The Top 5 Handheld Ham Radios for 2024!

My HT is a TYT TH-UV88. I found it affordable, around $55 for the radio and an external speaker mic. Programming was rather simple once I got the programming cable that did not come with the radio. The radio is like the baofengs, it does 2m and 70cm and everything in between.

how about TYT MD UV390?

So as a beginner, which one would be the most durable, waterproof one for when crewing sailing yacht deliveries across oceans or traveling in foreign countries in areas away from cities? I’ll be starting your course soon, great video, thank you

Hello everyone, I'm a newcomer to the world of HAM radios. I'm in search of a reliable backup communication method that can facilitate connections within a 25 KM radius. Could you kindly recommend the appropriate equipment for this purpose?

I own the FT3 and ID52…. If you can do without aprs, the ID52 is much easier to enter repeaters, organize repeaters and the GPS locating of nearby FM/DV repeaters is invaluable while traveling.

In Norway is all dead now in the year 2023 all is Digtal now,we cant not almost get a singel Am broadcast in here now,its like the dark edge here in Norway,if you are not are a real amateur radio listener with expensive large antennas and expensive ham radios.

My friend, can I use the Yaesu FT5 as a mobile rig with a diamond antenna? Otherwise, what's the point of buying a handheld if the rubber ducky gives you 1-2 mile radius?

The B-Tech DMR6X2pro is a cheaper than Anytone AT D878UV II+. Fully supported in the US, and has a few more option than the Anytone. Anytone built the DMR6X2por to the B-Tech standard, so it's not a cheap clone, but an Anytone, if fact they are 97% compatible and it will even take a Anytone code plug. But you cant use an B-Tech code plug with a Anytone radio.

I use the 8hp with a comet amount. I can hit repeaters 15 miles away.

I've had no problem programming either the FT5DR or the TH-74D with the keypad.

Hey, Jim - thank you for this video. I used Ham Radio Prep to help me prepare for my Technician test, successfully on my first attempt. KQ41XD. Again, THANK YOU. My time is now being invested in preparing for the General test. Personally, HF is where I plan to spend my time, and the HF handhelds are rather scarce.

This guy picks according to digital stuff, not everyone is interested in digital. And he ignores tribands, what few there are in HT.

Quansheng UV K 5 nothing else in 23 💪😜 whit jailbreak 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Keep it cheap. Slipping a UV5R into your bug bag will make it almost one pound lighter when you ditch it.
Buy two.

Question because I’m not a ham operator, will something like the baofeng bf-f8hp run marine channels?

So your top five choices are:
Baofeng. A radio from a company that the FCC has slapped down because they didn’t meet minimum standards for filtering. They splattered all over the band they transmitted on.
They CLAIM 8 watts. When you TESTED, was that VHF or UHF, or both? I suspect you didn’t test, you’re just highlighting what they claimed.
Yeasu. “It has a single VFO which is a good trade off for durability…” So my FT2D that has dual VFO has one that gets damaged. The other still works. That makes it LESS durable than a radio with a single VFO?
In what world? Please, demonstrate how a radio with dual VFOs is LESS durable than one with a single VFO.
The other three are easy calls. They’re all flagship models. How does it take any experience to tell someone pick a flagship model for one of the three biggest sellers on the market. And realistically you only picked from two because the Kenwood isn’t available new anymore.
How about “spend a year with an inexpensive USED analog dual VFO radio (and hasn’t had the FCC come after the manufacturer, looking at YOU baofeng). Figure out what you like and don’t like about it. Then identify the most common digital system you can reach from your home QTH. Find the handheld from the manufacturer that supports the most common digital system near you, and has the features you identified you need/want. Then you’ll have something you are happy with. When you get that new handheld, donate the old one to a new young ham. You’ll be surprised how you change their life for the better, all because of a handheld.”

