Recommendations wanted for HT

[Rob Seastrom]

Richard Barth <w3hwn at comcast.net> writes:

> My son is finally displaying interest in getting a ham license. He is
> signed up for a class and for the exam given by Laurel ARC a few weeks
> later.
>
> Following the presentation given recently concerning a certain BaoFeng
> HT, another model of which also supported MURS, he was thinking of getting
> one of those. The miserable performance of BaoFeng rigs reported in the
> latest issue of QST, however, with similar comments he found on line,
> made him re-think the matter.
>
> What types of 144/440 MHz HTs has any of you used and found reliable?
> Nothing really elaborate, just a dependable rig at a reasonable price.
>
> Thanks for any suggestions.

It's a few years old now but I still love my Yaesu FT-60R.  Available
on Amazon for $165, which is 3/4 what I paid for mine.

Sane/standard Yaesu menu driven user interface, good power and
sensitivity.  Doesn't get ungodly hot when you get long winded like
some other rigs.

In my experience, though the lackluster performance of the Baofengs is
not their worst quality.  Their UI is not just from another country;
it's from another planet.  I gave up on trying to even simple
programming on mine without using CHIRP.  Some people I know who've
equipped Scouts and other youngsters with Baofengs have had to endure
good natured ribbing about "trying to turn the kids off to ham radio".

-r