Handheld Ham Radio Buyers Guide

Purchasing your First Radio

Any of these radios will allow you to transmit and receive on the 2 meter and 70 centimeter amateur radio bands. You will be able to use ham radio repeaters.

Programming Software

You should plan on figuring out the programming software for your radio. Almost all 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.

If you are familiar with consumer electronics, you might assume that handheld ham radios have Bluetooth or USB-C ports, and that you use these modern connectivity standards to program the radio. Some handhelds have these capabilities, but it's usually only the expensive ones.

Some radios require a proprietary programming cable, and they tend to be expensive ($30 to $40). Many radios use 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.