Author Michael Daly is a former Captain in the United States Marine Corp. He currently works at the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Senior Enterprise Architect in Infrastructure Operations and previously was a Project Manager at the Defense Information Systems Agency at Fort Meade MD. He has been involved in military and civilian communications technologies for over 40 years and holds a GMRS radio license (WRDQ914), a HAM Radio Amateur Extra class license (KC2SBR), is an accredited Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) Volunteer Examiner, an accredited ARRL Volunteer Emergency Communications Field Examiner, and currently is a volunteer radio operator with the Ocean County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (OCARES), the Ocean County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), the ARRL Southern New Jersey Mutual Assistance Team (SNJMAT), and is a NOAA trained National Weather Service Severe Storm Spotter.

HAM radio is presently experiencing a bit of a resurgence, judging by how many people seem to be taking exams to get HAM licenses. Between increased demand and worldwide supply chain issues, there are occasional shortages of HAM radios in 2022. Even in the best of times, the process of shopping can be frustrating for a new HAM. So many choices, so many features. Such a variety of price points.

When I bought my first HAM radio I had no guidance beyond “get an HT” (A WHAT?). I read everything I could find, shopped, relied on my previous experiences, read as many reviews as I could, I reached out to other HAMS I was meeting to get their opinions (much like asking gun enthusiasts which gun and caliber is best for home defense, you quickly discover every HAM has an opinion on a best “first radio”).

Looking back, I still basically picked my first radio almost at random. I got lucky and picked one that has met my every need over the last several years. The radio I selected is still in production, while other radios I considered at that time are now discontinued.

But for we Silver Tigers, there are some special criteria to consider, since we’re motivated by preparedness rather than strictly by hobby interests. You’re going to be looking for things related to long battery life, ease of use, reliability, and durability. A radio with several accessories available in the marketplace for future purchase is also important. My goal is not to tell you which specific radio to buy, instead I want to present for your consideration some factors as you shop, that will support your preparedness.

To begin, do we want a portable device, a mobile device (not the same) or a base-station? I would suggest to start with a portable. These are also called a “Handi Talk” or “HT” as a your First Radio, but let’s also get familiar with what else is available.

Generally, radios come in three styles, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Portables (HTs) are small and handheld. The power source is usually internal to the radio. Their prices average lower than the other two types I’m going to mention but some feature-rich handhelds can run hundreds of dollars, they transmit at low power (usually up to 5 watts) but with the right options can transmit many miles.

Mobiles are a little bigger, a little more expensive, have more features, and are a little more powerful. As the name implies, they initially were intended to be mounted in vehicles (although many people now also use them as Base Stations as well). They require an external power source such as an external battery or a 12V DC power supply, and transmission power can average in the 50 watt range.

Last are Base Stations. Even bigger still, more expensive, and more powerful. They require external power sources and typically also have multi band capabilities to transmit and receive on any possible HAM frequencies you eventually might use with more advanced licensing. They have way more features than you’re ready (or licensed!) to use at this point. These are typically larger and not very convenient to move around, and require an external power source of a 12V DC power supply. Because of their transmitting power on certain frequencies (HF, up to 100 watts) they can also be dangerous if used incorrectly.

In the next part about choosing a radio, we’ll talk about my specific recommendations. So, it’s “73!” from me for now (Best Regards in HAM-speak).

KC2SBR-Mike

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