Gear guide

Cheap handheld with wide receive and popular alternative firmware.

Yaesu's answer to the IC-7300: SDR, USB audio and front speaker.

Affordable SDR with built-in battery and tuner.

Touch screen, C4FM, APRS and waterproof.

D-STAR with big colour screen and Bluetooth.

Hybrid SDR with an excellent receiver in a compact box.

Pocket SDR: HF to 70 cm, GPS, Bluetooth and battery.

Top receiver with two hybrid SDRs. The MP version gives 200 W.

VHF/UHF/23 cm SDR with satellite mode — first choice for sat and EME.

20 W SDR with a good tuner at a low price.

Compact C4FM mobile with Bluetooth and APRS.

DMR and analogue mobile with large channel capacity.

FT-5D predecessor — same features, often cheaper.

Updated FT-817 with 6 W and a bigger battery.

The most popular DMR handheld. The Plus has GPS and Bluetooth.

Two independent SDR receivers and a big screen — a contest and DX machine.

Network SDR with a strong receiver. The M version has its own front panel.

Single-band CW kit. A cheap way into QRP and soldering.

Digital handheld scanner (25 MHz–1.3 GHz) that also follows P25, DMR and NXDN traffic.

1.2 kW solid-state (LDMOS) amp for HF/6 m — no tubes, light and quick band changes.

The best-selling HF rig. Direct sampling, great scope and USB audio for FT8.

Everything from 160 m to 70 cm in one box — tuner, USB audio and C4FM.

Small 100 W HF rig — popular for POTA with a big battery.

80–10 m in palm size — perfect for SOTA and POTA.

The APRS lover's handheld with D-STAR and wideband receiver.

Icom's flagship with 200 W and a very clean signal.

Colour screen, C4FM and APRS — a car favourite.

Simple analogue dual-bander with dual receive.

D-STAR mobile with touch screen, GPS and Bluetooth.

Compact solid-state amp with tuner — also for portable use.

Kenwood's 200 W flagship with two screens and two receivers.

HF to 70 cm with a sloped touch controller and D-STAR.

Simple 2 m handheld with IPX5 water protection — a good first radio.

Strong receiver and lots of knobs — a good used buy.

The cheapest way onto 2 m and 70 cm.

Solid mid-range with USB audio. A good used buy for digital modes.

HF to 70 cm with satellite mode. 23 cm and D-STAR optional.

Top-class field rig. Tuner and battery optional.

1.5 kW+ HF/6 m with a 4CX1000A, three antenna outputs and headroom for contests and digital modes.

500 W solid-state amp, no warm-up.

Great CW receiver and USB audio. The SG is the improved version.

Weatherproof autotuner for wire antennas, controlled from the rig (FT-857/897/891/991).

100 W HF/6 m with USB audio and colour screen — the IC-7610's predecessor and a good used buy for digital modes.

200 W top rig with one of the best receivers of its time.

Automatic tuner for Yaesu rigs with a tuner port (FT-857, FT-897, FT-450).

Manual tuner with roller inductor and cross-needle meter, 2 kW PEP — takes full power from an amplifier.

200 W contest rig with roofing filters, a big screen and built-in PSU — the IC-7851's predecessor.

Legal-limit automatic tuner, 1.5 kW — for the amplifier station without manual tuning.

Classic Yaesu with a good receiver for the money.

Small, affordable 100 W rig with built-in tuner.

1.5 kW HF/6 m tube amplifier with a single 4CX1000A — one of the most wanted amps here.

Big rig with two receivers. The D version has 200 W with external PSU.

The IC-706 successor with colour screen and better DSP.

The APRS workhorse with built-in TNC.

Light 4CX800A tube amp with 700 W — popular for field days and DXpeditions.

Simple, rugged 2 m/70 cm mobile — good for repeaters.

Automatic tuner that bolts onto the side of the Yaesu FT-897 and is powered and controlled by the rig.

Icom's former flagship: 200 W, two identical receivers and a big screen.

Rugged analogue dual-bander — survives pocket life.

Automatic 125 W tuner with two antenna outputs and bar-graph meter.

