Just got my tech lisence for ham radio, what is the best brand of radio?

Question

Just got my tech lisence for ham radio, what is the best brand of radio?

Answer 1

Loaded question.. as each brand is good and bad....

Stick with the major three manufacturers for VHF/UHF equipment such as Yaesu,Icom, and Kenwood....

But I've had luck with Yaesu and Kenwood better than Icom personally. But Icom has gotten better in quality control and such in the last 5 years or so so.. as long as it's a new radio it shouldn't matter

Answer 2

all

Answer 3

"one million cb'ers can't be wrong".

Yeah, I always consult cb'ers before I buy my amateur gear.

Icom makes wonderful gear, as do Kenwood and Yaesu.  As far as poor front ends go, check the specs on all three brands and you won't see any appreciable difference.

But yes, I'd certainly stick with Ikensu.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

Regarding wise old man's comments below, your logic is faulty.  If Toyota and Honda sell the most new automobiles, then it stands to reason that eventually Toyotas and Hondas will be the most common cars on the used car lot. This says nothing about the qualities or reliabilities of Toyotas and Hondas.  I've just looked at the used HF rigs being sold on eBay and there easily appears to be more Kenwoods than anything else, with Yaesu and Icom about equal.  But again, these numbers do not translate into quality of the apparatus.  Just my $0.02.

Answer 4

In VHF UHF there is probably not much difference between the major players., so I have no preference there.

But in HF its another story.

All of the radios from Icom , Kenwood and Yaesu perform well but thats is not the whole picture to be considered.

I look at long term reliability , and as an owner , I recomend that you do too.

So just take a look on ebay in the ham radio sections and tally up the amount of faulty rigs for sale.

Considering all of the brands there I work it out as Yaesu is the best with the least faults  , followed by Kenwood and then followed a LOOOOONG way behind by Icom.

What use is a good radio when its busted and sold off on ebay for almost nothing.?