Have you ever wondered if there was more to the world of radios than to listen to AM and FM broadcasts? Have you wished you could transmit from your own radio station and communicate with other people over different radio frequencies? Or are you someone who wishes to communicate over devices popularly known as "walkie-talkies" when you need to be actively passing instructions at a work site or at a public service event? The answer to all of these situations is the ham radio which is also known as amateur radio.
As it is true for any device that requires operational and technical knowledge, a certain level of proficiency is required to be able to use a ham radio to its full potential. A ham radio can be used in many different settings and for different purposes. Some people like to use them as a hobby, to keep in contact and to network with fellow amateur radio operators around the globe, some people use it for more practical purposes for example in public service events like a marathon or a fair where it is easier and cheaper to pass information and instructions over a radio than over the phone. Other uses can be to have a mobile, compact device that is suitable for taking outdoors with a long battery life with which you can listen to FM radio broadcasts, light your way in the dark and ring an emergency alarm if you need to.
These are the uses of a ham radio that you can achieve without having to acquire any license. But ham or amateur radios' true power lies in its ability to transmit. With these radios, you can transmit messages from your radio to other ham radio users and talk to them, which does require a license. But do not let the requirement for a license intimidate you, the license can be easily acquired by passing an exam and with a few basic ham radio components, you can start operating your ham radio in no time. Also, during emergency situations like a fire, or natural disasters, you are allowed to use whatever means you have, even without a license to call for help and ham radios can be a true lifesaver in such scenarios.
There exists a perplexing number of variations when it comes to ham radios and it is important to have an in-depth knowledge of what are the different kinds that are available and how you can use them to fit your needs.
This is radio made it to the very top of our favorite ham radios from the market and it will surely be a favorite to anyone who is looking for an amateur radio that offers high-grade features and a top quality service when it comes to radio transmissions.
This is the best ham radio you can buy if this is your first time with ham radios and probably not wanting to risk spending a fortune on it. This radio is from the same company that our best pick radio is from and BaoFeng is a brand that you can truly rely on. This radio will give you a complete experience of the world of amateur radio communications while staying within your budget.
This is an economical radio with a compact, sturdy body that is sure to attract the attention of anyone who is looking for an economical amateur radio that is reliable and user-friendly.
This radio gives a maximum power output of 4 watts but also has a battery saving mode where you can lower the power output to maximize battery life. The long-lasting battery of 1500 mAh can be charged using an AC adapter or by simply dropping it in the charging try which is a handy feature because it will help you locate the radio easily and also save you the trouble for finding the adapter and inserting it into the radio to charge it.
You can choose to listen to a wide range of radio frequencies, VHF (136-174) MHz and UHF (400-520) MHz, and you can also choose from wide and narrow bands. You can save up to 128 channels in the memory for quick access to those channels, as well as use the Dual Watch feature to keep track of two channels at the same time.
One feature in this radio that we are particularly fond of is the turning knob at the top right-hand side of the radio which can be used to turn the radio on/off as well as to raise/ lower the volume. Many modern radios have switches or buttons for the volume and it can be bothersome to find the right button and go through the screen menu to control the volume. With this radio’s knob, which is a more traditional style, you can easily control the volumes with your fingers while talking over the radio.
The Push-To-Talk button on the side is easy to push and the LED screen lights up when the PTT is activated. The menus items have a built-in electronic announcer that will tell you which menu you are on which is a handy feature to have to help you get used to operating the radio faster.
The screen can be set to light up in different colors depending on which function you are on for example Receiver mode (RX) or Transmitter mode (TX), etc. The auto keypad lock feature will ensure that you don't accidentally activate a function.
The casing is a commuter case which means it will be able to survive shocks, bumps, and drops and be a durable device on your roughest adventures.
Are you a veteran in the amateur radio world, looking for a powerful handheld radio transceiver that will help you win the next amateur radio contest? Do you frequently volunteer at public service events such as marathon but are tired of low power range HTs that constantly run out of charge? Are you a new two-way radio user, planning to take a license but are intimidated by what you have heard about the difficulties of programming transceivers? No matter which group you belong to, this radio from BaoFeng which is the most powerful device yet from the popular brand will have you covered and be a full-fledged two-way handheld transceiver that is user-friendly both towards new and seasoned users.