Can you tell me the difference between the yaesu ft-60 and the ft-65?

this video is called, "... TOP 5 Handheld Ham Radios ...", and considering the title, it is kind of lame and misleading. all it did was compare advertised features. there was no bench testing to compare actual specs, or any real world comparison tests. If there had been any, then they would have shown that the only radios with decent receivers in this test were the Kenwood and the Icom. How can you take a recommendation seriously if they haven't tested the radios they are recommending against each other, and then presented the results? And some of the statements are just false, like the one about the FT-5DR programming. They also glossed over how poor the displayed information is on all the radios mentioned here - except the Kenwood and the Icom. Also, recommending 8 dirty spurious Beaufeng watts next to your head probably isn't a good idea - if it even actually puts out 8 watts - which I doubt - in which case why would you recommend a radio that falsely advertises it's specs? This video is nothing more than listing advertised features. and how do I know? because I owned all these radios ... and consequently got rid of most of them. Also there was no mention of Motorola ... which should tell you something ... considering this is a "Top 5" video ...

Great video. Thank you Jim!

Sadly you missed the Wouxan KG-UV9 series. Great radios!

I just got the Yaesu FT-4X and for the money, it’s a great and simple heandheld.

The FT5DR does not require a cable for serious setup. I use the SD card and programming software to do the exact same thing you would with a cable. I don’t own a cable and using their software have programmed the radio many times. I actually find it more convenient and don’t have to fiddle with drivers etc.

Je suis à la recherche, d'un système de communication pour la survie, un système pas compliqué et pas de licence. Merci monsieur pour la réponse...

The Anytone BT PTT was the reason we bought them. Not only does it make possible to safely use a radio while driving a large Class A motor home, but if you have only one arm, it also makes it possible to use a radio while driving a car. Simply attach the PTT to the steering wheel.

No ham shack is complete without a Feng'

For a inexpensive entry level DMR radio, you missed a good one. The TYT MD-UV380. DMR and 2 meter/440. And dual watch. So you can listen to a DMR frequency, and either 2 meter or 440. I've had one for a few years not, and its a good radio. And I think I paid about 120 dollars for mine off of Amazon.

Perhaps an analog vs digital plus D-Star vs DMR vs Fusion primer would be helpful for new folks?

Hey Jim thanks for sharing this 👍

Love hear types of radios!

Yaesu FT-60 and FT-65 the great Japanese radios zero spuries

i just visited the site and was looking at the courses. the level 1 states its been updated
for 2022. um.........its 2023. when will the course be updated for 2023?

I love ❤️ the part when you said we are not sponsored. most of reviews today are just paid actors

I was looking through the Ham Radio Prep app to study for my Ham license what I didn’t know was that the first video was free when I went to the second video it asked for a payment. This is why no one wants a Ham license because you guys expect to get paid for everything this is why people use GMRS it’s a one time payment, no test and you’re done. I am still going to get a ham radio. Ha, ha ha

😞 P r o m o S M

Nice radios, but $600 for an HT really isn't practical, and let's face it, the Baofeng UV-5R is really no longer viable. The keys on the keyboard tend to flake off with use. The Baofeng UV-82 5W/8W replaced the 5R a long time ago. I have a 3800mAh battery on mine.

How about durability? My UV-82 keys don't flake off pieces of rubber, plus the UV-82 has a dual PTT button that fully enables great communication. Oh, and the UV-F6 and other iterations of the 5R are small, plus they have larger rubber keys and better flashlights. The downsides are 1) they won't take the larger UV-82 batteries and 2) they're a bear to put in the charging cradles.

I've seen many of the Baofengs last several years and they're still kicking, so if you have a UV-82 5W/8W radio, you can expect them to be very durable, lasting for six years or more. One Baofeng I bought and wasn't crazy about was the UV-9RPlus. They were sold as 10-18W radios, but are really only 5W radios. But over the last year or so, I really did a complete turn around on them. The quality seems to be outstanding. The things that turned people off was the elaborate claims of power (again, it's 5W). And they had an unfortunate stamping of "Digital Mobile Radio" on the front which wasn't true; so sales plummeted.

