A handheld is how most people start in this hobby, and for a lot of us it never really stops being the radio we reach for first. But “HT” covers a huge range of gear, from a $25 Baofeng to a $500 GPS-tagging DMR radio, and picking the right one (then actually programming and accessorizing it) trips up more new hams than almost anything else. This is the map to everything on QSO Journey about handheld radios: choosing one, comparing models, upgrading it, and keeping it fed and programmed.
Choosing Your First HT
Handheld Radio Reviews
- Baofeng UV-5R Review: The Radio Nearly Every Ham Owns At Least One Of
- Six Handheld Radios Compared: Kenwood TH-D75A, AnyTone AT-D890UV, VGC VR-N76, Wouxun UV-9P, Baofeng UV-5R Mini, and TIDRADIO H3
- AnyTone AT-D890UV Review: The Radio That Never Leaves My Belt
- Why the AnyTone AT-D878UV II Plus and AT-D890UV Are Still the Radios to Beat
- The Best Budget DMR Handheld? Why I Recommend the Anytone AT-D168UV
- Ailunce HD2 Review: A Great EmComm Handout Radio, With a Warning
- VGC VR-N76 / BTech UV-Pro Review: A Great Budget EDC Radio, With One Real Catch
- Kenwood TH-D75A Review: My Go-To Travel and Wideband Receive Radio
- Icom ID-52 Review: D-STAR’s Flagship Handheld
- Yaesu FT5D Review: Fusion’s Flagship Handheld
- Icom IC-705 Review: A Compact SDR QRP Radio for the Field
GMRS Handhelds
- Best GMRS Radios for Families, Overlanding, and Everyday Use
- Wouxun UV-9G Review: Our Family’s GMRS Handheld
- Wouxun UV-9P Review: My Favorite Scanning Radio
- BTECH GMRS-V2 Review: A Budget GMRS Handheld Worth a Look
Accessories, Batteries, and Upgrades
- Essential HT Accessories: Speaker Mics, Cases, and Clips Worth Buying
- HT Battery Types: OEM Packs, Eneloops, and What Actually Lasts
- HT Antenna Upgrades: The Cheapest Performance Boost You Can Make
- Setting Up a Peltor ComTac Headset with Your Radio for a Tactical Kit
Programming Your HT
- CHIRP: Free Programming Software for Your Handheld Radio
- Programming Cables Compared: Which One Actually Works Reliably
- Radio Field Cards: Quick-Reference Programming Guides
Where to Go Next
Still putting your first station together? Start with Building Your First Ham Radio Station. Ready to get on the air with modes and operating beyond a handheld? See Getting On The Air: Modes, Operations, and Making Contacts. Building an emergency kit around a handheld? Check Emergency Communications and Preparedness.