Tag: review
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The Heil PRO 7: Why It’s One of the Best Upgrades You Can Make, Especially With the FS-3
Better audio, easier pileup hunting, and hands-free operation. Here’s what the Heil PRO 7 and FS-3 combo actually does, and what you need to run it on a Yaesu FTX-1.
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Dummy Loads, Wattmeters, and the Other Tools I Actually Use
Beyond a radio and an antenna, a handful of basic test tools make troubleshooting and tuning something you can actually do yourself rather than guess at. Here is what earns a permanent spot on my bench.
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Baofeng UV-5R Review: Why I No Longer Recommend It
Part of our Handheld Radios (HTs) guide. I don’t own a UV-5R anymore, and at this point I don’t recommend picking one up. It’s still the radio that got more people licensed and on the air than almost anything else over the last decade, and that matters even with a mediocre receiver. But the market…
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The AnyTone AT-D578UV III Plus: Why I Own Three of Them
One radio in the Jeep, one in the manpack, one in the shack. Here’s why the AT-D578UV III Plus earned three spots in my setup instead of one.
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My Recommended First Ham Radio Station: Budget and Mid-Tier Builds for New Hams
Two complete station recommendations for new hams, one budget and one mid-tier, covering radios, antennas, and power supplies for VHF/UHF and HF.
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Should You Upgrade from the Original IC-7300 to the Mark II?
Honest thoughts on whether the Mark II’s improvements are worth the upgrade cost if you already own a working original IC-7300.
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Yaesu FT-891: One Radio for the Shack, the Truck, and the Field
The FT-891 is built to be compact enough for a dashboard yet capable enough for a full base station. Here’s how it actually holds up in all three roles.
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Used IC-7300 Pricing After the Mark II Launch: Is the Original Still Worth Buying?
What’s happened to used original IC-7300 pricing since the Mark II launched, and whether the original is still a smart buy.
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Pairing the IC-7300 Mark II with an External Tuner for Non-Resonant Antennas
When the built-in tuner isn’t enough, and how I pair the IC-7300 Mark II with an external tuner for antennas well outside its matching range.
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Why the AnyTone AT-D878UV II Plus and AT-D890UV Are Still the Radios to Beat
The 878 basically defined the affordable DMR handheld category. The 890 built on it. Here’s why both are still worth your money, plus how the BridgeCom Maverick and the rest of the field stack up.
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Icom IC-2730A Review: The Dual-Band Mobile I Regret Selling
Part of our New Ham? This Is Where You Should Spend Your Money guide. I ran an Icom IC-2730A in the shack, in my Jeep, and in my truck, all at the same time, for years. I don’t say that to brag about owning three radios. I say it because that’s exactly the kind of…