# Radio recommendations



## Asatrur (Dec 17, 2008)

Heilsa,
I am all ready to to take my technician test Thursday evening. I have been testing with the ARRL CD that came with my book, using http://www.qrz.com/ht/, and http://www.hamradiolicenseexam.com/index.html to validate my readiness. I am scoring high 80's to mid 90's every time now









The next step is gear, so I am wondering is one had say 500 dollars to put towards a HAM setup for the technician ranges that could also be used for the higher license privileges, what would folks recommend from a prepping viewpoint. I am torn between a more fixed system or a mobile unit and am looking for advice.


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## SierraM37 (Nov 2, 2008)

Www.eham.net will help with that decision. My first rig was a Kenwood TS440S-AT. Loved it and wish I'd never sold it. Now I have a Yaesu FT7800 dual band for my jeep but want to get another HF. Yaesu makes some really nice and compact mobile base rigs as I'd like to work DX when I'm mobile in the high Sierras. Research. Look at the reviews on eham.net when you start zeroing in on something. Best of luck and catch you on the air some day. 73.


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## Laura (Oct 1, 2011)

Check on your local radio club websites to see what is up for sale. I bought my first tower this way and received help in raising it from the club members. Consider joining an Amateur Radio Club and ask for an Elmer. Elmers are people who help new comers to the radio hobby. They can offer loads of information from experience and lend a hand in setting up radio communications.
Good luck and welcome to this amazing hobby.


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

For Technician gear from a prepping viewpoint, I would recommend a dual band (2m/70cm) mobile, and a couple of dual band hand helds (h/t's). The mobile can serve double duty as a base with a base antenna and a 12v power supply or with batteries recharged from a solar panel/generator. While the h/t's can be used around your property/neighborhood for tactical and security, or even car to car in a convoy. I don't know what the repeater situation is in your area, but if you can hit one with a h/t (assuming the repeater is functional) it will greatly increase the effective range. 

One thing that I would recommend is to fully learn your radios. Especially learn how to program frequencies and how to change from duplex to simplex operation. A lot of people get a radio, program in the local repeater, and never look at the controls again other than the power button and volume control. When repeaters are down simplex operation will keep you talking, even if it is between your own radios.

BTW, how did the testing go?


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## Fn/Form (Nov 6, 2008)

Asatrur,

*Let's look at NEEDs, first:*
Who do you NEED to be in touch with? How far away are they? Do they regularly live/work/play far from you?

What is the topography like between the two of you--plains, mountains, hills, heavy forest or a mixture of these?

*Next, who would you WANT to talk/listen to?*
What kind of info do you want to get by radio? Are you interested in just local info/talk? Or do you want regional or nationwide?


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## Asatrur (Dec 17, 2008)

Needs for now would be local, but I need to be prepared for communication w/o repeaters. I live about 15 miles from the foothills of the Rocky mtns in CO which are to the West and the plains to the East.

As for want do I want to get, any and all information 



Fn/Form said:


> Asatrur,
> 
> *Let's look at NEEDs, first:*
> Who do you NEED to be in touch with? How far away are they? Do they regularly live/work/play far from you?
> ...


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## RainyPNW (Feb 12, 2012)

Asatrur said:


> Needs for now would be local, but I need to be prepared for communication w/o repeaters. I live about 15 miles from the foothills of the Rocky mtns in CO which are to the West and the plains to the East.
> 
> As for want do I want to get, any and all information


I would suggest at least a 65-watt 2-meter rig with both a 5/8th
wave vertical, high in clear air with good coax, and switchable to a Yagi
on a hand rotator. If we are to assume repeaters cannot be relied
upon, Simplex is going to be the only way to go and you're going to
need not only high ERP but good gain on receive as well.

RainyPNW (WB7AWK)


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## SierraM37 (Nov 2, 2008)

What no DX rig, like a Yaesu 817nd QRP rig? I agree completely on the dual band, a couple HT's and understanding how to operate simplex. But I'd also want to know what was happening elsewhere. Not mandatory, but would be nice to have that comm link as well. 

What would be the recommendation for a minimum solar power setup for charging?


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## k0xxx (Oct 27, 2011)

SierraM37 said:


> What no DX rig, like a Yaesu 817nd QRP rig? I agree completely on the dual band, a couple HT's and understanding how to operate simplex. But I'd also want to know what was happening elsewhere. Not mandatory, but would be nice to have that comm link as well.
> 
> What would be the recommendation for a minimum solar power setup for charging?


Good point. I totally missed the "that could also be used for the higher license privileges". In that case the 817 would be an excellent choice. They can be purchased new in the $700 - $750 range, so they're a little out of the price range, but a used one wouldn't be. It can be used mobile or base (with a 12v p.s.), and it covers the 2m/70cm bands, plus HF-6m.

A used Yaesu FT-100D or Icom IC-706 MKIIG would also be a good choice, if a used one could be found close enough to the price range. They offer the same coverage and higher power when needed.

I would believe that an 80w or better panel, a charge controller, and a couple of deep cycle batteries would offer you a fair amount of power reserves for most uses. Of course it would depend on how much use you would be expecting. If only occasionally used, a smaller panel may be fine.


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

*Ft-817*

I have an FT-817 used on VHF and HF.

Great little radio, 5 watts output. I have an older FL-100 amplifier in case I want/need more power out. Tokyo HI-power makes an amp just for the 817, but it is pricey.

Another thing to think of is to have a separate HF and V/UHF rig, that way a single failure won't leave you speechless.

Last item. A 3 element, 13 dBi gain VHF antenna is not that expensive - under 70 dollars.

An amplifier will boost your transmitter signal, a gain antenna will give both your transmit and receive quite an improvement.


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## svenhammermon (Jan 20, 2009)

*communications*

Be ready to implement what Hannibal and the romans did with signal fires and encoded scrolls...a message tied to an arrow and re-sent will work when the atmosphere is corrupted enough to keep radio from working


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