Getting on the air has to be the ultimate goal for any new ham radio operator, like myself. With the advent of inexpensive dual-band handheld transceivers for VHF and UHF, it is easy to get on the two meter and 70 centimeter ham bands. The lower frequency ham bands, known collectively as high frequency (HF) are a different story. So far, cheap Chinese radios have not appeared for these frequency ranges, and basic radios sell for $500-$700 new. For many people who are just getting into ham radio, this is cost prohibitive. Or maybe someone with experience on VHF/UHF just doesn’t want to spend that much to try something new.
What to Buy
For the cheap new ham, a used radio is an ideal solution to this problem. There are numerous models of very nice older radios from the major brands: Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood, TenTec, etc. It can be difficult to keep all of the model numbers straight, but the reviews at eHam.net can be a good way to get oriented to a model you aren’t familiar with. I usually just google the model number and the eHam reviews are usually among the first few results.
WB0NNI has an interesting suggestion to consider a particular type of radio from the later 1970s and early 1980s. In the process of transitioning from vacuum tube to solid state radios, manufacturers produced a group of “hybrid” radios that had solid state signal paths but used vacuum tubes for the final amplification stage in the transmitter. As detailed on that page, there are a number of advantages to these hybrid rigs, including the robustness of the tube output stages and the wide availability of replacement parts due to the ubiquity of these models.
The picture above shows the Kenwood TS-520SE that I bought from its original owner. It is old in years, but it is in excellent condition. It works well on all of the frequency bands that is has (160m, 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m, 10m) and had a receiver that many people compare favorably with much more expensive newer models. An additional advantage of these oder radios is the relative simplicity of their controls. There are still plenty of switches and knobs and I’ve read through the manual multiple times and still need some reminding, but this is a far cry from the button-filled faceplates of the newest radios.
Where to Buy
You can either buy a used radio face-to-face at a hamfest or perhaps from someone in your local club, or you can buy online. (I haven’t been to any hamfests, so I won’t comment, except to say that commenters online highly recommend this option because you can see that the radio works.) Online, you have two main options for buying used transceivers: eBay and dedicated ham radio sales sites.
My radio came from a listing on QRZ.com whose “For Sale” section has many new items listed every day. It took a bit of waiting for something in my price range to come up, but someone is selling something in the $250-$400 price range a couple of times a week. Another site with ham radio gear for sale by hams is QTH.com, with some people posting the same items to both sites.
eBay is the other big source of used radios, but as with all things sold on that site, there are a number of provisos. First, you will often be buying a radio from someone who does not know anything about it. Maybe they got it at an estate sale, or from a dead relative, but chances are they don’t know enough to evaluate its condition. Sometimes you do find hams or dealers selling used radios, but that isn’t always the case. Second, items generally go for their market price on eBay. There are so many buyers looking at the auctions, that the price paid for an item is generally at or above what it is worth. So, if you see something going very cheaply on eBay, beware! There is probably some reason that the market has set the price where it is.
Risks and Rewards
Buying a used radio is not without its risks and its rewards. If there was an option for new radios in the $200-$400 price range, I think it would make sense for new hams to start there, but that segment of the new market is non-existent (for now). If that is how much you can afford to spend, then you will need to be savvy about purchasing a used radio. You might end up with something that doesn’t work, needs fixing, or as someone in a recent online discussion said, something that you spend all of your time dinking with.
On the other hand, you will be putting these radios to good use. Many older hams have moved on to new radios and don’t ever use these older, basic, yet full functional radios. Also, you will learn a great deal from the process of evaluating and possibly repairing your radio. You can know an older, simpler radio much more deeply than you can the latest computerized gear. From replacing burnt-out components to possibly modifying or improving what you bought, you will get solid electronics experience from a radio of this vintage.
For a cheap new ham, a used hybrid radio could be just the right choice.