The first thing about this radio that will strike any radio users as being impressive is the RF power output that is 8 Watts at its maximum. In other BaoFeng radios, the antenna that came with the radios were dummy-load antennas, which meant that most users who wanted a better antenna had to buy a more efficient one separately. But this radio is unique in the sense that it comes with a V-85 high gain antenna which delivers twice the antenna performance compared to the older models. Combine this high-performance antenna and the 8 Watt power output and you have a radio that at the top level of the competition when it comes to transmittance efficiency. To support this high power output, this radio comes with a battery that has a capacity of 2000 mAh which is a thirty percent increase from the previous versions. If you want to save battery life in situations where you don’t need a high power output, you can simply select a lower 1 Watt or 4 Watts output. A larger battery also means that you will feel more comfortable using the built-in flashlight in the dark or listen to the FM radio for a longer period of time. The battery can be charged through an AC adapter or by simply placing it on the cradle charger.
As its name suggests, this radio will allow you to operate on dual bands, within 400- 520 MHz for Very High frequency (VHF) and within 136 – 174 MHz for Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) and for listening to commercial FM radio channels, you can tune in to 65 -108 MHz. The channels can be programmed through the keypad at the front of the radio, but if you are worried about not knowing how to do so, this radio will still be a great choice because one of the improvements it has brought about is the in-depth, newly written user manual, that the previous models have been lacking. If you still do not want to go through the extensive work of programming, you can always buy a programming cable and let a computer software such as CHIRP to do the work for you.
If you are a fan of BaoFeng radios and are familiar and in-love with the BaoFen radio designs and features, you will be ecstatic to know that although this radio has been upgraded in many aspects, the design and the sturdiness remains very similar to the older models, including the volume-control knob at the top, the belt-clip and the lanyard for good portability, VOX function, Tri-color display etc. The radio is also backward compatible with all the accessories of the older models which is a great news for anyone with other BaoFeng radios in his/her collection.
If you are looking for a handheld transceiver that is reliable and compact, this radio is definitely worth looking into. Although this product is from a company called Luiton and not BaoFeng, it has a tough, small body with remarkable similarities in design with the popular BaoFeng UV-5R radios, which is a good news for users experienced in using BaoFeng ham radios. Although the body structure, the battery, and drop-in charging tray is similar to BaoFeng UV-5R models, this radio has some differences which might make it a better choice for many users.
The front face of the radio has a minimalistic number of buttons, which makes it look simpler and also less confusing for users at the beginner level. Apart from the keyboard, at the front side, there are only two buttons: a button for setting the functions and another button for switching from channel groups.
On the left side of the radio are the buttons for PTT, Monitor and Call functions. The right side of the radio has the interface for connectors to external accessories such as speakers or programming cables. The knob for volume control and power on/off at the top, which can be turned using your fingers while the radio is in your hand.
The maximum power output of this radio, which is 7 Watts, is at a higher level compared to many other ham radios. The radio also comes with an antenna which will help you to get better reception. It will allow you to operate on both UHF and VHF and also listen to FM radio broadcasts if you simply press the FM button on the keypad.
Among other ham radios which come mostly in dull, boring colors such as black and grey, this radio stands out as an eye-candy with a refreshing vibrant yellow color. The display screen can also light up in funky yellow, red and green colors, making the use of this radio more fun and exciting.
Interesting design and color is not the only thing that we love about this radio from Juentai. It has two power output levels, high and low, where the high power output can reach 7 watts, which is higher than many other ham radios. The Li-ion battery of this radio has a high capacity of 2200 mAh which exceeds even the battery power of the newest BaoFeng model.
If you frequently use your ham radio in crowded and noisy settings, this radio will be a great pick for you since its speaker delivers a loud, clear audio output with a maximum power of 1 Watt. Apart from the high-performance speaker, there are jacks for the mic, external speakers, earphones and programming cable.
