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HF On The Cheap -- USDR+ (Red Corners) QRP Review & Quick Setup Guide

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   - USDR+ QRP HF 8 bands SDR Transceiver -  So if you're like me and doing HF ham radio on a budget (less than $250 total ) -- yes, you do have options. But man, can they be confusing! I received my General ticket just over 5 years ago (I'm a pandemic ham, KI5ONA). My first radio was the Baofeng UV5R, the tri-band version. It worked, I built a j-pole, had a bunch of successes and failures, got the APRS cable and APRSDroid software and really enjoyed it, dabbled in DMR and really didn't enjoy it... But nothing really got me salivating quite like HF. That is, until I saw the price tag. HF rigs can be seriously expensive. Like into the thousands and beyond. It can seem like a rich man's sport. No budget hams allowed. But that thought couldn't be further from the truth. So what is an operator on a budget going to do? Find cheaper alternatives. Namely, QRP.  But does QRP work? Can I DX with QRP? Will I be able to do voice calls with SSB on QRP? Those were my questions w...
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Baofeng 5RM Review and Quick Setup

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  My first VHF/UHF handheld was the old 5-watt UV5R. It was the entry radio for technician-class operators at the time. Either you blew hundreds or possibly thousands on a name-brand radio, or you spent $35 on a tiny, 5-watt HT. Documentation was incredibly light at the time, programming one required a little internet time, and they didn't go out very far. To hit your local repeater, you'd need a 15" whip antenna from another supplier and have to hunt around for that perfect "spot" to transmit from. Fortunately, this is not the case anymore. Technology has gotten better and prices have come down dramatically in the handheld transceiver market. As well, transmit power has gone up. Where 5 watts of output used to be the norm, 10 watts is the new minimum and surprisingly these units cost less today than their 5-watt counterparts did just half a decade ago. The Baofeng 5RM is a serious improvement to the old UV5R. It is tri-band (VHF / UHF / 1.25 meters) and has a co...
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Baofeng UV-32 Review and Quick Setup

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I ordered two of these radios a few weeks ago, and have to say I am impressed! When I first got started as a technician in ham radio, my first radio was the tri-band version of the UV5R. It was the gateway radio for many operators just entering the hobby. Options for new hams have multiplied and gotten much better over the last few years. Instead of tiny, 5-watt radios the market now offers better radios with more features, higher power, and better screens. The Baofeng UV-32 is definitely one to be considered. It has 10 watts RF output, has tri-band capabilities (VHF/UHF and 1.25 meters), 2" color screen, preset NOAA stations, regular FM commercial radio receive, and the latest addition is GPS & Bluetooth. Range on these is similar to most 10-watt handhelds, but what really got me going is the stock (rubber ducky) antenna. It is comparable to my Nagoya 15" whip antenna, which is impressive to say the least. Until now, most stock antennas I threw in the junk drawer to neve...
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