But over the last year, just using it, I found myself just coming to love the radio. It's got weight to it, the PTT button is far better than that found on other Baofeng radios, the sound is better and yeah, the FM radio has an annoying click on it, but the internal guts to it are seemingly better. I'm able to get contacts with it that my cheaper 8W radios can't, and I'm unable to explain that. My 8W radios should be able to, so who knows? It's a mystery. I reached someone on my repeater on LOW power with a 7-inch Retevis antenna. How was that even possible? Yet my contact replied, saying I was coming through with some hiss.

I shouldn't have been able to make a contact out of my yard!

So don't sell these Baofeng HTs short. The UV-82 are UV-9RPlus radios are better than anyone has a right to expect. It has a decisive click when it's turned on and the quality on the UV-9RPlus exceeds expectations, and the UV-82 replaced the UV-5R a long time ago.

I'm partial to my Wouxun KG_UV9D Mate! 999 memory channels, Cross band repeater, 7 scanning bands total. Scanning of 2 bands at the same time (Superhetrodyne if I spelled that right). 10 watts and I swapped out the rubber duckie for a Diamond SRH320A tri-band anntenna for power to reach out and touch someone!! OH and around $160 depending where you look!

What's a bit annoying for a complete Newbie are all the technical terms you use, w/o detailing what you're speaking of "DTMF/Echolink,IRLP" etc ..
these all sounds like chinese to me , well i guess i'll research them all one after the other...to know what they are and do ..!

In my opinion, with all the handhelds I have owned, the Kenwood TH-D74 is my favorite.
For any occasion, the intuitive programming menu, makes for quick programming of channels whether for 2 meter, 1.25 meter and 70 cm bands. I have used it on 70 cm for winlink, D-star, 2 meter aprs, packet radio with kiss mode, and has a fairly decent HF shortwave receiver that includes SSB and am experimenting with FLdigi & VARA.

Any advice on mounting/installing an HT w/PTT in a late model midsize car? I don't see a lot of useful space in driver's position of my 2016 Kia Optima.

Going soon for Technician license. Considering FT-60 and FT-65, among others. Is there any big advantage to FT-60 over FT-65? Or should I consider something a little more expensive.? Most repeaters in my usual roaming area support System Fusion, but that isn't a huge consideration since I'm just starting.

Has anyone noticed that there is suddenly very few HTs for sale in the Ham market? Everything seems to be discontinued

Very nice video.
Fortunately or unfortunately my Elmer didn't like Yeasu radios, so I've been scared for life. All my radios are/have been Icoms.
I just got a ID-52A, I like it very much! I've ordered a signal stick for it.
Thanks for your video.
K7EMU

This is a very good video. I look at pricing more than anything; I won't spend any more than I have to, even though I'll soon have an Extra ticket and could afford to buy most any unit. The UV-5R will be my first radio because it can be had for less than $20 plus a TYT TH-7800 including the power supply for $229 plus tax. I always watch videos and see the comments that say you get what you pay for and that's probably true but at what cost!?!. HF is so high that I just automatically say no.

Excellent video Jim.

Great video. Love the Yaesu FT-65 It was my first HT, and still carry it daily. Only recently purchased an ICOM 2100DS to venture into NXDN as we have several linked NXDN repeaters in my area. The ICOM does analog as well. Best of both worlds.

Atleast I have one on your list, the Anytone AT-D878UVII Plus.
Also have...
Wouxun KG-UV9PX (multiband listening)
TYT - UV88 (MTC mystery box) giving to my son plus a 80ch FM Uniden CB
Baofeng UV-S9 (keep in my car)
Baofeng UV-9R (keep in wife's car)
Not buying anymore HT's but if I had the money, I'd get the Icom 52a.
Great informative video.👍🍻🤠

Extremely helpful presentation!

Thank you!

Thanks for this. Quite helpful.