Choosing Your Ham Transceiver
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Bob Pine - K6RMP
Revised August 21, 2010
Basic requirements for CERT use
If you are a CERT member thinking about buying a ham radio transceiver, the following are some of the considerations that you will want to keep in mind:
1. Price - the lowest available street price of a good new transceiver is just under $200.00. There are used sets available, especially on eBay, but for a set that has the features you need during a disaster those radios start around $150.00. With used sets you are taking a gamble - with no guarantee - that the set actually works and was not abused. The major gamble is that the battery still has a long life left, since batteries can run $60.00 and up. A used set is not recommended for someone just starting out.
2. Bands - to operate effectively, you will want a dual band transceiver. Dual band means one that operates on 144 mHz (2 meter band) and 440 mHz (70 centimeter band). These sets will have the basic frequencies you will need to connect with most emergency operations that you might be involved in. In Culver City, each of the three CERT uses a different primary frequency in the 2 meter band: District 1 = 144.330 mHz simplex (i.e., transmitting and receiving on the same frequency); District 2 = 146.445 mHz and District 3 = 147.570 mHz.. We also have a repeater on 445.600 mHz, the use of which greatly extends our range and battery life. There are hand-held transceivers that transmit at greatly reduced power on 3 or 4 bands, but the extra bands are generally not used in CERT/CCARES operations.
3. Power - The usual maximum transmitting power of a hand-held transceiver is around 5 watts on 2 meters (with sometimes a little less on 70 centimeters). The 5 watt figure is a compromise between small size of the unit and a reasonable battery life under usual operating conditions. A power rating of 6 or 7 watts is not significantly more powerful than a 5 watt unit. There are some cute compact units out there that have lesser power ratings, such as ½, 1 or 2 watts. Any maximum power rating less than 5 watts may be inadequate for your expected use in a CERT exercise or drill.
4. Durability - CERT operations are by definition conducted under difficult and demanding conditions. You want a transceiver that is ruggedly built and at least water resistant (which will also help to keep out dust). All things considered, a metal case will be stronger and more durable than a plastic case.
5. Size - older handheld transceivers are about the size and weight of a brick. More modern 5 watt transceivers are about the size and shape of a pack of cigarettes. One and two watt transceivers are available that are about the size of a small cell phone. If you are going to be carrying the transceiver around out in the field all day, you want one that is as light and compact as possible. However, with smaller size comes a price in convenience of operation. The smaller radios have smaller buttons, dials and controls, which some people with bigger fingers find difficult to operate. Smaller radios also sometimes leave off some of the buttons, etc. to save room. Make sure that the unit you select has a full keyboard plus other buttons and knobs of a size you can use.
6. Field support - the modern ham transceiver can be a wickedly complex thing to set up properly. The heart of the transceiver is a computer chip, and the sets can be programmed from a computer. Once set up, they are simple to use, but it requires patience to set them up. It helps if the transceiver you select is one that is used by other CERT/CCARES members, who can help you and answer your questions about operating the units.
Good basic radios
It is possible to buy a brand new basic radio for less than $200.00 retail. The radios in this group are recommended for new radio operators because they do not have some of the fancier capabilities of the radios in the next section. CCARES' experience has been that the more fancy features a radio has, the more likely those features will get accidentally activated. When that happens, it helps to have an experience CCARES member to figure out what changed, and how to get the radio back to normal operation - which may not always be convenient in the middle of a disaster.
Over time, prices change, makes and models of radios are added or discontinued. A partial list of what is available as of the date of this article follows. If you have questions on other models or brands, please ask.
1. Yaesu FT-60R is a dual band ham radio transceiver transmitting only on the 144 mHz and 440 mHz ham bands, but receiving many more VHF and UHF frequencies. The list price has gone up recently to $190.00. The FT-60R is a good, basic beginner's radio used by many CCARES/CERT members. It has all the features necessary for emergency operation. It is slightly larger (but not noticeably heavier) than some of the other radios, which may be more convenient for those with stubby fingers.
2. Wouxun KG-UVD1P is a dual band radio that can be found mail order for $107.00. This radio is imported from China, and received FCC certification as a business class radio in early 2010. While the price is extremely attractive, and the unit has a nice set of functions, this radio is not currently recommended as a primary radio for CERT/CCARES use. Reasons:
a. This unit was designed as a business class radio. As opposed to all the other radios discussed in this article, this unit is capable of transmitting outside the allowed amateur radio frequencies. Murphy's Law being
what it is, it is likely that it will be accidentally operated on the wrong frequencies, most likely when the FCC is listening.
b. At present there are no dealers or repair facilities in the USA, so warranties are questionable and time to repair is unknown if anything does go wrong.
c. At this time only one CCARES member has one of these radios, and is still learning how to use it.
d. While the radio has a nice feature set, because it is still new, there are a few reported "quirks" that could cause confusion, especially to a beginner during a disaster.