Not only does this radio receive radio signals with high efficiency, it also allows you to transmit your signals to other radios, which you can do if you have a license for it. The CTCSS/DCS functions allow you to set privacy on your radio and allows only certain users with frequencies that match your frequency. There are different modes for making calls with the radio: single, group or troop call modes and this comes handy especially when you want to use the radio to communicate with other members when you are out as a group on outdoor activities like hiking or camping.
Till the previous product on this list, we were looking at amateur radios of a certain category called Handheld Transceivers. Now it’s time for us to move onto mobile transceivers. These are ham radios with which you can listen to FM broadcasts, scan and listen into different frequencies and also transmit from your radio, given that you have a license for transmitting, basically you can do all the things that a handheld transceivers can do, with less portability as a trade-off but you get in return, much higher RF power output, louder speakers, and higher battery capacities.
Because of their higher power in different aspects, they make better choices for being used in your ham base station and in your vehicles. Although they are bigger and heavier compared to handheld ones, they are still quite portable, for example, this excellent mobile ham radio from ICOM weighs only 2.43 pounds and gives you a power output of 65 Watts which is astounding compared to handheld radios which could give around 8 Watts at best. With this radio, you can select from four different power output levels: 65W, 25W, 10W and 5W which allows it to be used in versatile settings.
Apart from the higher power output, this radio has passed a durability test and has been proven to withstand the bumps and shocks your car might have to go through on rough road conditions. So you can confidently use this radio on your road trips, or if you are a ham radio operator and your profession requires you to constantly be on the road.
The layout of the radio is very user-friendly so if you are a beginner level ham operator and you are worried about the small buttons on handheld ones and you want a bigger screen that makes things clearly visible to you, this is a good radio to get started on your journey with. The LCD screen can be lit in three different colors: amber, yellow or green and will help you work even in low-light conditions.
For radio communications and listening, this radio has 207 memory channels, where each of the channels can be named according to your liking so that it is easy to find your channels when you need to access them quickly. The frequency range is 144 - 148 MHz for Tx and 136 - 174 MHz for Rx.
Apart from being a mobile car ham radio and thus offering higher power outputs and being stronger in every aspect compared to handheld transceivers, this radio brings something new to the list, which is the Quad band. Most radios that we talked about on this list are dual bands which means they operate mostly on VHF and UHF. Unlike the dual band radios, which lets you operate on only two frequency bands, this radio will allow you to transmit on four different frequency bands: 10 m, 6 m, VHF 2 m and UHF 70 cm bands. Apart from multiple frequency bands, this radio offers a vast storage of channels where you can save up to 809 memory channels! The names of the channels can be edited to suit your needs.
Along with the Quad band feature, this radio also provides Cross Band communication which means with this radio, you can simultaneously receive on one frequency and transmit on another. This allows a more efficient and faster communication as you and the person you are talking to do not have to take turns to transmit on the same frequency, but transmit simultaneously to each other on different bands.
The maximum power output of this radio is 50 Watts, with multiple lower power levels to be used when you want to reduce the battery drainage. The faceplate has a backlit screen with clearly labeled buttons for ease of use. The speaker is located at the top and the heat sink at the base of the main body. The radio can be mounted easily inside your car or on your base station.
If you are looking for a ham radio that is more powerful than a handheld transceiver but is not as bulky or heavy as common mobile transceivers, this ham radio from Leixen is a great choice for you. It offers Dual band transmissions at 136-174 MHz and 400 – 470 MHz with all the necessary calling functions such as CTCSS, DCS, and VOX.
The mountable body of the radio has a simple layout with a reasonably sized screen and buttons for memory, channels and volume controls. You can save up to 199 memory channels and also edit their names. The power output can be selected from low which is 4 W or high which is 10 W.
What sets this mobile radio apart from the others are its simplicity and lightness, so if you want to avoid all the complexities and restricted portability that usually comes with mobile radios, this is a radio that is worth looking into.
What we love about this mobile radio is its customizability. First, it gives you nine different colors and ten different display elements to play around with and set your display screen however way you want. A flexibility of this extent is hard to come by on mobile radios. Secondly, it introduces a new feature called the Dual Sync mode in which you can simultaneously monitor more than one channel name and frequency. For the RF power output, you can select either 50 W or 10 W according to your needs.
