What Radio Should I Buy? - Budget Tri-Band Ham Radio Setup

[@allenbanks3280]

J pole is a good antenna for a single band. If you're using a multi-band radio like that tri-band and you're going to need a tri-band antenna. It's good idea just to get a mobile antenna that has try bands that will accommodate your radio

[@allenbanks3280]

The 2m band is probably the most popular band you're going to find the best help out there and you're going to find the most open repeaters on that band. That band will also allow you to listen to weather frequencies and some radios will actually go down into the aircraft band also. Most fire departments are around 150. Mhz up from there. If you get a radio that covers 70cm and up you can use the FRS radio. For someone that don't have the capability of the ham band.

[@GentiluomoStraniero]

For the longest time, dual band was being pushed as the radios to buy and this goes for hand helds as well. We also need to get folks to place 220 repeaters in their area if possible. This is what i'm looking to do to expand my local network.

[@silverbucket8046]

I've got a hand held boefang,works great. I guess it depends on the distance you wanting to get.

[@wickedcrow2331]

Whts your borfang frequency

[@indridcold8433]

I was given an Abbree AR-F3 that someone ruined trying to force CHIRP software to work with it using the wrong driver. However, the actual radio was just fine, physically. I just downloaded the stock software, made a makeshift data cable, and flashed the transceiver using the stock programming software. The radio seems to work great! I can not transmit because I have no licence. But it receives great. It sends 7.8 watts into a dummy load at 150 megacycles. But it may not be transmitting clearly. Maybe I will let a licensed person test it on transmit. But, it works great as a scanner.

[@Wildhare-uo5vj]

Carry 50 feet of fishing line with a rock tied to one end. Also carry 50 feet of coax in your go bag. Attach the coax between the radio and the antenna and you can use the fishing line to run your antenna up in a tree and you'll get a LOT more distance out of it.

[@stephenwilliams5201]

Ps Ziploc®bags various sizes will help, and cheep. That's what I have my hts in during a rain storm. And a ditty bag to keep it all in. So it can be carried with you as you bug out.

[@chrisshepard495]

What about for trailblazing? a waterproof, USB rechargeable, lightweight, long battery life HAM. Can't find anything with specs like this

[@billryland6199]

1st, tell them they need a General class license. The Tech is only for short range comms. Do NOT count on repeaters being usable in an emergency. A good used HF rig is not expensive and gives much more range and options. Digital modes (PSk-31) have much longer range at low power in noisy conditions.

[@KK-ll2bs]

Tech can use 2m, 1.25m, and 70cm. Never heard that Tech is only able to transmit short range. Not true.

[@TrailHaunter]

I have the original solid copper water heater tank for my house in my basement that would make a great “display piece” on my back deck 👍🏻

[@donhale3517]

You NEED to stress to people they need to have a license to operate we have a few people that try to use 2m on our local repeater they think it's like a CB....

[@mynameisprivate158]

1. You can get a $20 Baofeng from Amazon and jump right on the airwaves. 2. with the advent of the internet Ham radio is basically defunct and a dieing hobby, may as well make it CB at this point!

[@JinkxSoldga]

You have to be kidding me. Old codgers still screaming about license for operating a ham radio during a pandemic..... I have seen it all now. Incredible.

[@ethaneberhart3586]

@@JinkxSoldga they gotta feel special

[@allenbanks3280]

In an emergency situation part 15 of the FCC rules says that you don't have to have a license in an emergency

[@altha-rf1et]

Tried studying for it over 400 questions only 30 of them being use, Too hard for a person who is disable like me, I have Parkinson no way can I remember them all.. Going to get one and just use it after a SHFT in the mean time I will get a police scanner, CB, a couple of two way raidos with 35 mile range but a ham operating license is out of the question they should make it easier for disable people who wants to do this

[@allenbanks3280]

The higher that you can get your antenna the better your signals going to be . these frequencies are all line of sight frequencies you'll get a little bit reflective signal off of some things but not much

[@jsb1964]

Great video!! What do you think about GMRS as a go box option? Motorola has some nice mobile rigs.

