Handheld Transceiver, or Handie-Talkie. A hand-held radio that looks like a large walkie-talkie, capable of transmitting and receiving amateur radio bands. Often can receive other bands as well.
Questions tagged [ht]
110 questions
28
votes
11 answers
What's a cost-effective way to boost the range of my cheap 2m/70cm handheld?
I'm a very casual/beginner level ham and as such have mostly avoided committing too much in the way of financial resources - I have a UV-5R for a personal radio, anything else I do I've used others' radios.
I don't mind the 5R's interface; I'm…
Amber
- 2,718
- 4
- 20
- 32
26
votes
2 answers
How do Handheld antennas work without ground?
Dipoles have the 2 wires going to each leg of the antenna completing the circuit.
Big AM towers use the second wire as a ground plane
But how do handheld rigs transmit and receive with just one wire sticking in the air?
Skyler 440
- 7,550
- 7
- 48
- 88
18
votes
2 answers
Is there a disadvantage to using a cheap HT for APRS?
Looking to build a cheap (not even inexpensive, just dirt cheap) APRS beacon transmitter. Right now you can get a dual band handheld transceiver with rechargeable battery, antenna, etc for under $31 [USD], for instance. I can't find a cheaper…
Adam Davis
- 12,095
- 2
- 45
- 106
17
votes
4 answers
Using my Baofeng UV-5R to talk to walkie talkies
I have a few walkie talkies at home and sometimes I connect my UV-5R to them to talk to them and act as another walkie talkie. At one time, I built a little simplex repeater out of it. Should I not be doing this? I don't think the other walkie…
Skyler 440
- 7,550
- 7
- 48
- 88
16
votes
3 answers
What's wrong with 220MHz?
It seems like 220MHz is the bastard step-child of the amateur world. Every HT is either 2m or 2m/70cm. Some companies offer tri-banders, but they almost always add 6m (?!), not 220MHz.
The only way to get this band easily is the Chinese radios. I…
WPrecht
- 6,402
- 20
- 43
16
votes
8 answers
Are there any real advantages to an aftermarket NA-701 over the Baofeng stock antenna?
I have a Baofeng UV-5R HT radio that I have been using for about a month now and I really like it because it was very inexpensive and portable. It currently has the stock antenna on it and I have noticed that if I'm in more rural areas, I sometimes…
StompinFlax
- 161
- 1
- 1
- 3
13
votes
3 answers
How do I troubleshoot a Baofeng UV-5R that won't receive?
I have a couple of Baofeng UV-5R radios. I have a profile in Chirp that works great on one of them, and I foolishly pushed that profile straight over to a UV-5R without checking firmware versions. Chirp crashed, and now the radio won't receive. …
Benson
- 371
- 2
- 9
13
votes
3 answers
Are Baofeng radios illegal in the U.S?
Having a low price budget, my search for my first ham radio to buy has led me towards Baofeng. A quick Google search on baofeng showed a lot of results that said that certain model baofeng handhelds are illegal in the US. Is that true?
hopefulhacker-Reinstate Monica
- 767
- 2
- 7
- 23
12
votes
2 answers
How to do APRS in real wilderness?
I'm a relatively new ham (licensed a couple of years ago, occasional activity on 70cm and 2m, mostly repeaters). I'm looking to extend my ham experience and am interested in digital and packet modes.
I'm interested in APRS. The main reason is to…
hamster
- 295
- 2
- 8
11
votes
1 answer
What is body blocking, and does it work with a stock HT on a foxhunt?
I've heard that you might not need a special directional antenna to participate in a foxhunt, that some people are able to use their body to help determine the direction of a signal.
How does this work? More specifically, what is the process to do…
Adam Davis
- 12,095
- 2
- 45
- 106
10
votes
2 answers
What is the appropriate length of an antenna for a handheld on 2 meters?
I want to upgrade the stock antenna on my Baofeng uv-5r for which I mostly use the 2 meter band. The quarter wavelength for this band is about 19.2 inches, but when I look for antennas, they are typically 15.6 or 7.5, or some other seemingly random…
Ryan J.
- 103
- 4
10
votes
2 answers
What is the expected microphone input voltage level of a handheld transceiver?
Ok, so I'm looking to inject some computer generated CW into a little handheld rig by wiring direct into the mic input line. What sort of voltage is expected on this input, are we talking uV, mV or even Volts?
user521
9
votes
3 answers
How would I modify a satellite dish to transmit and/or receive to a Baofeng UV-5r plus? ( A handheld transceiver) If it's possible
I have an old satellite dish just lying around and was wondering how to hook it up to my baofeng uv-5r plus.
Sudo_Cats
- 91
- 1
- 1
- 3
9
votes
3 answers
In-house repeater?
At one time I was active in the local SKYWARN program, but then we moved and I find myself 10 miles from the local repeater. Given the various obstructions between it and me, I can't really hit it unless I'm up in the attic or on the roof. To make…
J_C_R
- 91
- 3
9
votes
4 answers
Were there any 6m handhelds produced ever?
Just of curiosity...
Outside of kits/ham produced prototypes, Do you know about any commercially produced 6m handhelds?
Should be technically feasible despite the fact that it would be more cumbersome than VHF / UHF radios, But I recall that CB…
rodv92
- 173
- 1
- 7