Automatic 250 W tuner — headroom for 200 W rigs like the IC-7700 and TS-990.

Battery-powered QRP autotuner made for the FT-817/818 — suits POTA and field days.

Automatic 300 W tuner with large memory and two antenna outputs.

The smallest HF/VHF/UHF 100 W rig. Popular in the car.

Field rig with room for internal batteries or a power supply.

Remote head and good receiver. SAT has a tuner, HX has 200 W.

Quad-bander (10 m FM, 6 m, 2 m, 70 cm) — good for repeaters.

Small automatic tuner for 100 W rigs, 1.8–54 MHz — the most traded tuner on Brugtgrej.

Yaesu's automatic tuner that mounts on the side of the FT-897 or works with the FT-857.

Small autotuner from QRP up to 125 W, can run on internal batteries.

Smaller, cheaper SGC remote tuner for wire antennas, 200 W PEP.

HF, 6 m and 2 m with DSP and tuner — a good all-round rig.

The QRP classic: all bands and internal battery.

Classic with colour screen and good DSP. The PRO III is most sought after.

Simple, near-indestructible beginner HF rig.

HF to 70 cm (X version also 23 cm) and full duplex for satellites.

Fully automatic tube amp with built-in tuner.

Legendary little all-bander for car and holiday cottage.

Classic satellite rig with true full duplex.

Tube amplifier with 4CX800A — rugged and well protected.

Remote autotuner for the FT-847 and FT-100, mounted out at the antenna.

Automatic tuner for the IC-706MKII/G, IC-7000 and IC-746 — controlled via the rig's tuner port.

Affordable remote tuner for wire antennas, 200 W PEP — mounted at the feed point.

100 W HF + 6 m with DSP and tuner, known for good audio and a solid receiver.

Popular HF rig with DSP and built-in tuner. The S version adds 6 m.

Classic manual 300 W tuner with cross-needle meter, dummy load and balun — a good first choice.

Sister of the MFJ-949E without dummy load — the same manual 300 W tuner.

Compact manual tuner for car and portable use, 1.8–60 MHz.

90s flagship with dual receive and a strong receiver. The Mark V has 200 W.

Simple manual 300 W tuner with cross-needle meter and antenna switch.

Compact, rugged and simple 100 W HF rig — an affordable first HF buy.

Affordable tube amp with four 811A.

Waterproof remote tuner for base, boat and car, 200 W PEP.

Solid 90s HF rig with built-in tuner and often a built-in power supply.

Well-liked 90s HF rig with a good receiver. Tuner and DSP were options.

Yaesu's legendary 200 W contest and DX flagship with two receivers and built-in PSU.

Professional surveillance receiver from 100 kHz to 2 GHz with built-in screen.

Small 20 W single-band 80 m rig (SSB/CW) — for mobile and holiday-home use.

Compact 80s HF rig with general-coverage receiver. Some have the AT-440 tuner.

Manual 1.5 kW T-network tuner with roller inductor and cross-needle meter.

Classic small tube amp (2 × EL509) for 3–30 MHz, mostly used on 10/11 m.

Manual 1.5 kW tuner with roller inductor for use after an amplifier.

Small 80s HF rig — a cheap way onto shortwave.

Classic hybrid with a solid-state receiver and two 6146B tubes in the final.

Popular all-wave shortwave receiver (0.15–30 MHz) for listeners and DXers.

Manual 160–10 m tuner incl. WARC with built-in watt/SWR meter and antenna switch — matches the TS-830/530/930.

Small, cheap manual 200 W tuner without a meter.

Yaesu's big late-70s hybrid with digital readout and tube PA.

70s hybrid with warm audio and analogue VFO. The S version has a digital readout.

Classic 572B tube amp — matches the FT-101 series.

Hybrid classic with tubes in the PA — loved by nostalgics.

Classic manual matching network for 80–10 m (no WARC), 2 kW PEP — belongs with the Drake TR-4/T-4XC line.

Vintage classic with two 572B — often modified.

Legendary military tube receiver (0.5–32 MHz) with mechanical filters and a mechanical counter dial.