One common question I’ve heard people ask who are new to radio, is what is the cheapest way to get into this space, and what gear do I buy?
I think both the firearms and radio communities have some things in common when this question is asked. Like firearms, the radio world is vast, complex, and the learning curve can be steep. Also, like the firearms world, amateur radio has its fair share of gear snobs, Fudds, and retailers, catering to the radio community who are constantly pushing endless streams of the latest greatest radios, gadgets, and accessories.
With so many products to choose from I can see how one might get overwhelmed, and might not know where to start. I believe this is one of the reasons why the Baofeng UV-5R is so popular among new radio enthusiasts, prepper groups, hikers, and anyone else needing to establish basic communications.
When I began studying for my Technician Class license, I researched a lot of radios before making a purchase. Being new, I eventually ended up in the category of a consumer who purchased a Baofeng UV-5R as my first handheld transceiver (“HT”). Among all the radios I looked at, I settled on this one because it was inexpensive, I wanted something I could use in an emergency (e.g. natural disaster), and to take hiking with me. In the event amateur radio wasn’t for me, my sunk cost in getting started was minimal, and at least I had another tool for my earthquake kit.
Over the years I’ve interacted with people who had other considerations for purchasing the Baofeng UV-5R, but the common reason I’ve heard most is price point. As I learned more about radios (and accidentally breaking a few), over time I outgrew my UV-5R. This process resulted in identifying new considerations for a future HT purchase.
- What is the quality, overall functionality, and cost of the radio?
- Is it a brand with a good track record?
- What frequencies do you want to communicate on?
- How many memory channels does the HT have?
- What is the battery life?
- Does it charge using a docking station, or can it be charged via USB?
- Will you be using the HT for general recreation, or in harsh environments?
If you’ve spent enough time on the internet, you’ll discover a lot of opinions, product reviews, and comments on what people think is a good HT or mobile unit. Some of those opinions seem to be based on research, and empirical data from actually using the product; while others don’t seem to have a framework to back up certain assertions. The internet can be a mixed bag when trying to research a product. While I think there is some value in reading reviews and opinions, unfortunately, sometimes you’ll only get a nugget of truth. Some online reviews or discussion forums can be helpful, but it’s always best to do your own research, because ultimately you will be the one who has to be satisfied with the purchase.
When I was starting out, I didn’t have much of a baseline for the amateur radio world, but figured I had to start somewhere. After enough research, I pulled the trigger and purchased a UV-5R from Amazon. At that time, these radios retailed for around $25.00 to $50.00, and I believe they are still around that price point depending on which variant you choose.
The UV-5R seems to be controversial among radio enthusiasts and amateur operators because depending on who you talk to, you may get feedback ranging from the radio is junk, while others may tell you it’s great for the price.
There were a few times in my life when I didn’t have much money, but also needed to acquire tools for specific projects. When I worked in construction years ago, I would source equipment from whoever had the most affordable prices. Often times that would mean going to Harbor Freight looking for a deal, or purchasing a tool from Craigslist or a garage sale. Going to the tool corral at Home Depot or Lowe’s and picking up a DeWalt or Makita multi-tool pack wasn’t always an available financial option.
The same can be said for firearms, not everyone can afford a Wilson Combat, Kimber, or Colt. Sometimes, for those needing a personal protection tool, you may start out with a Hi-Point or something comparable from the local pawn shop if that is all your budget allows. Similarly, not everyone can afford a Yaesu, Kenwood, or Motorola, and that is generally where I think the UV-5R has found its place in the market.
After passing the Technician Element 2 Exam, I began working my local repeaters, making contacts, and learning my way around the radio. I think for the purpose of learning the basics on a budget, the UV-5R is a serviceable option. I say serviceable because I will concede, they’re not the most rugged and as mentioned above, I have accidentally broken several when I was starting out in radio.
The lack of ruggedness is a disadvantage in my opinion, and it only has one-hundred twenty-eight memory slots which I don’t think is a lot. Some of them have also been known to emit spurious emissions. But, if you’re on budget that limits you to around $25.00 – $45.00, the UV-5R is a reasonable entry-level option. Aside from Baofeng, other affordable HT brands I’ve purchased early on were Retevis and TYT. Some of the models under those brands are also attractive due to their price points, and are worth exploring. Aside from price point, one of the pros about the UV-5R, is someone who is new to radio can learn fairly easily how to program it using a free open-sourced software called CHIRP.
Over time I outgrew the UV-5R, and as my budget increased, I moved onto other more expensive HT brands like Yaesu and Kenwood. For those of you looking for a radio for more than just getting on air, and can afford something in the $100.00 to $160.00 price range, then you can’t go wrong with a Yaesu FT-60R, or a Yaesu FT-65R, or comparable offering. I have both of those HT’s, and they have been great for just about every outdoors adventure I’ve been on.
But, if you find yourself in an online discussion forum, someone is lecturing and shaming you for buying a certain brand or model, then just know they may not be approaching this topic from an objective viewpoint. While they may have some valid points, the gear snob approach is often not well received with those new to radio.
No matter what radio you settle on, the most important thing is to keep practicing with whatever equipment you have, and to keep working on increasing your knowledge and skill set. Hopefully, one of the takeaways from this blog post is getting readers thinking about their intended use case? Maybe you just want something for hiking on the trail with friends, and in that case maybe a bubble pack set of FRS radios is all you need? Or, perhaps you need something for use on your local 2-meter, or GMRS repeater as part of your family’s emergency communications plan? Regardless if you start out with a UV-5R or a more expensive HT, make it a point to practice with the tools in your comms kit so you are effective when it counts.