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Old 23-10-2011, 14:51
Bulletguy1
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Seriously cheap!

It would be exceptional value for 2m, but it's 70cm as well!.
Cheaper than a cheap CB.......it even comes with a battery and two aerials!

Those are the kind of prices which encourage people into trying a new hobby.
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Old 23-10-2011, 15:17
neo_wales
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Spare batteries cost almost as much as the rigs but still great value compared to the likes of Kenwood/Trio etc.
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Old 23-10-2011, 18:54
Dan Sette
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Along with others I took my class B in the mid eighties (G1YMC) though have not sparked up the Yeasu for several years.

Oddly, now looking to take a marine radio exam so I can listen to the ships and boats from my new vanatge point.
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Old 23-10-2011, 19:08
TeeGee
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When I were a lad you had to make everything yourself. What joy to read Radio Constructor, Short Wave Magazine, Practical Wireless and of course the American ARRL annual handbook was bordering on pornography for the pleasure it gave!

A decent ex gov receiver in the late 1950s (R1155, CRO 80 etc) was even then the equivalent of a very decent second hand car. Its amazing just what you can get for your money nowadays.
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Old 23-10-2011, 19:35
On the Rocks
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I have had a licence for 30 years but have not been active for the last 10. I put an aerial up recently to listen to the local 2m repeater (I live in Southampton). Talk about dead! 70cms is even worse. In two months I have only heard one QSO (conversation) on 70cms.

Sadly the internet has been the reason for amateur radio's decline.
I think that if you only listen to 2m FM, you're likely to find things declining. Mobile phones more than the internet have killed it off--where you might have once called up your mates through the local repeater, you can now just give them a ring for a few pence and not have half the town's radio amateurs listening in to you.

But on the HF side of things, it's never been busier. Have you heard the pile-ups trying to work stations like T32C in Kiribati, and ST0R in South Sudan? I talked to people in Taiwan, Djibouti and New Zealand yesterday over the radio, all on 10m. It's in rude health.
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Old 23-10-2011, 19:56
mike1948
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I think that if you only listen to 2m FM, you're likely to find things declining. Mobile phones more than the internet have killed it off--where you might have once called up your mates through the local repeater, you can now just give them a ring for a few pence and not have half the town's radio amateurs listening in to you.

But on the HF side of things, it's never been busier. Have you heard the pile-ups trying to work stations like T32C in Kiribati, and ST0R in South Sudan? I talked to people in Taiwan, Djibouti and New Zealand yesterday over the radio, all on 10m. It's in rude health.
I have not got any HF gear - I might give it a go.
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Old 01-12-2016, 18:59
neo_wales
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The new novice license is very simple and there are limits on you but it gets you up and running and is ideal if your mainly interested in 2m. I did read of some clubs doing a training course on Saturday and the exam was held on the Sunday. To be honest I'm not an active ham now but talking to a guy who is involved in a local group it seems the introduction of the simple test has led to an increase in the number of people taking up the hobby which is good news.
I just stumbled across this thread and a quick update, due to my health not being so great I've really got back into ham radio these last three or four years,
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Old 19-12-2016, 16:54
Pemblechook
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Equipment might be expensive but you can get bargains and you might use the same radios for years with no significant additional costs. Virtually all other hobbies have continual costs like Golf Club subs. Other the years some hobbies must cost folks thousands of pounds.
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