Many people have sent us the question of what ham radio base station they should choose. Therefore, we have been doing our research, testing, and coming to a conclusion. In the article below, we would represent to you several trustworthy products we have collected and provide a buyer's guide, which can be useful to first-hand shoppers.
Here are the best ham radio base stations for beginners you can buy in 2024:
- Best Overall: President Lincoln II Plus 10 And 12 Meter Ham Radio Station For Beginners
- Runner-Up: Yaesu FT-2980R Original Single Band Mobile Transceiver
- Best Budget: BTECH Mobile UV-50X2 Dual Band Base Mobile Radio
- Premium Choice: Yaesu Original FT-991A Field Gear Transceiver
- Best For Portability: Kenwood TM-281A Transceiver For Beginners
- Easy To Operate: Yaesu Original FTM-400DR Dual Band Analog And Digital Fusion Transceiver
| 6 Best Ham Radio Base Stations For Beginners | ||
|---|---|---|
Best Overall | President Lincoln II Plus 10 And 12 Meter Ham Radio Station For Beginners | |
Runner-Up | Yaesu FT-2980R Original Single Band Mobile Transceiver | |
Best Budget | BTECH Mobile UV-50X2 Dual Band Base Mobile Radio | |
Premium Choice | Yaesu Original FT-991A Field Gear Transceiver | |
Best For Portability | Kenwood TM-281A Transceiver For Beginners | |
Easy To Operate | Yaesu Original FTM-400DR Dual Band Analog And Digital Fusion Transceiver | |
Best Overall: President Lincoln II Plus 10 And 12 Meter Ham Radio Station For Beginners
- Highly user-friendly for the first-hand with ham radio
- Clear description for control buttons
- Impressive output performance with faster-transmitting speed
- Not very eye-catching and modern-sense design
The first recommendation we want to present to readers is President Lincoln II plus ham radio. If you have used the President Lincoln II model, this would work quite similarly for you, preventing the situation of you having to spend time getting acquainted with it.
The only change in the model President Lincoln II Plus is that key CH19/9 has been replaced with Emergency Channel 1 and 2, allowing an easier user experience. The display and control buttons are highly visible and distinguished from one another with description, lowering the chances of you engaging in difficulties while using it.
| President Lincoln II Plus 10 And 12 Meter Ham Radio Station For Beginners Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product's dimensions | 9.84 x 6.69 x 2.05 inches |
Weight | 3.09 pounds |
Output power | 50W |
Display | Backlit LCD |
Frequencies | 300 Hz to 3kHz |
For the President Lincoln II Plus model, we rate it 9.5 on a scale of 10 for its values offered. It is user-friendly, easy to operate for beginners, performs well for all aspects, and is a real bargain to make a deal.
Runner-Up: Yaesu FT-2980R Original Single Band Mobile Transceiver
- Powerful output performance for HAM
- Highly durable and solid base
- Loud audio to adapt to noisy environment
- It can be too loud for some users
Next in the line, we have the Yaesu FT-2980R Original single band mobile transceiver. This is another item with impressive monetary value, though it is not as monetarily valuable as the President Lincoln II Plus.
The quality and assessment of the Yaesu FT-2980R are quite the same as that of the President Lincoln II Plus model. But making up for that is the more powerful output performance from the Yaesu product.
| Yaesu FT-2980R Original Single Band Mobile Transceiver Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product's dimensions | 7.3 x 6.3 x 2 inches |
Weight | 4.2 pounds |
Output power | 80W |
Display | Backlit LCD |
Frequencies | 144 MHz |
There is nothing much to discuss about the Yaesu items, in general. They are pretty well-reputed for their transceiver and other products.
Best Budget: BTECH Mobile UV-50X2 Dual Band Base Mobile Radio
- Performs well in the overalls
- Incredibly affordable for shoppers who want to give ham radio a trial
- Not outstanding in any aspect
The third recommendation on our list of the best ham radio base stations we've got for you is the BTECH Mobile UV-50X2 model. Its output power performance is not too impressive for us. We also rate the other aspects such as display or transmitting speed at the point of 4 to 4.3 out of 5.
But the price for its performance is incredible. It is by far the most affordable ham radio base station we can find on the marketplace, without the discount from the maker.
| BTECH Mobile UV-50X2 Dual Band Base Mobile Radio Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product's dimensions | 12.28 x 7.72 x 2.72 inches |
Weight | 4.19 pounds |
Output power | 50W |
Display | Multi-color LCD |
Frequencies | 144 MHz or 430 MHz |
If you are on a strictly limited budget, you have come to the right article. We have yet to find a more money-saving option than this one. The quality assessment can be not the best, but we evaluate it at the rate of 8 out of 10.
Premium Choice: Yaesu Original FT-991A Field Gear Transceiver
- Impressive output power for users with 100W
- Touch panel is available when purchasing the product
- Multi-color LCD for better vision if used at night
- Pretty heavy to carry around
In case you are not on a tight budget and looking for something called a long-term investment, why don't you give the Yaesu Original FT991A field gear model a try? Its output power is 100W, which doubles many other products on and out of the list. It offers users a robust and solid performance when in use.