More bells and whistles
Some people want additional features that may be missing from the basic radios. A partial list of radios that might have those features, and for which at least 5 people in CERT/CCARES have those radios:
1. Yaesu VX-6 is the next step up from the FT-60R. In addition to having additional features, it is smaller and more rugged than the FT-60R. The current list price is $230.00.
2. Yaesu VX-7 is the next step up at list $290.00. The VX-7 is a quad band (transmits on 50, 144, 220 and 440 mHz) and dual receive radio (can receive simultaneously on 2 different frequencies, but transmits only on 1). It comes in 2 flavors, the VX-7R and the VX-7RS, the only difference being that the case of the R is black and the RS is silver.
3. Kenwood TH-F6A is another popular quad band dual receive radio that lists for $290.00. Both the VX-7 and the TH-F6A have many ardent supporters in CCARES/CERT, based mainly on personal preference for slight differences between these two fine radios. Either radio is likely to have every conceivable function that you could presently want (and many that you would never in a million years use). For those people who are ready to move beyond the basics, either would be a good choice. One or the other of the radios may have sales or discounts, and you are not likely to be hurt by shopping by price alone.
4. Yaesu VX-8 is even further up the food chain. There are two different models available: the VX-8GR lists for $400.00, and the VX-8DR lists for $415.00. At the current time, these radios are not recommended as a primary radio for CERT/CCARES use. Reasons:
a. These two radios were recently introduced to the market, and have had numerous bug reports and fixes. The time to discover a new bug is not when you are up to your knees in debris.
b. Because these radios are new on the market, currently only 2 of the newer CCARES members have one. No one has the required programming software, and these are difficult radios to program by hand.
c. The additional features, such as GPS and BlueTooth, are not functions that we are currently using or planning on using in CERT/CCARES.
Accessories
Like any electronic gadget, it is possible to spend more on accessories than you spent on the original unit. However, it is strongly recommended that you NOT buy any accessories with your hand-held radio until after you have had a chance to use it to see whether the accessory is really, really needed.
Accessories break down into 3 basic categories:
1. Power supply. All of the radios discussed come with a built-in Lithium-Ion battery and a wall charger. Many CCARES members have purchased a second battery so that one is always on hand and charged; however, batteries start at $60.00 and go up. Our experience at the LA Marathon the last two years is that a single, good, fully charged battery is more than adequate to power the radio for a 12 hour shift.
Most of the manufacturers also sell a car battery charger, which is useful to recharge the battery when the electric company is down. Some manufacturers also sell a replacement battery holder that holds several 1.5 volt AA batteries. Even with alkaline batteries, these replacement battery holders can only power the radio at a very reduced transmit power (although receive is unaffected). In addition, the additional radio time with one of these adapter is greatly reduced over the stock battery.
2. Antennas. The antenna that ships with the radios is a compromise between maximum available transmit/receive range and a need not to poke the user when the radio is worn on the belt. Many manufacturers sell other antennas better tuned to maximum transmit/receive range, which are about 19" long. There is no noticeable difference between 19" antennas of the various after market manufacturers. One thing to avoid is any aftermarket antenna that is shorter than the stock antenna. While these look good, they greatly decrease the range of the unit.
3. Microphone/speaker/headsets. All of the radios come with a built-in speaker and microphone that will most likely be satisfactory for whatever use you put the radio to. However, there are microphone/speaker combinations and headsets available both from the original equipment manufacturers and from aftermarket sellers. It is strongly recommended that you try the basic transceiver out first, then see if it feels like there is something missing before you spend the extra money. If you are going to spend more on a headset, please do NOT get one that has VOX (Voice Operated Xmit, aka Transmit). These headsets work around the push-to-talk switch by allowing the sound of your voice to start transmitting. In disaster work, the loud sounds going on around you can also trigger the transmitter, causing your signal to inadvertently interfere with another communication that is already in progress. The transmitter will also go on with a VOX headset when you are only meaning to talk to your teammates.
Conclusion
What it comes down to is a decision as to what it is that you think is the more important features. The current crop of radios from the well-known manufacturers are pretty much alike in terms of specifications and price. If you have any questions, please ask before you buy. Hope this helps narrow your search.
Where To Purchase
We recommend Jun's Radio, 5563 Sepulveda, Culver City as the place to start. The people are knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Unfortunately, at this time Jun's is only open Monday through Friday. Online Jun's is known as www.hamcity.com if you want to shop on the internet. Tell the folks at Jun's that you are a member of CCARES, and ask for a discount (sometimes they give one, sometimes not).
Good luck. If you have any questions, please let me know.
Bob -K6RMP