Although it’s not too often I do work the local repeater(s) and simplex from a HT.

My first experience on-air was in fact with a Danita CB “walkie-talkie” so lotsa nostalgia there.

Needless to say, today’s HT is so much more advanced than the late-80’s monster-brick-radio weighing in at around 1kg (~2pounds) and sporting 0,5m (20inch) whip antenna. Not even sure it had any features worth mentioning, just a few hours of battery life and can’t remember model number but 40 channels and 4Watts of FM-power was more than enough and it got me the first QSO’s ever – and lit the flame!

Nowadays you get a small handheld with seemingly endless possibilities: Dualband, lots of accessories, hours’n’hours of battery life, APRS, DV (D-STAR) and broadband scanning just to name a few.

• Kenwood TH-D7E
• Baofeng UR-5RB
• ICOM IC-E92D