$100 Handheld or a $250 vehicle mounted HAM?

[Fergie]

Before I go out and spend my hard earned money, I'd like to know which would be a better option as a beginning HAM operator.

The local HAM club members have, for the most part, suggested a less expensive, handheld transciever as my first unit, while the general consensus here is that the vehicle mounted options(7800 or a 208H) are the best value for your first HAM.

So, what is your take on it?

I know the obvious reasons such as power and transmitting distance, but have you bought one kind, and immediately wished you hadnt spent the money, and gone for the other?

Thanks.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Can you think of reason why you'd want a handheld in particular? Like hiking, for example. If your plan was to use it /mostly/ in the truck and just having a handheld seemed like a good thing, then I would suggest going with a mobile first. Less expensive, easier to deal with in the truck and better range. It's not just the power transmit difference, but mobiles generally have better receivers, too. But the biggest reason I think going with a mobile is better for a truck is that it's easier and much safer to operate while driving. With an HT you'll have cables, wires and adapters coming off in all sorts of weird ways and it'll get old dealing with that. Using an HT as a pseudo mobile is really not ideal. You should be able to find a good mobile for a lot less than $250. A Yaesu FT-2800 is about $120 new and used they should be well under $100. If you're not sure about what to do, that's the way I would lean.

 

[Gear]

I think for your overlanding application I would go with the vehicle mounted 7800. Once you get more involved with Ham, then you might chose to get a hand held. Miles and I enjoy the hand held for one main reason, being able to take off early from camp and start on a solo hike/bike ride. Then once camp is broke we will make communications from the handheld to the vehicle and pick each other up. With this said the vehicle mounted radio has a lot more power to be able to get out to the hand held.

 

[gary in ohio]

Before I go out and spend my hard earned money, I'd like to know which would be a better option as a beginning HAM operator.

The local HAM club members have, for the most part, suggested a less expensive, handheld transciever as my first unit, while the general consensus here is that the vehicle mounted options(7800 or a 208H) are the best value for your first HAM.

So, what is your take on it?

I know the obvious reasons such as power and transmitting distance, but have you bought one kind, and immediately wished you hadnt spent the money, and gone for the other?

Thanks.

First your $100 handheld is a single band radio where your $250 mobile is going to be a dual bander. In addition the the higher power level, the mobile is going to be built to take a beating more than the handheld will.

If your looking at mobiles, single band mobile for $120 ft-2800 and NO you will not find it used any cheaper. With radio so cheap few are selling anything recent vintage used.

Unless you have a specfic need to be portable your radio mobile is the way to go. Single band radio's under $150, dual band starting around $250.


Gary

 

[Ursidae69]

I have both vehicle mounted and handheld radios depending on what I'm doing.

 

[Fergie]

First your $100 handheld is a single band radio where your $250 mobile is going to be a dual bander. In addition the the higher power level, the mobile is going to be built to take a beating more than the handheld will.

If your looking at mobiles, single band mobile for $120 ft-2800 and NO you will not find it used any cheaper. With radio so cheap few are selling anything recent vintage used.

Unless you have a specfic need to be portable your radio mobile is the way to go. Single band radio's under $150, dual band starting around $250.


Gary

Understood completely.

I wonder though, are there any added benefits to having 2m AND 440 vs. just the 2m, aside from more frequencies. Is one better than the other as far as transmission and reception are concerned?

Take a look at the rating for the 208H and the 7800..comparable radios. The 208 transmits @ 50W and 50W and the 7800 is at 50W and 40W, respectively.

Now, take the V8000 vs the 2800: The V transmits at 75W and the 2800 at 65W.

If the 440HZ doesnt have that great a benefit over the 2M, then I see no reason for dual band, unless that 440HZ is going to get me out to folks that I wouldnt be able to transmit to with just the 2M.

And the $100 was just an arbitrary number that I threw out to illustrate the cost comaprison vs. features point.

 

[4RunAmok]

One huge benefit of a dual bander radio, such as the Yaesu 8800, is you can tune the wideband stuff like BLM, Forest Service, Fire Service. Mighty handy to know if that trail you're up is being closed behind you.

Also, your average handheld is 5 watts max, and your average vehicle mount is 50 watts, and let me tell you, there is a huge difference. Not only in power, but in antenna. You're not going to put a 4 foot whip on a handheld, and that vehicle mounted antenna has quite a bit of gain properly implemented. That could mean the difference between being heard, and sitting stranded.

With that said, I have 3 handhelds and a good dual bander!

 

[frgtwn]

Fergie,

I would never want to disagree with DnD or GnO, their combined posts have been some of the best advice I have ever read anywhere. However, how you use HAM is the largest variable, as you know.