In other radios, if you are scanning through frequencies and it is interrupted due to power shortage or by transmission, you might have to start scanning all over again but with this radio’s ability to save scanning preferences and resume from right at that point, you can set all your worries aside.
Best Pick
This is radio made it to the very top of our favorite ham radios from the market and it will surely be a favorite to anyone who is looking for an amateur radio that offers high-grade features and a top quality service when it comes to radio transmissions.
Budget Pick
This is the best ham radio you can buy if this is your first time with ham radios and probably not wanting to risk spending a fortune on it. This radio is from the same company that our best pick radio is from and BaoFeng is a brand that you can truly rely on. This radio will give you a complete experience of the world of amateur radio communications while staying within your budget.
Quick Comparison Between The Best Ham Radios
Below, we have selected ten best ham radios that we thought are worth looking into if you are planning to buy a ham radio. Included in the sections below are what we loved about the radios and what we did not, and also the things you should consider before finding a ham radio that is perfect for you. [table id=97 /]2. BaoFeng UV-5R Dual Band Two Way Radio
This is an economical radio with a compact, sturdy body that is sure to attract the attention of anyone who is looking for an economical amateur radio that is reliable and user-friendly.
This radio gives a maximum power output of 4 watts but also has a battery saving mode where you can lower the power output to maximize battery life. The long-lasting battery of 1500 mAh can be charged using an AC adapter or by simply dropping it in the charging try which is a handy feature because it will help you locate the radio easily and also save you the trouble for finding the adapter and inserting it into the radio to charge it.
You can choose to listen to a wide range of radio frequencies, VHF (136-174) MHz and UHF (400-520) MHz, and you can also choose from wide and narrow bands. You can save up to 128 channels in the memory for quick access to those channels, as well as use the Dual Watch feature to keep track of two channels at the same time.
One feature in this radio that we are particularly fond of is the turning knob at the top right-hand side of the radio which can be used to turn the radio on/off as well as to raise/ lower the volume. Many modern radios have switches or buttons for the volume and it can be bothersome to find the right button and go through the screen menu to control the volume. With this radio’s knob, which is a more traditional style, you can easily control the volumes with your fingers while talking over the radio.
The Push-To-Talk button on the side is easy to push and the LED screen lights up when the PTT is activated. The menus items have a built-in electronic announcer that will tell you which menu you are on which is a handy feature to have to help you get used to operating the radio faster.
The screen can be set to light up in different colors depending on which function you are on for example Receiver mode (RX) or Transmitter mode (TX), etc. The auto keypad lock feature will ensure that you don't accidentally activate a function.
The casing is a commuter case which means it will be able to survive shocks, bumps, and drops and be a durable device on your roughest adventures.
PROS
CONS
4. BaoFeng BF-F8HP (UV-5R 3rd Gen) 8-Watt Dual Band Two-Way Radio
Are you a veteran in the amateur radio world, looking for a powerful handheld radio transceiver that will help you win the next amateur radio contest? Do you frequently volunteer at public service events such as marathon but are tired of low power range HTs that constantly run out of charge? Are you a new two-way radio user, planning to take a license but are intimidated by what you have heard about the difficulties of programming transceivers? No matter which group you belong to, this radio from BaoFeng which is the most powerful device yet from the popular brand will have you covered and be a full-fledged two-way handheld transceiver that is user-friendly both towards new and seasoned users.
The first thing about this radio that will strike any radio users as being impressive is the RF power output that is 8 Watts at its maximum. In other BaoFeng radios, the antenna that came with the radios were dummy-load antennas, which meant that most users who wanted a better antenna had to buy a more efficient one separately. But this radio is unique in the sense that it comes with a V-85 high gain antenna which delivers twice the antenna performance compared to the older models. Combine this high-performance antenna and the 8 Watt power output and you have a radio that at the top level of the competition when it comes to transmittance efficiency. To support this high power output, this radio comes with a battery that has a capacity of 2000 mAh which is a thirty percent increase from the previous versions. If you want to save battery life in situations where you don’t need a high power output, you can simply select a lower 1 Watt or 4 Watts output. A larger battery also means that you will feel more comfortable using the built-in flashlight in the dark or listen to the FM radio for a longer period of time. The battery can be charged through an AC adapter or by simply placing it on the cradle charger.