[@indridcold8433]

I was given an Abbree AR-F3 that someone ruined with the software. However, the tranceiver was just fine physically. Someone tried to force CHIRP software to programme the transceiver with the wrong driver. I just used the stock software and programmed the radio with it and all is well. Maybe I can sell it for £20 or keep it as a scanner. I can not transmit as I have no license to do so. However, using the armateur radio to listen is legal. It also receives much more than amateur radio transmissions.

[@tom_olofsson]

Really nice rig.

[@mclyker]

Would be interested in what you offer in the Denver area for classes/clubs/instruction. Thanks!

[@stephenwilliams5201]

If you don't have the toys. Let a young man/lady make it for you. Got mine made at a reasonable price. My new one will go on 20' up. 69 years old. 73. De kv4li

[@dougmatthew9987]

Thanks for the video. What digital modes do you use on vhf/uhf?

[@caw5566]

I can't place your accent. Where is it from?

[@M-Shaz]

hello, i work in a company the requires an upgrade in their mobile radio communication and i dnt know which to recommend, so could i get a way to chat with u or even video calls pls? thank you

[@svecch69]

What kind of hard case is that?

[@seniletravel7171]

I can't even successfully hook-up my flat screen television! 😂🤣

[@danjensen9303]

Me to 🤔 but radio not a problem 😊

[@bubbleheadft]

I'm not trying to be antagonistic at all. What accent is that? It's very interesting.

[@KK-ll2bs]

Sounds like an English guy, who has lived in the US for a while. I'm English, but still have a lot of my accent, even though I've been in the US 55 years.

[@Martin_PA0KGB]

Don't see the link to the J-pole antenna, please share.

[@teddlipka]

jpole-antenna.com

[@zulwhite6007]

Next video - make a high budget radio setup

[@indridcold8433]

I saw a single transceiver for amateur radio. It cost £4.800. My vehicle is probably valued at £2.500. This may be why I am not an amateur radio operator. Baofeng only costs £19. So it may be argued that I may simply get a Baofeng handheld transceiver and get a license. After all, there are three amateur bands available on the Baofeng tri-band transceiver. If I operate a modicum on the grey side of legality, I would also have PMR446 and LPR433 as well. But how many contacts could I really make with such a tiny antenna? Someone actually gave me an Abbree handheld radio that needed a bit of work. I use it as a scanner with good results. I am more interested in the HF frequencies.

[@hugoflores5806]

@@indridcold8433 you could try the micro btix, is arround 100 - 150 dollars and covers several hf bands. If you want more output power you could use a little linear amplifier

[@indridcold8433]

@@hugoflores5806 I am going to look into it. If I like it, I would like to get the amateur radio license. But, unfortunately, nobody is testing anymore because of our pal Coronavirus. Thank you for the suggestion.

[@hugoflores5806]

@@indridcold8433 Checo if they're testing by internet. Also, the brigh side is that you could buy a Baofeng, to start listening and track down noise, asit helps to have a little more experience and a lower noise floor; only remmber not to push the PTT button ir you do it

[@indridcold8433]

@@hugoflores5806 I have set up many Baofeng, Radio Oddity, TYT, Yaesu, and Alinco radios for others. World got out that I set up stations for a bit of money. I make J-poles, vertical dipoles, horizontal dipoles, monopoles, smaller yagi antennas, power supplies, modify radios from other sevices to operate on amateur bands, climb towers when someone or the fire department has antenna issues. I have pretty much maxed out the nonlicensed aspect of amateur radio. I have a scanner and an SDR receiver attached to an outsided antenna to listen to the entre planet. But i have nothing. That can transmit, save an old Citizen's Band Radio I installed in my vehicle back in 1996. I rarely hear anybody on CB anymore. But with the SDR and scanner, I hear lots of 80 meter, 40 meter, 1.25 meters, and 2 meters. You mentioned that there may be online testing. I likely do not have to study at all. I have been doing everything, save transmitting, for awhile. Do you have any infomation on a possible online test. I know there is a $35 fee also.

