so i passed my technician about three weeks ago and ive been lurking here trying to figure out what HT to actually buy. everyone keeps saying different things and im kind of going in circles at this point. i mostly want to use it for local repeaters, maybe some APRS eventually, and just general learning. my budget is somewhere around 150 bucks maybe a bit more if something is really worth it.

i keep seeing the baofeng stuff everywhere and it seems like half the people love it and half think its garbage. then theres the yaesu FT-60 which looks solid but older? and someone at my local club mentioned the VX-6R but that seems pricey. i honestly dont know what questions to even ask at this point, theres just so much. does dual band even matter for a beginner or am i overthinking this

oh man i remember this exact feeling when i was starting out, it really is overwhelming at first. okay so here's my honest take — the baofeng UV-5R gets a lot of hate but honestly for a brand new ham who just wants to get on repeaters and learn the hobby it does the job fine. the programming is a bit of a headache until you get CHIRP sorted out but once you do its not bad. that said if you have 150 to spend i'd probably stretch just slightly and look at the Yaesu FT-65 or the BF-F8HP if you want to stay in the baofeng world but with a little more power.

dual band is worth it yeah, being able to hit both 2m and 70cm repeaters opens up a lot more options depending on your area. the FT-60 is a tank and people have had them for 15+ years with no issues, older doesnt mean bad in this hobby. i wouldnt stress too much though honestly — get something in your budget, get on the air, and youll figure out what you actually want in an HT after a few months of using it.

just got my ticket a few months before you and went through the same thing lol. ended up with a Radioddity GD-77 mostly because it does DMR which i wanted to try eventually. its a bit more to learn upfront but i dont regret it. though tbh if i just wanted simple vhf/uhf repeater stuff id probably have gone with the FT-65, felt really solid when i held one at a hamfest.