT4XE today. Looks like a good starter radio and from a respectable brand. It might be the one I will go for.

Thanks

[lambrettadave]

I bought a icom ic-24at and a alinco djs11 which are both ok but I recently also got a yaesu ft-767gx with HF, VHF and UHF as well but it was a lot more than the ft4x

[Transwarp]

I'd already set my station up before I got my licence. Dual band antenna on side of house, a second hand Kenwood dual bander (can't remember the model) and later on a battered Yaesu 747 HF set but it worked ok. Spent around £400 in total for everything which I thought was good (inc PSU, meters, coax, plugs, pole, brackets, antennas) For me it was the only way to go, I couldn't have started out with a handheld but that's me. I spent a heck of a lot more over the years though before I sold off almost everything.

[specializedrider]

I went and bought the FT4XE. Cant wait to sit my exam and be able to use it.

Q. Do you know if a calculator is required/or allowed for the online foundation exam?

Thanks.

[EssexHam]

Hi. Yes, you can use a calculator if you want - any maths at Foundation should be fairly basic, and either for the VIR or PIV formula, or for antenna gain.

The rules say it must be silent, and non-programmable.

Pete

[frg7700]

I find my Baofengs a great deal easier to get on with programming wise than my FT-818!

[specializedrider]

I used the programming cable to program the FT4XE because the menu is not very intuitive.

[MontyFlange]

I bought a Baofeng GT-3TP Load of rubbish It's PMR only now