Economical Handhelds

I've defined Economical radios as those costing less than $100. If you are new to amater radio, these handhelds are a great way to get started.

These radios also can be great as second or third radios to be used for a specific purpose:

  • You might want a waterproof radio for use on the water or if you are often outdoors in a rainy climate
  • These radios are great for go bags
  • They make a great backup when providing communication support for event. Two is one and one is none.

You should plan on figuring out the programming software for your radio. Almost all the radios allow you to change their settings and save frequencies in memory from the keypad on the radio, but it's faster and easier to use programming software on your computer. Most handhelds in this category require a K1 USB programming cable to connect with your computer. You'll need to purchase the cable separately, and prices range from $7 to $25.

Baofeng BF-F8HP Pro

8W 2m 70cm 1.25m $

IP54
1000
GPS Bluetooth

Baofeng UV-5R

5W 2m 70cm $

The first inexpensive handheld.

128
Bluetooth

TIDRADIO H3

5W 2m 70cm $

Inexpensive dual-bander with USB-C and Bluetooth programming.

MIL-STD-810 USB-C
199 CHIRP
Bluetooth

TIDRADIO H8

10W 2m 70cm $

199
Bluetooth

TYT TH-UV88

5W 2m 70cm $

200
Bluetooth