Ham radio, also known as amateur radio, is a global hobby enjoyed by over two million people. Like any hobby, there are costs, but they can be as low or high as you decide. My first equipment was bought new covering VHF, used both at home and in the car.
How Much Does it Cost to Start in Ham Radio? The lowest starting point is around $100. This will buy you a basic low power short distance radio and cover the cost of your ham radio license exam and study books. Second-hand equipment is perfect at this stage and a shortwave transceiver and a simple antenna could be less than $400.
As you explore and enjoy ham radio, you’ll look to expand your horizons with additional equipment and aerials. However, to make a start in ham radio, let’s look at the initial cost.
Ham Radio Study Books and Courses: around $30
In the United States, the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) produce three study bibles for learning all you need to pass the exam and become a licensed radio ham. The current (2019) printed edition of the ARRL Ham Radio Licence Manual can be ordered from the ARRL.
This book covers the Technician class, the first ham radio license level in the US. The 288 pages cover everything you need to know and list the pool of 400 questions which could be asked (see The Exam below). A Kindle version is available and is considerably cheaper than the printed book. The study manual is designed for self-study or classroom use and for schoolroom teachers and instructors.
Moving to the General Class and Extra Class, there are additional books available from the ARRL.
In the United Kingdom, there are three levels of license. The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) has a series of books, one for each level. The full set (2019) is £18.97 plus postage and can be bought online directly from the RSGB. Although you may find second-hand copies, be aware that the syllabus changed in 2019, so make sure you have the most up to date editions. Local clubs in the UK hold regular courses which are inexpensive and an ideal way to learn what you need to gain your first license.
Other countries will have books available in local languages, covering what you need to learn ahead of taking your amateur radio exam.
The Ham Radio Exam: around $15 to $40
It may be many years, or ever decades since you sat your last exam. This isn’t any barrier to taking the ham radio exam and you’ll enjoy the experience, as it lacks the pressure of needing to hit a high grade to go to college or university.
In decades gone by, the exams were written essay style, with the need to do drawings of valves and radio circuits. In the enlightened age in which we live today, many exams are usually multiple-choice answers from a set of questions.
In the United States, the first level Technician class license examination is 35 questions, taken from a published pool of 400. This means, in effect, if you read, learn and understand the 400 questions in the ARRL Ham Radio Licence Manual, you will find the Technician class level exam fairly straightforward, with a pass requirement of 26 of the 35 questions presented.
For the US General License and the Advanced Licence classes, exams are held across the country on a regular basis. You will need to book a location and a date, where you’ll meet others like yourselves taking the same exam. You can find your local locations and ham radio exam dates here.
In the United Kingdom, there are also three levels of examination, Foundation, Intermediate and Full. For the first level, there are 26 multiple-choice questions, taken in 55 minutes. Your paper will be checked immediately, so you will have a good idea as to whether you have passed. The cost (2019) for the Foundation license course and the exam is £27.50. You can find your local club and exam dates here.
The UK Intermediate license exam is in two parts. The first is a practical, where you solder a basic circuit with components. Part two is 45 multiple-choice questions, each with four possible answers. The cost is (2019) £32.50 and you need to have passed the Foundation course first. The final ham radio license level in the UK is the Full License. This more advanced and needing significant study. Again, these ham radio examinations are held at various locations across the country and are multiple choice in nature.
Cost of Your First Ham Radio Licence: $0 and upwards
Congratulations! You have the first piece of paper you need following a successful ham radio examination. Well done. It’s time to apply for your first ham radio license.
The cost of your license will vary depending on where you are in the world. The good news is that many countries now issue licenses at no cost at all. This is the case in the United States and the United Kingdom.
You can expect license costs in some countries, but the variations are too varied to detail in this article.
Your First Ham Radio Station: $50 to $$$
This is where the fun starts. For equipment, you can spend as much or as little as you like.
At the lowest end of the scale, you can find cheap and cheerful Chinese hand-held transceivers which cover a single VHF band on FM. Some of the budget end radios will work on two bands, generally 2 metres and 70cm. These little portable radios are low power and limited in the distance but are ideal for contracts around town. By using a repeater, contact distances can increase a fair bit within the range of the repeater. You can expect contacts with others using hand-held sets and hams in cars. The budget end of the market is dominated by Beofeng and Wouxun.
From there handheld transceivers increase in price, power, and features. You can find HF portable transceivers, which not quite hand-held but can be slung over your shoulder. Think here of something like the Yaesu FT-817 which comes with many accessories.
In the car, you would need both a transceiver and an antenna mounted on the outside. Choices here are VHF/UHF models or medium power HF rigs which can give significant distances.
Most radio amateurs have a set-up at home. These will generally be medium to higher powered radios with an antenna outside. Here the sky, on price, is almost unlimited. Over the years, you might build a formidable ham station with high powered amplifiers and tall towers with rotatable multi-element beam antennas. However, to start this is not at all necessary and a modest set-up will give you as much pleasure and interest.
A less expensive entry point would be to look for quality second-hand equipment. Other local hams, perhaps through a local club would be able to offer advice. Places to buy second-hand equipment can be from an authorized dealer online or from a private sale in person. If you have identified what you want to buy, then look at eBay.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Should I join a local or national ham radio club? A local club is a perfect place to meet local hams, especially as you are starting out. You will find friendly advice and club members will make you welcome. National amateur radio societies such as the ARRL in the United States and the RSGB in the United Kingdom and others across the world publish monthly printed magazines with a wide range of articles from beginners to experts. There is a cost to be a member of a local or national club, but they are worth the pennies.
What Things Can I do with Ham Radio? At the simple end, just natter with the locals from your mini handheld rig. With larger stations, there are contests to enter, different modes of operation to explore. You may find yourself chasing contacts with rare countries and islands with the aim of a contact with every single country – that’s 340 to find.