April 2017 – What Radio to Buy
Thank you to all who attended the April 2017 BARC meeting. Several items of note took place during this meeting.
First, a vote was taken regarding the donation of $1,000 from BARC to UVHFS to be used for repairs of the damaged Intermountain Intertie sites (primarily Bear Lake). This motion was unanimously approved by all members who were present and a check was presented to Mel Parkes (NM7P).
Current Utah ARRL Section Manager and president of the Utah VHF Society Mel Parkes then spoke regarding the upcoming ARRL election for Utah Section Manager and presented arguments for a vote in his favor. Mel talked briefly about the Utah VHF Society and expressed gratitude to BARC for our contribution to repairing the damaged sites. He answered questions from those in attendance and encouraged we keep an eye open for ham of the year nominations for next year.
This month’s meeting topic was, “What Radio to Buy”, presented by Ted McArthur (AC7II). A frequent question presented by newer hams is, “Now that I have my ticket, which radio should I buy?” As Ted points out in his presentation (linked above) there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. It ultimately depends on the features/functions you need for the activities you plan to participate in. One might interject a follow up question to a prospective buyer of, “What do you plan on using it for?” Of course there are many other factors that come into play as well that Ted points out. The presentation included a discussion on radio types, specifications, sources of professional and end user product reviews, and certain legal issues that arise regarding transmitting on radios as it pertains to their FCC type acceptance.
There was an assortment of nearly a dozen handie-talkies on display. One by one, Ted explained the features of each radio, pointing out what modes they transmitted and received, and other items of interest. This was a very good example of the type of operating diversity one can enjoy with just an HT. It is understandable why it may be a daunting task for a newer ham to pick one over the other… But as Ted pointed out, trying different modes and getting a feel for the nuances of different brands is part of the fun of amateur radio. The presentation provided plenty of information to help steer someone looking to make a radio purchase in the right direction.
If you happen to be someone with questions such as the one addressed at the this meeting, please don’t hesitate to ask. We invite you to join us for Elmer Night, which for this month will be on Thursday, the 18th @ 6:30PM on the third floor of the Sheriff’s Office.
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