getontheairYour first station
Most new hams buy in the wrong order: an expensive radio, a cheap antenna, then a power supply that can't run it. This page is a decision path for spending your first dollars well. It doesn't review radios. Our brand chapters do that, and prices move too fast for a list to stay honest.
Independent guide, not affiliated with any manufacturer, dealer, ARRL or the FCC. No affiliate links, no sponsored picks.
First station v1.0 · written 2026-10-08 · FCC advisory and Part 97 references checked as of Oct 2026
Start from what your license allows
| License | Where you can transmit | Sensible first purchase |
|---|---|---|
| Technician | Everything from 50 MHz up (6 m, 2 m, 70 cm and above), plus CW on parts of 80, 40 and 15 m and CW, data and SSB voice on parts of 10 m | A dual-band 2 m/70 cm radio first. An HF radio later if 10 m or CW appeals to you. |
| General | Most of every HF band, plus everything a Technician has | An HF radio and a simple wire antenna. Keep the handheld for local nets. |
| Extra | All amateur privileges | Same as General. The extra slices of band matter more for CW and DX. |
Exact Technician HF segments and power limits are on Technician HF. Not licensed yet? Study free with Ticket to Talk, which covers all three classes. Fees and call signs are on What a license costs. You can also listen first without buying anything.
Decision path: what do you want to do first?
| You want to... | Buy first | Then | Read next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talk on local repeaters and nets | A dual-band handheld (HT) from a maker that lists FCC certification | A better antenna for it: a longer flexible whip, or a mag-mount on the car | Clubs & Elmers |
| Talk from the car | A dual-band mobile radio (20–50 W) | A proper roof or trunk-lip mount | Digital voice if your club runs DMR, D-STAR or Fusion |
| Work the country on HF from home | An antenna and feedline, then a 100 W HF radio and a 13.8 V supply | A tuner if your antenna needs one | Limited-space antennas · Permanent shack |
| Activate parks (POTA) | A portable 5–20 W HF radio and a battery | An EFHW or vertical you can deploy in five minutes | First activation · Field pack |
| Learn CW | A straight key or paddle and a practice oscillator, before any radio | A small CW-capable HF radio | CW learning path |
| Try FT8 and other digital modes | An HF radio with built-in USB audio, or an interface such as a Digirig | A laptop you can dedicate to the shack | WSJT-X |
| Satellites | A dual-band HT and a handheld Yagi | Headphones and a voice recorder | Satellites |
You don't have to pick only one row, but buy for the row you will actually use next month.
The handheld trap: make sure it's legal
Cheap VHF/UHF handhelds are everywhere. Many are fine on the ham bands. The legal problem is what else they can transmit on.
The FCC Enforcement Bureau spelled this out in Enforcement Advisory DA 18-980 (September 24, 2018). Two-way VHF/UHF radios must have FCC equipment authorization before they're imported, advertised, sold or used. The one exception is a radio that can only transmit on amateur frequencies. It needs no FCC certification, and you can use it under your ham license. Many radios sold as "ham" radios also transmit outside the amateur bands, and those need certification.
What this means for you:
- Your ham license covers the ham bands only. It doesn't let you transmit on GMRS, FRS, MURS, marine, business or public-safety channels, even if the radio can.
- Buy a radio that only transmits on ham bands, or one with FCC certification for every service it transmits on. If you can't tell which, ask the seller for the FCC ID and look it up.
- Don't "open up" a radio to transmit outside the ham bands. The advisory notes that, with very limited exceptions, an authorized radio may not be modified.
- Want to talk with family on GMRS? Get a GMRS license and a radio certified for GMRS. A ham-only radio won't do it legally.
HF: pick a path, not a model
When you're ready for HF, decide how you'll mostly operate. Our Hardware chapter covers specific radios family by family (Icom, Yaesu, Xiegu, Elecraft, SDR).
| Path | What it looks like | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Home shack, 100 W | A desktop or mobile-size HF radio, a 13.8 V supply rated for at least 20–25 A, and a wire or vertical outside | 100 W needs a real supply and fused DC wiring. It also needs an RF exposure check before you go on the air. |
| Portable, 5–20 W | A small HF radio with an internal or external battery, carried to parks | Battery capacity and antenna efficiency matter more than the extra watts. |
| CW-first QRP | A small CW-capable radio, a paddle and a light wire antenna | You will need to learn the code first. That's the point. |
| Receive first | An SDR dongle or an online receiver | Can't transmit, but costs almost nothing and teaches the bands |
A new 100 W radio isn't always the right first HF radio. If you live in an apartment, a portable radio you can take to a park may get you on the air sooner than a shack you can't build.
Spend on the antenna first
A good antenna on a modest radio beats a great radio on a poor antenna, every time. In practice:
- Feedline counts. Use decent coax for the run you need. Cheap thin coax on a long run throws away power at VHF/UHF.
- Get the connectors right. HTs often use SMA connectors, and the male and female versions differ by brand. HF radios usually use SO-239 (UHF) sockets. Check your radio before ordering an antenna or adapter.
- An antenna analyzer or SWR meter saves hours of guessing.
- A tuner is a trim, not an antenna. It helps a near-miss antenna load. It won't make a bad one radiate.
Antenna types for small lots, HOAs and apartments are on Limited-space antennas. Portable choices are under Antennas.
Small items people forget
- Power: a 13.8 V supply sized for the radio, or a LiFePO4 battery for field use. Fuse it at the source. See Hardware for the Powerpole and battery basics.
- Headphones: they make weak signals readable, and they keep the household on your side.
- A logbook: paper is fine. Our Logging chapter covers software when you want it.
- A clock set to UTC: see the UTC clock.
- Dummy load: for testing without transmitting on the air.
What to skip for now
- Amplifiers. Learn your antenna and the bands at 100 W or less first. More power also means a bigger RF exposure evaluation.
- Towers and big beams. They're great later. Don't buy them before you know what you like to do.
- Bundles from unknown sellers with no FCC ID, no manual and no support.
- Used gear from a stranger before you've read Buying used.
Habits / gotchas / checklist
Sources (checked Oct 2026)
- FCC Enforcement Bureau, Enforcement Advisory No. 2018-03, DA 18-980 (Sept 24, 2018): two-way VHF/UHF radios and the amateur-only exception.
- 47 CFR Part 97 privileges via eCFR §97.301 and §97.305.
- RF exposure rules: §97.13(c) and our RF exposure page.
Notes & edits
Comments and proposed markdown sit in a queue. Nothing is public until it is reviewed. How this works.