I guess the biggest question is...What are you looking to spend ?
Secondly, Do you want to be able to plug your radio into the the wall? or run a mobile radio off a power supply? If you run off a power supply then you can put the radio into a vehicle also. The other good reason for running a mobile for a base is...they take up less space.
There are many radios to choose from, get some opinions, investigate them, choose which fits your needs better. But, by all means, get one that has all modes...AM/FM/SSB.
AAAhhhhh antennas, again this is like radios. Size performance and cost are big factors. For the money I would say the Imax-2000 is a good antenna and priced under $100.00. Of course you can go more expensive and get a beam antenna. But for starters lets just keep it simple.
The antenna will be the most important piece on your base station. Pick wisely and get it up as high as you can. At least 36'
Coax,Make sure it is well shielded, DO NOT BUY IT FROM RADIO SHACK. Again, there are many kinds of coax and opinions. Ask and investigate and of course it is all errelavent to how much you have to spend.
Lastly, you are going to want a meter that is accurate and doesn't cost you an arm or a leg. I prefer to have one with an antenna tuner which, will help to protest the radios finals.
Half the fun of creating a station is the investigation and knowledge. Enjoy it, there will never be a first base station.