As its name suggests, this radio will allow you to operate on dual bands, within 400- 520 MHz for Very High frequency (VHF) and within 136 – 174 MHz for Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) and for listening to commercial FM radio channels, you can tune in to 65 -108 MHz. The channels can be programmed through the keypad at the front of the radio, but if you are worried about not knowing how to do so, this radio will still be a great choice because one of the improvements it has brought about is the in-depth, newly written user manual, that the previous models have been lacking. If you still do not want to go through the extensive work of programming, you can always buy a programming cable and let a computer software such as CHIRP to do the work for you.
If you are a fan of BaoFeng radios and are familiar and in-love with the BaoFen radio designs and features, you will be ecstatic to know that although this radio has been upgraded in many aspects, the design and the sturdiness remains very similar to the older models, including the volume-control knob at the top, the belt-clip and the lanyard for good portability, VOX function, Tri-color display etc. The radio is also backward compatible with all the accessories of the older models which is a great news for anyone with other BaoFeng radios in his/her collection.
PROS
CONS
5. LUITON LT-8W Dual Band 2-Way Ham Radio
If you are looking for a handheld transceiver that is reliable and compact, this radio is definitely worth looking into. Although this product is from a company called Luiton and not BaoFeng, it has a tough, small body with remarkable similarities in design with the popular BaoFeng UV-5R radios, which is a good news for users experienced in using BaoFeng ham radios. Although the body structure, the battery, and drop-in charging tray is similar to BaoFeng UV-5R models, this radio has some differences which might make it a better choice for many users.
The front face of the radio has a minimalistic number of buttons, which makes it look simpler and also less confusing for users at the beginner level. Apart from the keyboard, at the front side, there are only two buttons: a button for setting the functions and another button for switching from channel groups.
On the left side of the radio are the buttons for PTT, Monitor and Call functions. The right side of the radio has the interface for connectors to external accessories such as speakers or programming cables. The knob for volume control and power on/off at the top, which can be turned using your fingers while the radio is in your hand.
The maximum power output of this radio, which is 7 Watts, is at a higher level compared to many other ham radios. The radio also comes with an antenna which will help you to get better reception. It will allow you to operate on both UHF and VHF and also listen to FM radio broadcasts if you simply press the FM button on the keypad.
PROS
CONS
6. JUENTAI JT-UV007 Dual-Band Ham Two-Way Radio
Among other ham radios which come mostly in dull, boring colors such as black and grey, this radio stands out as an eye-candy with a refreshing vibrant yellow color. The display screen can also light up in funky yellow, red and green colors, making the use of this radio more fun and exciting.
Interesting design and color is not the only thing that we love about this radio from Juentai. It has two power output levels, high and low, where the high power output can reach 7 watts, which is higher than many other ham radios. The Li-ion battery of this radio has a high capacity of 2200 mAh which exceeds even the battery power of the newest BaoFeng model.
If you frequently use your ham radio in crowded and noisy settings, this radio will be a great pick for you since its speaker delivers a loud, clear audio output with a maximum power of 1 Watt. Apart from the high-performance speaker, there are jacks for the mic, external speakers, earphones and programming cable.
Not only does this radio receive radio signals with high efficiency, it also allows you to transmit your signals to other radios, which you can do if you have a license for it. The CTCSS/DCS functions allow you to set privacy on your radio and allows only certain users with frequencies that match your frequency. There are different modes for making calls with the radio: single, group or troop call modes and this comes handy especially when you want to use the radio to communicate with other members when you are out as a group on outdoor activities like hiking or camping.
PROS
CONS
7. ICOM 2300H 05 144MHz Amateur Radio
Till the previous product on this list, we were looking at amateur radios of a certain category called Handheld Transceivers. Now it’s time for us to move onto mobile transceivers. These are ham radios with which you can listen to FM broadcasts, scan and listen into different frequencies and also transmit from your radio, given that you have a license for transmitting, basically you can do all the things that a handheld transceivers can do, with less portability as a trade-off but you get in return, much higher RF power output, louder speakers, and higher battery capacities.
