QRZ Jumpstart- free radio for new techs

Cool!

"expires March 31, 2023" (or while supplies last)

I might take advantage of this.
 
It’s a half decent radio. Has the same clunky UI issues as all the China radios. Same radio chip inside no doubt. I’m a Yaesu man myself. I’d sell you this one cheap if you can’t get one for free.

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Yeah, thanks. I want something I can hand to my father in law, so he can have something to listen to at home. He kind of knows Morse code, of all things. Otherwise, he'd be fine with it bouncing between some police/fire in his and surrounding towns, a few repeaters, and the weather.
 
That leaves me out. Then again, I go with better quality radios. Buy once, cry once.

Yes and "lose once, cry a lot". [laugh]

For the mundane reasons ham portable radios are used, (99.999% of the time non life safety issues) a $25 dollar Chinese radio will suffice to rag chew just fine.

I talked (and still do) on a repeater around my area for five years and nobody ever knew what brand or type of portable I was using, never had a complaint of bad audio or distortion, matter of fact have been complimented many times that it sounded very good. (Baofeng UV-5R)

Many hams get caught up in the "equipment bragging rights" game, where they just love to spout off make and model numbers of their rigs, microphones, audio processing gear, "store bought" antennas (because they're too lazy or lack the knowledge to solder two pieces of wire to an SO-239 or bolt some ladder line to a center insulator.
The content of most ham conversations (HF and VHF) is so abjectly vacant of any even basic technical knowledge, it's surprising that many even passed an exam to get a license. Most don't have the vaguest idea of radio/electronics.


If I dropped a Baofeng off my tractor or out of my pocket or off my 4 wheeler out in the fields or woods, I probably wouldn't even go looking for it. I'd accept the loss, take another one off the shelf, charge it and move on.
 
A cheap HT is fine to start - we’re doing a Tech training series and giving away a collection of donated cheap or old-model HTs to those who pass the test. We’ll have a temporary net, Planet fitness-style “No Judgement”, to get over the hurdle of first voice QSOs.

A whole lot of new Hams buy a handheld and listen on 146.520, maybe try an 2m scan or even call, hear nothing and shelve it. Jumping into a Ham Club net can be daunting to newbies. I recently heard one guy go off on a rant at the new rotating net operator for not ID’ing with his call sign every time he called on the next Ham, saying if you do it every time, you won’t miss doing it every 10 minutes, blah, blah, blah.

Ham Fudds are the opposite of Ham Elmers.
 
I just like the idea because I am probably going to try to get my license soon. This offer just makes me want to do it sooner so I might be able to get that radio. I'm not worried about whether or not it passes the quality bar of some people. In fact, what I might do is just program it and give it to my father in law to listen to during the day while he's sitting around sipping coffee. I thought I already mentioned that, but I'm not even going to go back and look. He's a vet and knows morse code, and was in the signal corps, so he gets it.
 
I just like the idea because I am probably going to try to get my license soon. This offer just makes me want to do it sooner so I might be able to get that radio. I'm not worried about whether or not it passes the quality bar of some people. In fact, what I might do is just program it and give it to my father in law to listen to during the day while he's sitting around sipping coffee. I thought I already mentioned that, but I'm not even going to go back and look. He's a vet and knows morse code, and was in the signal corps, so he gets it.
Just do it. There are plenty of places you can get the info, take practice tests online. Its pretty easy.
 
Yup. I have the practice info and have started (slowly, kind of busy).

Are the actual REAL tests online as well, or do you have to go somewhere? Too nice out today for this. Shutting down PC very soon.
 
My only beef with the "cheap" radios is that they really aren't much cheaper than a low end model from a reputable maker.

Free is another story. And they did a nice job packaging it with everything you need to easily get up and running.
 
Yup. I have the practice info and have started (slowly, kind of busy).

Are the actual REAL tests online as well, or do you have to go somewhere? Too nice out today for this. Shutting down PC very soon.
There are some online, or you can go somewhere. Sometimes hamfests will have someone offering them.

 
My only beef with the "cheap" radios is that they really aren't much cheaper than a low end model from a reputable maker.

Free is another story. And they did a nice job packaging it with everything you need to easily get up and running.

The Japanese know how to make good radios, VERY good radios.
 
And it has to be a NEW call sign.
Yes and "lose once, cry a lot". [laugh]
For the mundane reasons ham portable radios are used, (99.999% of the time non life safety issues) a $25 dollar Chinese radio will suffice to rag chew just fine.
Free is another story. And they did a nice job packaging it with everything you need to easily get up and running.

Got license at the end of May. Missed this deal, but maybe another one comes along. Got a Baofeng BF-F8+ from a member here, and a GT-5R from Quabog Repeater Club. I think one of them is now not working 100%, but it allowed me to learn a bit about using and programming them. If a new one of these deals came up, it could be helpful to fill the gap of that broken one. I use the 2 between home office and 2 cars, and various other outside places, so they get knocked around a bit.
 
Those HTs are on sale for $40. That doesn't include all the stuff they were giving away before, but it's $20 off.

 
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