Advice on buying a new radio

Hamradioop
Posts: 2089
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:21 am
Location: Area 1: north wessex

Re: Advice on buying a new radio

Post by Hamradioop »

[/quote]Having said all above, I have contacted my local club (Farnborough) and agreed a date to go down and meet them in the new year. I have been persuaded to look at my foundation and expand my knowledge of radio's so I have placed these on my xmas list to start me off: x2 BAOFENG UV-5R5's. I have also ordered the third party magmount for the car and a couple of better, longer aerials as well. Just out of interest..... I know they only push 1W and 4W but is there an outdoor antenna that can be attached and used to increase the possible range of these hand sets?[/quote]

Farnborough was the club where I took my exam in 1981 used to meet in the Railway Enthusiast club in Hawley lane in the 80's.

you would be better off setting up a base station with a external roof mounted aerial some thing like a leixen vv989 vhf/uhf DUAL BAND MOBILE TRANSCEIVER
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEIXEN-VV-898 ... xyw3NTlxrM
something like the x30 colinear on the chimney
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SIGMA-X-30-UH ... XQs~ZRjNIE
and a 12 power supply either a car battery or a power supply unit
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/QJPS30II-30-A ... Swu4BV1yTt
plus co ax cable to link the radio to the aerial i would recommend RG213 wwhich is low loss.

If he is still there Mick at Farnborough communication in North camp may be able to help. address is
97 Osborne Road, Farnborough off lynchford rd.
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TheOldHObbit
Posts: 55
Joined: Wed Oct 28, 2015 5:55 pm

Re: Advice on buying a new radio

Post by TheOldHObbit »

Thank you for the links, I am still very much learning and the handsets are something the kids want to buy me so if I am successful with my foundation I can take them with me in the caravan when I go travelling. I have looked through the links you have kindly supplied and it gives me a much better idea of what I might need and hopefully keep within a limited budget.

Mick has moved on and like you I have had dealings with him for probably 20+ years in terms of supplying radios for my work. Chris has taken over and like Mick runs a fantastic shop and a brilliant advice center for numpties like me. I still have FC as my main contractors and use FC's services regularly, in fact they have just installed a new digital IP repeater and handsets for me last week and I am also waiting for my sirio gainmaster to arrive through him lol, although I may not need it if I change my set up. Once again thank you for your help and hopefully I will be able to report my successful completion of my foundation in a couple of months.