Ham Radio: Your First HF Radio - Why Buy A Low Power Radio?

Getting your foundation licence in the UK means access to the vast majority of HF bands but with a 10 watt power limit.

So, do you take the advice of maybe a radio dealer, and buy a radio which does not exceed your power limit?

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[adygad]

When starting out the best advice I was given is to prioritize on the antenna and feed line of your station. Having said that most HF QRP transceivers are light weight and compact, ideal for portable and mobile work. If that is not a requirement for your style of operating then the 100w HF transceiver route is the way to go for sure. For reasons like GUI ease of use, connectivity of antennas and interfacing with a PC and future proofing as you progress through the licencing stages. I have only ever bought new twice. The second hand market can represent amazing value for money. My advice for buying is 1. "try before you buy" if at all possible. Trust me, I went through many transceivers (and £1, 000's) before discovering what I needed and enjoyed using. 2. Don't base your purchasing decisions solely on internet reviews and technical performance tables. 3. If you buy a transceiver and end up not getting enjoyment from it sell it and try again. Some times you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince ;-)

[OutdoorsOnTheAir]

I really like your logic, Tim. It makes a lot of sense to me. Take care and 73 from Tracy VE3TWM!

[alanstupple]

Thank you for a few very well spoken videos Tim, I am an old man Ex illegal cb operater (long before muppets released) Even owned a Yaisu 101zd.back in the day. I found myself a scanner and watch all the u tube stuff and wish I wasnt coming up to 80 th birthday. Keep up the info as I can tell you are a man who likes to help others.Thanks.

[COASTALWAVESWIRES]

Enjoyed the video Tim, there one thing I think the UK does that’s so much better than the USA is giving the Foundation guys the 10 watt HF privilege. Our entry level (Technician) only have a small part of the 10 meter band for voice. I think the 10 watt option your Foundation guys have lead them to learning about efficient antennas and learning how to properly operate. As for beginner radios you know how I feel about the Xiegu stuff. I got to that point because as a beginner General a few years ago I started with a QRP rig and then got a 100 watt amp, it gave me the option of operating with some power at home and experimenting with QRP portable. I really think it made me a better ham. All the best my friend!

[IrishHamRadio]

FT-981 my first radio new… loved it so much bought a second one used, to dedicate to mobile and portable use..

[franciscolopez]

I am new to hf and very happy with my HR2510. Yes, starting on 10 meters, well, that's all I can afford for now. But I very proud to say that I have worked with several countries in Europe 10, 000 plus kilometers away and the farthest I've had contact with was Brazil which is 19, 316.34 kilometers from here in the Philippines. It gave me such fullfillment with low power and just an aluminum tubular dipole. I am just saving to have my IC-735 fixed. It maybe old school, what's important is it can communicate which is what ham is all about. Thanks for this video and 73's.

[alan]

Some great advice there Tim. Enjoy watching your videos. Keep up the great work 👍👍

[johnnorth]

I bought a second hand 450D on the basis that I might take the next level exams at some point so that I could increase the power levels appropriately. I quickly realised that for me QRP is where it is at (confirmed over time by hearing far too many megawatt + cowboys just blasting through the airwaves). The same money in a QRP rig would have made portable a lot more practical and a G90 is something I still hanker after.

[Scif]

I came back after a long hiatus from the hobby and went for a IC-705. Not a cheap option but still QRP but gives me HF VHF UHF and all mode. 73

[Kilroy_Was_Here_]

Some thoughts from somebody here on the other side of the pond:

When I first got my General and was going HF radio shopping, I was inundated with advice that I had to buy at least 100 watts or I didn't have a real radio and anything less than 100 watts was going to be a nightmare. So I bought a radio with a full 100 watts.

While this was a good choice for at-home use, where I had access to essentially infinite wall power, it was more of a hindrance when it came to wanting to operate portable off a battery. Even if I did turn the power down, the additional electronics involved in a higher-power radio meant a heavier and more inconvenient radio to lug around. I was dramatically less likely to have as much fun with radio as I could because of the bulk of higher power radios.

Further, on a regular basis, I have tried turning my power down just for fun, and I got essentially the same amount of quality contacts. At any rate, I was at the mercy of the ionosphere, no amount of power can change propagation.

So I would say to get a higher power radio to start with, but also be very open to selling it off and getting a lower power one if your interests or needs change in the future. Don't listen to anybody telling you that a less-than-100 watt radio isn't a "real" radio either. Watch the used market like a hawk, you'll eventually find an awesome deal you can't not buy. And whatever you do, focus on your feedline and your antenna the most, those are more consequential in getting contacts than what radio you have.

[mtrsradio]

Great words Tim. I run a ft817nd out portable also at home. It's the only HF rig I have.
Motters M7TRS 73 👍🏻

[RobertLeeAtYT]

I agree with you.

However, for those with a fuller wallet an option is the Elecraft kx3. Add the px3 100w amplifier later. This is a combination with no compromises.

[natedata]

I do like my G90, but it's an extra/portable rig. However, I am amazed at the contacts that can be made on 10 or 20 watts with a good antenna. I agree if the budget allows, a 100 watt rig is a good choice. Plus, all those 100 watts are fully available with a knob in times of emergency. Hopefully, it will also serve as motivation for license upgrades. There's always more to learn and the hobby is more accessible than ever. Cheers!

[sean-exbt]

Good points Tim - same argument could be said for Full Licence holders who buy amplifiers that exceed their 400w licence conditions here in the UK ;) - same difference really :)

[wblue]

Good points, and more valid because power privileges for all licence classes are to be increased. Now the problem is that lots of low power radios are 25W and the new foundation power limit will be 20W.

[nickjh]

Some fair points Tim. I opted for a 7100 on passing Foundation to future proof my radio, but last year purchased an X6100 for portable/SOTA/ camper van use and enjoy portable operating far more than sitting at home, plus 10W from an elevated position through a good antenna is surprisingly effective.

[chrisgveo]

I agree Tim its good to future proof and with the new 'direct to full exam' could get to full licence quickly now.

[vumes]

I started with 817 and progressed through the years. The wire outside the window makes it all than high power.

[jelspencer]

Fully agree Tim. Always try to future-proof as far as you can. After all, a 100W radio will happily run at 10W, if you wish to try QRP... But you'll be needing an amplifier if you want to run your first 10W radio at a higher power. Best regards de Jon M7COT

[bill-]

I started with a Pye Cambridge on 2m and 6 Watts of a.m. Then the KW202 and KW204 at 100 Watts followed by an FT101E then QRT, moved house, got married. Then went down the QRP route with a homebrew ssb/cw 80m + 20m 4 watts and added all h/f/ bands. Built a 2 Watt one valve cw tx and repaired a Wireless 19 set with low H.T. so 2 Watts. Got an FT817ND for portable, not done it yet. Not forgetting a Pye Bantam on 4m with 1 Watt a.m and Pixie at 350 mW.
I don't want any higher power now. QRP to QRP is great.
G4GHB