A little bit more than I planned
Just spent $400 on the new Ham Radio including mounting kit, antenna, wire, external speaker, shipping, etc...
I was looking at around $200 total but this gives me a lot more capability of operation. There is a knee around the $300 price where the feature-set just gets major silly.
This will give me the ability to work directly with another station, work through any of the local repeaters, use digital communications, automatic position reporting (built-in GPS receiver). The unit can be programmed through a computer (USB interface). I ordered the truck-mount kit as well.
The actual real value is amazing. I was into radio as a kid and back then, you were looking at several thousand dollars of 1960's money to get a fraction of what is being shipped to me now.
As I said, one of the main drivers for getting my license is because public services are spread pretty thin on the ground out where I live. I will be joining the
Whatcom Emergency Communication Group (my instructors were all members) and will be participating in a few of their events.
Just what I need -- another hobby... (:)
Posted by DaveH at May 1, 2012 7:43 PM