You can now help support WorldwideDX when you shop on Amazon at no additional cost to you! Simply follow this Shop on Amazon link first and a portion of any purchase is sent to WorldwideDX to help with site costs.

Reply to thread

Message

Hi Eli! Congrats on the new ticket, and welcome to the forum. The Baofeng is a pretty cool little HT, and you'll have fun with it. As far as making contacts, load your UV-5R with all the local repeaters, and listen in for a while. The guys in my area were very welcoming once I finally keyed up and said my call sign. After a while the nervousness goes away, and it's just like having a regular conversation.

Tons of ways to go with a first rig. What are you wanting to do? VHF/UHF, HF, both? Mobile or base? You CAN use your UV-5R mobile to stay on the cheap. Get a good gain antenna and coax to adapt to your HT. To play as a base, J poles and Slim Jim antennas are cheap to buy, or also easy to make. HF rigs are out there for decent prices, and you won't have to spend 600 dollars to get one. I picked up a clean, working TS-520 for 125 bucks. I know that's an old tube rig, but it works great. A dipole is super easy to make for 10 meters, and will get you on the HF portion of your ticket.

I have an Icom IC-718 and it's a good rig. There are several others out there (new) that would be a good choice, but...

Let us know what you are wanting to do, and you will get LOTS of opinions.

73,
Brett

<blockquote data-quote="2RT307" data-source="post: 459740" data-attributes="member: 22879">Hi Eli!&nbsp; Congrats on the new ticket, and welcome to the forum.&nbsp; The Baofeng is a pretty cool little HT, and you&#039;ll have fun with it. As far as making contacts, load your UV-5R with all the local repeaters, and listen in for a while.&nbsp; The guys in my area were very welcoming once I finally keyed up and said my call sign.&nbsp; After a while the nervousness goes away, and it&#039;s just like having a regular conversation.Tons of ways to go with a first rig.&nbsp; What are you wanting to do?&nbsp; VHF/UHF, HF, both?&nbsp; Mobile or base?&nbsp; You CAN use your UV-5R mobile to stay on the cheap.&nbsp; Get a good gain antenna and coax to adapt to your HT.&nbsp; To play as a base, J poles and Slim Jim antennas are cheap to buy, or also easy to make.&nbsp; HF rigs are out there for decent prices, and you won&#039;t have to spend 600 dollars to get one.&nbsp; I picked up a clean, working TS-520 for 125 bucks.&nbsp; I know that&#039;s an old tube rig, but it works great.&nbsp; A dipole is super easy to make for 10 meters, and will get you on the HF portion of your ticket.I have an Icom IC-718 and it&#039;s a good rig.&nbsp; There are several others out there (new) that would be a good choice, but...Let us know what you are wanting to do, and you will get LOTS of opinions.73,Brett</blockquote>

[QUOTE="2RT307, post: 459740, member: 22879"] Hi Eli! Congrats on the new ticket, and welcome to the forum. The Baofeng is a pretty cool little HT, and you'll have fun with it. As far as making contacts, load your UV-5R with all the local repeaters, and listen in for a while. The guys in my area were very welcoming once I finally keyed up and said my call sign. After a while the nervousness goes away, and it's just like having a regular conversation. Tons of ways to go with a first rig. What are you wanting to do? VHF/UHF, HF, both? Mobile or base? You CAN use your UV-5R mobile to stay on the cheap. Get a good gain antenna and coax to adapt to your HT. To play as a base, J poles and Slim Jim antennas are cheap to buy, or also easy to make. HF rigs are out there for decent prices, and you won't have to spend 600 dollars to get one. I picked up a clean, working TS-520 for 125 bucks. I know that's an old tube rig, but it works great. A dipole is super easy to make for 10 meters, and will get you on the HF portion of your ticket. I have an Icom IC-718 and it's a good rig. There are several others out there (new) that would be a good choice, but... Let us know what you are wanting to do, and you will get LOTS of opinions. 73, Brett [/QUOTE]

Top Bottom