Because of their higher power in different aspects, they make better choices for being used in your ham base station and in your vehicles. Although they are bigger and heavier compared to handheld ones, they are still quite portable, for example, this excellent mobile ham radio from ICOM weighs only 2.43 pounds and gives you a power output of 65 Watts which is astounding compared to handheld radios which could give around 8 Watts at best. With this radio, you can select from four different power output levels: 65W, 25W, 10W and 5W which allows it to be used in versatile settings.
Apart from the higher power output, this radio has passed a durability test and has been proven to withstand the bumps and shocks your car might have to go through on rough road conditions. So you can confidently use this radio on your road trips, or if you are a ham radio operator and your profession requires you to constantly be on the road.
The layout of the radio is very user-friendly so if you are a beginner level ham operator and you are worried about the small buttons on handheld ones and you want a bigger screen that makes things clearly visible to you, this is a good radio to get started on your journey with. The LCD screen can be lit in three different colors: amber, yellow or green and will help you work even in low-light conditions.
For radio communications and listening, this radio has 207 memory channels, where each of the channels can be named according to your liking so that it is easy to find your channels when you need to access them quickly. The frequency range is 144 - 148 MHz for Tx and 136 - 174 MHz for Rx.
PROS
CONS
8. TYT TH-9800 Quad Band 50W Cross-Band Mobile Car Ham Radio
Apart from being a mobile car ham radio and thus offering higher power outputs and being stronger in every aspect compared to handheld transceivers, this radio brings something new to the list, which is the Quad band. Most radios that we talked about on this list are dual bands which means they operate mostly on VHF and UHF. Unlike the dual band radios, which lets you operate on only two frequency bands, this radio will allow you to transmit on four different frequency bands: 10 m, 6 m, VHF 2 m and UHF 70 cm bands. Apart from multiple frequency bands, this radio offers a vast storage of channels where you can save up to 809 memory channels! The names of the channels can be edited to suit your needs.
Along with the Quad band feature, this radio also provides Cross Band communication which means with this radio, you can simultaneously receive on one frequency and transmit on another. This allows a more efficient and faster communication as you and the person you are talking to do not have to take turns to transmit on the same frequency, but transmit simultaneously to each other on different bands.
The maximum power output of this radio is 50 Watts, with multiple lower power levels to be used when you want to reduce the battery drainage. The faceplate has a backlit screen with clearly labeled buttons for ease of use. The speaker is located at the top and the heat sink at the base of the main body. The radio can be mounted easily inside your car or on your base station.
PROS
CONS
9. LEIXEN LX VV-898 Dual Band VHF/UHF 136-174/400-470MHz 10W Two Way Radio
If you are looking for a ham radio that is more powerful than a handheld transceiver but is not as bulky or heavy as common mobile transceivers, this ham radio from Leixen is a great choice for you. It offers Dual band transmissions at 136-174 MHz and 400 – 470 MHz with all the necessary calling functions such as CTCSS, DCS, and VOX.
The mountable body of the radio has a simple layout with a reasonably sized screen and buttons for memory, channels and volume controls. You can save up to 199 memory channels and also edit their names. The power output can be selected from low which is 4 W or high which is 10 W.
What sets this mobile radio apart from the others are its simplicity and lightness, so if you want to avoid all the complexities and restricted portability that usually comes with mobile radios, this is a radio that is worth looking into.
PROS
CONS
10. BTECH MOBILE UV-50X2 50 Watt Dual Band Base, Mobile Radio
What we love about this mobile radio is its customizability. First, it gives you nine different colors and ten different display elements to play around with and set your display screen however way you want. A flexibility of this extent is hard to come by on mobile radios. Secondly, it introduces a new feature called the Dual Sync mode in which you can simultaneously monitor more than one channel name and frequency. For the RF power output, you can select either 50 W or 10 W according to your needs.
In other radios, if you are scanning through frequencies and it is interrupted due to power shortage or by transmission, you might have to start scanning all over again but with this radio’s ability to save scanning preferences and resume from right at that point, you can set all your worries aside.