[SGVHAK] ham radio equipment recommendation

[Tux Lab]

Is there a trend toward digital handhelds like the Yaesu FT-1DR vs the
VX-8DR?   Is one more rugged in terms of service availabilty duing
distasters or in remote areas where there are no repeaters.

On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 10:25 PM, Stan Slonkosky <stan.ke6zc at gmail.com> wrote:
> I was first licensed as a novice when our family lived in Globe, AZ. I
> remember receiving my license in the mail in the summer time when I had the
> mumps. I don't remember the exact year, but I think it must have been 1966
> or 1967. The license was good for one year and was non-renewable. The
> license expired before I was able to pass the 13 WPM Morse code exam and was
> allowed to take the written exam. I passed all the written exams that they
> allowed me to take and got an Advanced class license. I never tried for the
> Extra class license until they dropped the code requirement (it had been 20
> WPM) in the early 21st century. I never had any problem with the written
> exams, only the Morse code though I suppose with enough practice I could
> have passed it.
>
> In the late 1960s, no one in small towns was on VHF and above. HF was where
> it was at. For a high school graduation present, I received a Yaesu FTDX-560
> transceiver. Prior to that, I used a 3 band CW transmitter I put together
> from a kit and a Knight Star Roamer receiver I had also put together when we
> lived in Phoenix (we moved to Globe on Thanksgiving weekend in 1964).
>
> The 2-meter FM crazed got going in the early 1970s and I purchased a Swan
> FM-2X mobile transceiver. You had to have separate crystals for transmit and
> receive.
>
> Nowadays of course a lot of new hams purchase the Baofeng 2m/70cm handheld
> radios. They're pretty good for the money, but not in the same quality class
> as the big names--Yaesu, Kenwood, Icom and (to a lesser extent, Alinco). I
> own radios from the big 3, but the only thing I own made by Alinco is a
> power supply which has the virtue of your being able to adjust the frequency
> of the switching power supply so it doesn't interfere with your reception.
>
> One radio I saw recently that I'd like to get is the Yaesu FT-1DR 2m/70cm
> handheld which costs $310. It has an integrated GPS and APRS (Automatic
> Packet Reporting System). A newer radio with a few more features, the FT-2DR
> just became available for $550.
>
> You might want to go to Ham Jam on Saturday, July 11, at Ham Radio Outlet in
> Anaheim. I'm planning to go to that even though that's the same date as the
> next Amateur Radio Emergency Service meeting (always the 2nd Saturday of the
> month) which is usually held in the Wingate building (unless we get bumped
> somewhere else) at the Huntington Hospital in Pasadena. On the 4th Saturday
> of most months (conflicting with the TRW swap meet except when there are 5
> Saturdays in a month).There is also an informal meeting in a conference room
> in the west tower (adjacent to the cafeteria) where various topics of
> interest to beginners (and sometimes others).
>
> HRO had Ham Jam for the past few years and I highly recommend it. They will
> have some giveaways for some fairly nice radios, but I think you have to be
> present to win. In past years, I only won some LED flashlights and T-shirts
> that were bigger than my size (medium). Gordon West, WB6NOA usually does his
> famous blazing pickle demonstration. Since I have to use public
> transportation these days, I usually take the Metrolink to Fullerton and
> either bicycle or take the bus from there or at least part of the way there.
>
> You are also welcome to visit the monthly ARES meeting if you like. As I
> said, it's on the 2nd Saturday. It begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 11 a.m. when
> amateur radio exams are administered. One of the more famous members is Kate
> Hutton, K6HTN, who just retired from CalTech. She's one of the "earthquake
> ladies" you might have seen on TV. (The other is Lucy Jones of the USGS, but
> as far as I know, she's not a ham.)
>
> The Pasadena Radio Club meets at the Kaiser facility on the NW corner of Los
> Robles and Walnut on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. Visitors are
> always welcome and I finally joined this year. I am not always able to come
> to the meetings because I often have choir rehearsals at PCC on Tuesday
> evenings. Topics vary and can be either technical or non-technical.
> See http://w6ka.net/monthlymtgs.php
>
> One club that strictly technical is the San Bernardino Microwave Society
> which meets in Corona (which is actually in Riverside County). I can get
> there by Metrolink, but can't get home afterwards, so I usually watch it via
> the Internet when possible. One of the members Gary, sets up a couple of
> video cameras, a switcher and a 2.4 GHz dish aimed at Santiago Peak. A
> repeater there picks up the signal and retransmits it on several amateur TV
> repeaters around Southern California. This includes Mt. Wilson which
> retransmits it in the 1.2 GHz band. It is also streamed from batc.tv . Look
> for W6ATN. The meeting is not streamed if Gary can't make it to the meeting
> for some reason. This web site requires flash, so on Android and iOS devices
> I use a browser called Puffin which costs a few dollars.
>
> On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 6:45 PM, Mic Chow <zen at netten.net> wrote:
>>
>> Since I have always lacked space, went with a 5watt  handheld with the
>> intent of getting a mobile (car) unit later for greater range.  However,
>> I never got around to installing a mobile unit into my car, so I stayed
>> with my handheld.  Nowadays with the Chinese company Baofeng, the units
>> have become cheaper.  Baofeng are of surprisingly decent quality
>> especially for their price.  I personally like my Yaesu VX-7 that I
>> bought 20 years ago and still use.  The VX-7 has been replaced with the
>> VX-8 with lots of additional features.  The big quality brands that
>> remember are Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood and Motorola.  Alinco used to be in
>> there, but I think they have disappeared.  Motorola being the only
>> American in the bunch with the rest being out of Japan.
>>
>> If I could have started now, I would have started with a Baofeng UV-5r
>> (the very same ones used at SCALE), because they are decent range, and
>> are of a decent quality; and they are under $50 so you do not feel as
>> bad if you do something silly to them.  Comparing to the equivalent
>> Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood and Motorola being north of $100 with most of them
>> easily over $200.
>>
>> I have heard of folks taking mobile units and decent antennas to make
>> base stations.
>>
>> I say for the cost go with the Baofeng UV-5r and then move up from there.
>>
>> I take it that several people passed their test?
>>
>> -Mic
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 06/28/2015 05:14 PM, Tux Lab wrote:
>> > what's a reasonable amount to spend?  I am leaning toward a handheld
>> > to start.   Do you like your handheld units?
>> >
>> > On Sun, Jun 28, 2015 at 5:07 PM, Mic Chow <zen at netten.net> wrote:
>> >> How much do you want to spend?  Handheld or base units?
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On 06/28/2015 04:52 PM, Tux Lab wrote:
>> >>> Any equipment recommendations for beginner ham radio users?
>> >>>
>> >>>
>> >>
>> >
>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Stan Slonkosky