For myself, I purchased a VX6-R Yaesu, and could not be happier. For trail use, the wattage ouput is adequate, and the antenna is a magmount. I also have a tri-band antenna for true handheld use. For motoring, if all the wires bother you, run battery only, and have just the antenna wire attached. Battery should last all day, if you're not a motormouth.

What I really like about an HT is the multiple use factor. I hike with it. Loan it out to other trucks, have it by my bedside and listen to nets, take it with me on trips, etc.

Although wattage is important, it is not all that important. There are a lot of variables, but, for instance, the difference between 50 and 75 watts is not that large. Strength of signal is not a linear function of wattage.

I have not heard this discussed, but as I see it, communication happens when two parties can hear and be heard. If one party has an exceptional receiver, and a great transmitter, then he can clearly communicate with a person with a weaker signal and a poorer receiver. That would be me, in some cases.

For instance, I enjoy going to the Channel Islands, and take my HT with me. There is nothing quite like sitting in my tent and hitting a land based repeater 60 miles away, and talking to someone from, well, most anywhere. This does not speak to the strength of my HT as much as is does to the quality of the rig the repeater owner has installed and set up. And, of course, I am at sea level, and the repeater is several thousand feet up. (some are upwards of 7,000 ft.)

Now, what is obvious by my choice is that I passed on the $100 option and went for the $250 option. But I went for an HT. And, spent another bill or so getting all the other stuff. Works for me.

Concerning dual band, I really like the added ability to reach out to more repeaters. In Southern California, there are a lot of repeaters on several bands, notably 440. In an emergency, it certainly gives you more options.

Also, dual receive can be helpful. I know of some who use this feature on the trail. In one case, a couple can ride in different rigs, and still have their "private chat line" when one carries the HT, and the other drives the family wagon with the dual-bander.

After all that, I would agree with many, and say that a mobile is a likely first choice, unless you have reasons for an HT.

Dale

 

[Photog]

On the HAM forums, it is always suggested to get a mobile unit first, and then a handheld.

If there are both bands operating in your area, get a duel bander. A friend of ours, in Central WA, bought a duel bander, and then found out there is almost no 440 traffic. He was a little disappointed.

Are you getting it for trail comms, or in case of personal or regional emergency? Most of the time, a good CB setup will work for trail comms, and most folks have CBs and don't have HAM.

For emergency uses, you will want the power to reach out to as many radios and repeaters as possible.

 

[Fergie]

On the HAM forums, it is always suggested to get a mobile unit first, and then a handheld.

Go figure, the local clubs here suggest a handheld, then a mobile. Dad reported the same from the HAM club in Flag.

Are you getting it for trail comms, or in case of personal or regional emergency? Most of the time, a good CB setup will work for trail comms, and most folks have CBs and don't have HAM.

Trail communications, recreation at home, and emergency situations in CA/AZ.

 

[DaveInDenver]

There is no one right first radio. It's more important that you just get one and start listening. I think it's best to just not spend a ton of money at first, regardless if it's an HT or mobile. Find a nice new or use radio that isn't a much and start using it. Then determine if you even need the other style and what you like and don't like about the radio you got.

 

[crawler#976]

The primary reason I got into Ham radio was for dependable long range comms. I felt that a mobile unit met that need better than a hand held here in AZ. More power, better range.

I started with two Yaesu FT-2800 - great radios, great price. They are powerful, dependable, rugged units that are well designed for the mobile environment.

However, as Ham became a hobby and more than just a means of trail comms, I upgraded to an FT-7800. If the local IRLP node was a 2M unit, I probably wouldn't have made the switch to dual band. But, now that I have, I'm glad I did. IRLP opens up the Tech license to world wide comms.

Mark

 

[kellymoe]

Most of the HAMS I have met recommend the mobile unit instead of the HT unit. But then again I cant see most of the HAMS I have met walking further than from the car to the counter at Denny's. I do lots of back country hiking and climbing so it was a no brainer which would be first. I later bought the 7800 but still use the Yaesu HT the majority of the time.

 

[Photog]

Go figure, the local clubs here suggest a handheld, then a mobile. Dad reported the same from the HAM club in Flag.

Must be regional preference then. Which means there is no right/wrong answer. Write down your needs and uses for the radio, then determine if there are any deal-breakers with one radio type or the other, and get the one that meets your needs.

And, as others have said, add another radio later, if the need actually comes up.

With the 5 watts of a handheld unit, and a good antenna, you should be able to communicate a bit further than a CB. If you can hit a repeater, there may be no limits.:wavey:

 

[taugust]

Another reason for the dual band not mentioned earlier: The dual band mobiles are where you first get the detachable face plate. If mounting options for a full radio near the dash or console are limited, you will want the dual bander for that. That was the kicker for me. I have and like the IC-208H. As to mobile or HT, get both. When I first got into Ham Radio, I couldn't understand whiy everyone had all those radios. Now I know. Different radios do different jobs better than others. You can never have too many radios.