The transmitting speed and ability to penetrate through a dense environment also impress us. The speed is excellent at 160 meters with a penetrating level of 70 centimeters. Moreover, the item is featured with a touch panel.
| Yaesu Original FT-991A Field Gear Transceiver Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product's dimensions | 17.4 x 12.1 x 7.4 inches |
Weight | 12.99 pounds |
Output power | 100W |
Display | Multi-color LCD |
Frequencies | 144 MHz or 430 MHz |
Its display and output power performances are what we love most about the Yaesu Original FT-991A. For its quality, we give a 10 out of 10. For the price, we all think that it deserves the price tag of nearly 1300 dollars.
Best For Portability: Kenwood TM-281A Transceiver For Beginners
- Works well and adapt almost all user's demands in general
- Lightweight and space-saving, easy to storage and portability
- Does not have the setup scan function
The next item we want readers to know in the section of the best ham radio base station is the Kenwood TM-281A model for beginners. The figures are not too impressive that make you go wow but we believe it is fine and can adapt to your usage demands, in general.
The reason why it is one of the most suitable for newbies is that it is super portable and easy to carry around. Apart from that, It is easy to operate and all the control buttons are not too many, which leads to confusion. They are clear with a short description of their functions.
| Kenwood TM-281A Transceiver For Beginners Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product's dimensions | 6.34 x 6.71 x 1.69 inches |
Weight | 2.5 pounds |
Output power | 65W |
Display | Backlit LCD |
Frequencies | 144 MHz |
The fifth candidate on our list of the best ham radio base stations is really a must-have item if you have to take it out constantly. It is lightweight, portable to carry, and store.
Easy To Operate: Yaesu Original FTM-400DR Dual Band Analog And Digital Fusion Transceiver
- Greatly user-friendly for the beginners to ham radio and also professionals who have been doing this for a while
- Great durability and solidity while performing
- Dual-band with analog or digital system
- Quite pricey and can be unaffordable for people of tight budget
Lastly, we must introduce to you the Yaesu Original FTM-400DR dual-band model. Although the product is highly friendly for newbies, it is well-adaptive to the work demands of the professional with a dual-band fusion system.
Its output power can not be as robust as the FT-991A model, but the usage is much easier and more multi-functional. It is also lightweight, which is suitable for people who prioritize portability.
| Yaesu Original FTM-400DR Dual Band Analog And Digital Fusion Transceiver Specifications | |
|---|---|
Product's dimensions | 5.5 x 4.9 x 1.6 inches |
Weight | 2.6 pounds |
Output power | 50W |
Display | Multi-color LCD |
Frequencies | 144 MHz or 430 MHz |
For beginners, we highly suggest you purchase this product. It has a dual system, which may look complicated. However, the result is absolutely contrary to what you may expect as a first-hand user.
How To Choose The Best Ham Radio Base Station For Beginners?
As you have read the information of several potential products for beginners, we would now go through the first-hand buyer's guidance for newbies, who are confused about the must-have criteria. Here is the list of factors you need to consider before making a purchase of ham radio.
Output Power Performance
Firstly, the output power is to be assessed. As you look for a good-quality ham radio base station, you should at least go for those that have an output power of more than 50. What we would recommend is a ham radio at the rate of 100W for long-distant and stable transmitting.
Display
Display factor can be the priority over others for some users. If you are using your ham radio at night more often than the daylight, it is advisable that you choose one with highly-visible control buttons for a better user experience. Many shoppers love the straightforward display for a faster presence of channels.
Durability and Solidity
No matter what type of product or maker you trust, durability and solidity are the essential elements to consider before purchasing. These two would partly decide your item's longevity. It is also dependent on you that the lifespan of your ham radio station can last for long. But these two are of the most important, keep that in mind.
Frequency Range
We would suggest radios with a rate under 1Ghz for the best penetration in a dense environment where your signals must get through lots of walls and other construction layers. Before you can choose a radio, evaluate your own surrounding area for the most suitable choice.
Programmable Usage
Last but not least, you must think of the programmability of your radio. The program can be established and controlled in the device itself or through a computer. Each method has its both drawbacks and benefits. For a computer-programming radio, you will be beneficial in terms of time and effectiveness. For the other method, you have greater flexibility and technological freedom.
Which Brands Make The Best Ham Radio Base Station For Beginners?
Yaesu
The Yaesu brand is well known among ham radio aficionados and is synonymous with premium quality ham radios. From stationary multi-feature communications equipment to portable devices, YAESU has consistently represented the best in communications equipment to the world's top DX'ers for over half a century.
Conclusion
This should be the end of our article on this topic. When it comes to technology devices, we need to spend a lot of time and effort determining our conditions, needs, and tasks to pick our item. It has never been a matter of budget, but rather suitability.
It is the case for the ham radio base station. You can take a glance at the products we have introduced, or choose one, based on the guidance we have provided above.