[@3v068]

Just something that i noticed in this video. You accent is throwing me off. I cant tell if you're a southern american like me or if youre austrailian and moved to america or what. It sounds like a combo of both XDXD

[@pratwurschtgulasch6662]

i wish the wooden blocks were properly aligned, kind of distracting with such disorder in the background

[@nickm9909]

Folks - if you have a question for me you have to @ me otherwise I don't get notice that its here - going back through videos now to post links on my web page now I have it up and finding a lot of questions I didn't know were here. I'll try and get to them as I find them. fortunefavorstheprepared.com/

[@tomw5vlt119]

Yikes the only reason I watched this from the title/image was wondering what that Signal Link was for in a base/field package. Well, after watching, still don’t know. Waste of 14 minutes for me. All you said about interaction of radio to SLink was plugs into radio’s mic jack? That’s TX-in jack, only, yes? So clueless still on what the SLink does, why needed, functionality, logical connections in kind... in other words... say what?

[@altha-rf1et]

HAve Parkinsons try studing for a Ham Radio License,, too hard,,, They need to make that easier

[@indridcold8433]

The problem is, nobody is testing because of our pal Covid-19. Everyone is staying home. I do not think there is any option to take a mail in exam or online exam. I do not think there has ever been a mail in exam nor online exam yet. However, for $35, you can get a general mobile radio service license. No test needed. I hear an extensive repeater network that talks from Southern Texas to Pennsylvania. The repeater networks for GMRS are better than amateur radio around here I live. Plus, one license is good for everyone in your household. Give GMRS a try until testing returns to amateur radio or a mail in test or online test is implemented. I am really giving it a lot of thought if I should get the GMRS license. I have set up many radio stations for many people that have paid me. Is it time for me to finally transmit?

[@altha-rf1et]

@@indridcold8433 It is just too hard for me, Got one of those hand held ones will just listen to it be nice to have when it gets bad

[@indridcold8433]

@@altha-rf1et This is what makes GMRS so beautiful. $35, no test needed and your entire household gets to use repeaters and more power. It is like 70 centimeter amateur band. But keep the handheld with the other bands also. In the case of a widespread emergency or catastrophe, use the radio. Everyone can have an amateur radio to listen to any transmission. But, you can not transmit without a license unless there is a catastrophe or a widespread emergency on amateur bands unless there is a licensed amateur present. Get the GMRS license and start transmitting very long distance tonight. It is somewhere in the FCC, OFCOM, CRTC, and MIC sites, depending on which nation you reside. I am not sure what the small fee OFCOM and MIC charges for GMRS. But FCC and CRTC only charge $35 for a ten year license. I toy with the idea of getting the amateur radio license when testing starts again. But the GMRS license I will likely get tomorrow because there is nothing but a form to fill out online. I live in too rural an area not to have GMRS and amateur radio. Cellular is very poor here. If I find the link, I will post it and you can get on tonight. Maybe you may hear me tomorrow.

[@indridcold8433]

@@altha-rf1et Here you go. Go get the GMRS license instead. It is all step by step. I will get mine Friday. quality2wayradios.com/store/gmrs-fcc-license.

[@altha-rf1et]

@@indridcold8433 Thanks I will check into that GMRS My farm in Florida is in a rural area remember using CBs back in the day, If anything get one so if something bad happens be able to listen to it, I do have a police scanner, back in the day could hear anything that is happening, Do have 4 Walkie Talkies with a 35 mile range keep one of those in the car on at house if cell phones go down we have a plan to communicate using it until we get home. We keep 1 in each car two at house,

[@mattatreagen]

For $180 for that btech mobile, your better off spending an extra $20 and getting a tyt-9800.

[@ryanirvine8996]

Sorry, off topic, but what in the hell is your accent? I’m just guessing here, but I’ll take a stab at Northern Ireland buried under years of…Texas?

[@rpmorrisjr]

Man. That’s a lot of information. None of it remotely related the the caption of the video unfortunately.

[@nickm9909]

sorry I didn't edit/post the video, seen that on a couple of them

[@petemitchell6788]

What a strange accent and eye movement.