Your First Ham Radio

Start here (60 seconds)

Most new hams should start with a dual-band HT (handheld) for local repeaters and simplex. If you can budget it, a basic mobile with a real antenna is the “easy mode” path for dependable comms.

• Best first purchase (typical)

  Dual-band HT + upgraded antenna + a programming cable.
• Best for reliability (if budget allows)

  Dual-band mobile (50W class) + vehicle/base antenna.
• Most common mistake

  Buying a radio before understanding bands, repeaters, and legal service rules.

Radio “lanes”: Part 97 vs Part 90 vs CB vs MURS vs Public Safety

Your radio can often tune many frequencies, but you can’t legally transmit everywhere. The FCC organizes radio services into different rule parts. Learning the lanes is Technician-level smart and “good neighbor” operating.

What to buy first (and why)

The Technician question pool points you toward practical VHF/UHF operating: simplex, repeaters, offsets, and tones. That means your first rig should be good at local VHF/UHF.

HT vs Mobile: the “range and reliability” truth

A handheld is convenient and affordable, but it’s operating with two big disadvantages: low power and a small antenna close to your body. A mobile rig (or even an HT connected to a proper outside antenna) is a massive step up in “it just works.”

Mono-band vs dual-band vs tri-band vs quad-band

• Mono-band

  Often simpler, sometimes better performance per dollar—great if your local activity is mostly one band.

  Example: a dedicated 2m mobile can be a tank.
• Dual-band (most common)

  2m + 70cm covers most local repeaters and simplex. Ideal first radio category for Technician operators.
• Tri/Quad-band

  Adds extra bands (often 1.25m/220 MHz or 6m/10m). Can be useful—but don’t buy complexity you won’t use.

  Rule of thumb: buy your first radio for what people actually use near you.

Cheap radios vs higher-quality radios (emissions, receiver behavior, durability)

It’s okay to start budget. UHDARC is not here to shame anyone. But it’s important to understand what you’re trading: spurious emissions, selectivity, and real-world durability.

Price vs performance chart (practical categories)

This is not a “brand war.” It’s a practical map to help you match your budget to your goals. Performance here means: receiver behavior in real RF, durability, audio, filtering, and overall “trust.”

If you only remember one thing: antenna quality and placement often beats chasing “more watts.” Your first radio should be paired with a plan for a better antenna, even if that plan is “next month.”

Technician pool skills your first radio should support

Repeaters, offsets, and tones (the daily bread of VHF/UHF)

A repeater uses two frequencies: you transmit on the input and listen on the output. Your radio handles this using an offset. Many repeaters also require a CTCSS tone (or DCS) to access.

Programming: keypad vs software

You can program by keypad, but software (often with CHIRP or manufacturer tools) can save hours—especially when you’re learning. A smart first-radio plan includes a programming cable and a clean, documented channel plan.

• Program at least 10 channels

  Local repeaters + simplex calling + your club’s working channels.
• Name channels clearly

  Example: “UHDARC-146.XXX” or “SLCo-443.XXX” to reduce mistakes under stress.
• Lock the basics

  Enable key lock, set correct step size, verify offset direction, and confirm tone settings.

Receiver realities (simple, but advanced enough to matter)

New hams hear “receiver sensitivity” a lot. Sensitivity matters, but in many real environments, dynamic range and selectivity are what keep your radio from collapsing when nearby signals are strong.

Translation: a radio can be “sensitive” and still be frustrating if it overloads near RF sites. For mountain-top and city RF, receiver quality becomes a big deal.

Antenna basics for your first radio (big payoff, small money)

Antennas are where new operators accidentally lose range. A better antenna can feel like a radio upgrade. For HTs, consider a quality aftermarket whip (kept reasonable and safe). For mobiles, a proper vehicle mount and tuned antenna will outperform “more watts” almost every time.

On-air basics (Technician-level professionalism)

A radio is only as good as the operator. You don’t need perfect jargon. You need clarity. Use plain words, identify correctly, pause between transmissions, and keep control of your tone and pace.

• Identify clearly

  Your call sign, at required intervals, spoken calmly and clearly.
• Use phonetics when needed

  If you’re asked to repeat, switch to standard phonetics to reduce errors.
• Leave space

  Pause before talking—especially on linked systems and repeaters.

Glossary & hover dictionary

Hover (or tap) brown terms throughout the page for quick definitions. This glossary is the “full text” reference you can search.

Next steps (what UHDARC recommends after this page)

Once you understand the lanes, the rig types, and repeaters, you’re ready for the next pages:

• Handheld (HT) setups

  Batteries, antennas, carry, best practices, and real-world expectations.
• Mobile (vehicle) setups

  Power wiring, fusing, mounting, antennas, grounding, and reliability.
• Portable / go-kit

  A calm, organized kit you can trust during travel or emergencies.