[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] $50

[KA4GFY]

Hi Genise,

Like Rick, I REALLY don't recommend you start with the cheap Chinease radios.  You get what you pay for.  In reading reviews on the EHam website, many of the reviewws will start with something like this:

"I had to send the first three back, but the 4th one appears to be working."  

That doesn't give mae a vote of confidence on their reliability.  For a bit more, Alinco, ICOM, Kenwood or Yaesu make very nice radios that you will be able to use for several years.

Another major complaint I hear about the Chinese stuff is they are very hard to program.  Basically impossible without a computer.  Yes, you can download free software, but you will need a $20+ cable to program it.  They also tend to do strange things while you use them, like changing frequency.  
  
ARRL did an article a fews ago testing the qaulity of some of these.  The tests were an eye opener.  All of them transmitted in the ham band ok, and other parts of the raio spectrum as well.  Not good.  They sound horrible on the air. 

If you buy one of the 4 manufacturers I montioned above, you won't go wrong. 

73,
Rich, KA4GFY

> On September 25, 2020 at 12:41 PM Rick Bunn <n4asx at cox.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> I don't have any in the new categories.  Yes, you can buy the Chinese
> BAOFANG radios for that price, but you can also find used handheld made by
> better companies (ICOM, Kenwood, Alinco, Yeasu) for just a little more and
> they are far superior to the Chinese stuff.
> 
> HTs are nice, but you may also want to look at a base/mobile unit.  Antennas
> can be small and hidden,  you would need a power supply but 50 watts is
> better then 5 watts and an outside antenna beats the heck out of a rubber
> duck antenna.  
> 
> I have a few older mobile radios that I can help you get started with and we
> have some radios that will come up at an estate auction soon.    
> 
> At this time I am down in Florida but I will be back on the 8th.
> 
> 73 Rick
> N4ASX
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> <alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of G White via
> AlexandriaRadioClub
> Sent: Friday, September 25, 2020 11:54 AM
> To: W4HFH <alexandriaradioclub at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: [Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] $50
> 
> Hi there!!What are your recommendations for ham radio $50 dollars or less?
> Genise White
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> <alexandriaradioclub-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of G White via
> AlexandriaRadioClub
> Sent: Friday, September 25, 2020 11:54 AM
> To: W4HFH <alexandriaradioclub at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: [Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] $50
> 
> Hi there!!What are your recommendations for ham radio $50 dollars or less?
> Genise White
> ______________________________________________________________
> AlexandriaRadioClub mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/alexandriaradioclub
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
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> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> AlexandriaRadioClub mailing list
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> 
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